Back To Normal (Inara)

[Kiva]

She had regained her health in terms of weight so all that was left now was strength. The silver wolf had managed to go on several successful hunts by herself and little by little, she gained back all the weight she had lost since the night of the fire when her world turned upside down. Not only had she gotten back to being healthy, but she looked and felt better all around. Her natural spunk as her brother had called it was returning, she didn’t tire as easily, her coat was getting thicker, and when looking into the water at her reflection she could tell that once more her eyes glowed bright and her crescent was no longer faded. In a way, she was thankful that she had made enemies with Datura because without her, she had no way of knowing, nor did she want to know, how long it would have taken for her to finally get pushed over the edge to restarting her life. It was amazing to be back to being herself and though she still missed being an alpha and her old pack, Tala, it was much easier to live with because she could stop living in the past and could move forward. Her focus was on two things now, keeping her pack fed alongside Aaricia and Euryleia and, giving birth and raising as many strong and healthy pups as she could for her pack. Those were two things she loved doing and being back to herself just made the future seem that much brighter.
Even though she had her weight back, she still needed to gain the strength back that she had lost. She knew the quickest way to do this would be by swimming so she set out on a little adventure. She would swim to the mainland, take a little break, and then would swim back. The process would be repeated as many times as needed until she had gained back, if not exceeded, her past strength. As she moved to the edge of the water, she hesitated for a second before deciding that Goliath would be alright with her leaving since she was doing it to better herself and the pack. She waded out into the water until she could no longer walk and then she started swimming. She started off slow, picking up speed once she was farther out. In order to stop from getting tired, she would swim quickly for a little while, and then would slow back down until she could catch her breath and then she would do it all over again. She could feel the burn in her legs after about half an hour but it only fueled her continue.
Once she made it to the mainland she crawled out of the ocean and shook herself off. She wanted to stop right then but she kept moving, making herself work to earn a break. She looked around for a place to rest before she finally spotted a cave not too far away. Shaking herself off once last time she headed over to it, keeping her eyes peeled for any other wolves. When she got to the cave and still didn’t see any others, she figured it was a safe enough place to let her guard down and rest so she crawled into the back of the cave and lay down. Usually, she would have hated the heat that came from underneath the cave but since she was wet and it was midwinter, she gladly welcomed the warmth. 

[Deleted]

 
For many moons Inara had traveled, far and wide, no matter the distance. She had walked until her paw pads were sore and then further, until she no longer felt the ache in her tiny feet. For months on end she had spent as much time as possible separating herself from her birth pack, long ago disbanded and yet still figuratively hounding her with their ghosts. The sting of her exile had lessened with time, but it had not faded completely. It had sunk deep into her being like the meddlesome barb of a creature, throbbing occasionally but silent for the most part. She’d found long ago that she dwelled on it the most when she was still and bored; she was only at ease when she was occupied. Boredom, it seemed, was an irritating old friend that would knock on her door whenever she was not in motion, whenever she was not doing something. It had always been her Achilles Heel, so to speak, the one thing that drove her near to tears with madness. Inara could not stand inactivity.

Her wanderings had brought her far west, to territories uncharted in her mind. Sand and cracked dirt gave way beneath her as she moved, a light mottled speck against the endless browns and dusky reds. In the distance, the crags of a volcano towered high above her, making Inara feeling even tinier than she already was. Many things were daunting to a wolf of her size, as she stood smaller than any other wolf she’d acquainted herself with – which was not many, but enough to know that she was downright diminutive. In the beginning months of her time on her own, this had frightened her. As Inara had grown, however, she had learned that her survival rested primarily on her intelligence and her ability to use other larger wolves for her own protection. Now she walked alone, more knowledgeable than she’d been, and it was shelter that she sought. Winter had fallen upon her so suddenly it seemed, and with it came her heat. She was not in the prime of her season yet to be sure, but she could not delay it. It was her second season, and the first that she would spend alone; the very first had come upon her when she was young and still safely protected by her family. She had no one now to prowl after her like a bodyguard, and she could not seek the presence of a large brute to defend her, for he would just as likely deceive her and force himself upon her. It was a notion that Inara did not care for in the least.

These were the risks of a lone female, specifically of her stature. It was what drove her towards the rocky base of the crags, sand giving way to rock and soot, her tiny paws leaving indents in the charcoal ash. She could faintly make out what appeared to be the opening of a cave if she squinted her pale blue eyes, and it was here that she made for, legs carrying her into a brisk trot. An agama darted out from beneath a thick crop of underbrush as she passed, shortly followed by two more, startled out of their hiding place by her shadow. She caught and killed the first swiftly, and managed a second shortly afterwards. The third she let go; two would likely be an excess for her, anyways. She scooped the lizards into her mouth, carrying them with her as she continued for the cave. Relieved to feel the warmth radiating beneath her, thawing her freezing paw pads, she ducked inside and promptly drew up short.

Nestled towards the back was another wolf, and Inara’s heart began to thrum heavily in her chest. After a moment a scent reached her nostrils and she relaxed just a fraction, relieved to find that it was a female, and one who seemed a good deal older than Inara herself was. She was a pale silver in color, and around her eye curled a peculiar shape, beautifully similar to the pale curve of a waning moon.

”Forgive me, I –“ Inara began, before pausing as her words came out mangled and muffled around the lizards she carried. Sheepishly she dropped them, before drawing herself up as proudly as she could manage after her embarrassing start. She cleared her throat before trying again. ”I did not realize that anyone was here.”

She paused, glancing down at the lizards considerately. The stranger before her was wet and heaving just slightly; had she fallen in the water, or swam here for some reason? Inara could not imagine wading in the frigid water now, but the she-wolf before her had a much thicker pelt. Inara was not suited for the cold, and already she detested the idea of having to find a new resting place, especially when this cave radiated warmth. The cold stung her skin, slipping easily beneath her shorter pelt…yet another risk of journeying in the winter. Perhaps she is no threat, she thought, although it was far too soon to tell. Maybe if she offered her some of her catch…

”Are you hungry?” Inara asked quietly, gesturing to the agama’s heaped at her feet. ”I’d be a glutton if I ate both of them myself.”

COUNT: 890 

TAGGED: Kiva

NOTES: ^-^

[Kiva]

When she first lay down in the back of the cave, the silver hued feme was determined to stay awake. Knowing that she was out of pack territory and therefore could be found by any loners, she knew that letting her guard down by falling asleep was far from the smartest thing to do. However, between the warmth of the cave floor and the tiredness of her swim, it was only minutes before she finally gave in to the peaceful slumber that had crept up on her. Slipping into a light sleep, she dreamed of a better time. Of a time before the fire, back when she and her brother Cato were still alphas of their pack Tala. She dreamed of the times when her oldest daughter Anima and her eldest son Kiba were taught to be great, just, and powerful alphas so that when the time came, they could step up and take their rightful place as the next Alpha and Alphess. She dreamed of her thirteen puppies, the oldest litter four years, followed by her second litter which were two years, and her third which was a year. She missed playing with them, splashing through the creek that ran through their territory and chasing one another around the twisted dreams.

She whimpered quietly as she dreamed for even in her sleep, her conscious knew these were times that she would never have again. She knew even while she was not awake that she failed to save all of her children, ultimately failing as a mother. She also knew that she was now a murderer. Her brother had died by her own teeth and those few seconds haunted her to that very day. A lot had changed since the time which her dreams took place and the current moment in which she lay sleeping and absolutely nothing was for the better.

Kiva was snapped awake by the scent of an arriving wolf and at first, the hair along her back and neck rose in caution. However, she immediately relaxed when the wolf stepped into the cave. It was a female and she knew right away that she meant no harm. In her muzzle were two dead lizards and from the scent, the she wolf knew they were only killed shortly before. Her silver ears perked up when the younger wolf spoke, her words coming out slurred due to the creatures she held onto. Kiva watched as she set them down, only to try speaking again, this time her words coming out clear and apologetic. After she was done speaking, Kiva stood and shook herself off. “You need not worry, there is plenty of room in here for two wolves and I must say, it is rather warm and comfy, a nice change from the bitter cold outside,” She spoke gently and offered the younger wolf a warm and welcome smile. If she thought for a second she would be sent back out into the cold, she was definitely wrong.

The older wolf took the few minutes of silence after her reply and before the other spoke again to look over the new wolf. But within seconds, she felt a sharp pain through her heart. The father of Kiva’s second litter was multi hued brown wolf who was slim and muscular. Almost all of the six pups born from that litter were various shades of brown with brown eyes. However, there were two, a male and a female who not only had shades of brown in the coat but who also had some grey from Kiva mixed in and who’s eyes looked much like her own, a light baby blue. Her second litter was also two years of age and from the looks of it, so was the wolf standing in front of her. Had she not known any better, Kiva would have sworn that the young female standing in front of her was one of her daughters. She instantly felt her maternal instincts kick and she had to hold herself back from going up and nuzzling the other wolf. Over and over again, she told herself that the wolf was just a stranger who would probably leave as soon as the weather cleared up. She didn’t need to get close to her because she would only lose her like she already had all of her other pups.

The young wolf’s next comment caught Kiva off guard. While she did have two lizards, they were far from the biggest of creatures and so the she wolf was not expecting the offer that she was given. However, despite the hunger she worked up from swimming, she shook her head. “No thank you, I appreciate the offer but you are a young and growing wolf and you need to eat more than I do,” she nodded in the way a mother would. Lying back down, she realized that she had yet to introduce herself and was quick to change that, “I’m Kiva, one of the hunters in Kairos,” she bowed respectfully before resting her head on her paws.

[Deleted]

As the radiant blue eyes of the older femme found her, Inara stood stock still, triangular ears perked atop her skull to catch the words that the stranger spoke. They were warm and inviting, something that brought immediate relief to Inara. She might have sighed with it if not for the fact that it would have showed weakness. The silvery stranger had stood, revealing that she was indeed larger than Inara herself, much like many others. It was an unfortunate fact that she had long ago learned not to dwell over.

There was a long moment of silence where the stranger gazed at her, making Inara’s skin itch beneath her pelt. What? Do I have something in my fur? She wondered absently as she stepped forward, tiny paws barely making any noise in the wide cavern. It was indeed warm, and the other female did not seem to pose much of a threat as she declined Inara’s offer. With a shrug of her slender shoulders she stooped to grab the lizards in her mouth before trotting to the wall directly across from where the she-wolf laid, far enough away to run should she need to but close enough so that she did not offend. It was here that she lay down, dropping the agamas with a dull thud between her paws. There was a brief moment where she paused, giving the stranger time to change her mind, but when no word came Inara lowered her head to the first lizard. It was larger than the other by only a bit, and still warm on the inside as she carefully peeled the meat away from the sharp little bones.

“I’m Kiva, one of the hunters in Kairos.”

Glancing up, Inara licked the blood from her lips as she considered this. A twinge of recognition filled her mind at Kairos, although she could not pinpoint where it had come from. A rumor or a tale she’d heard in her very recent travels, perhaps. Inara always paid little mind to the ludicrous whispers that reached her auds, born of other loners. Regardless, she committed Kiva’s name to her memory. Not that she was likely to forget it, anyways – she had never seen a marking as intriguing as the crescent moon upon her silvery fur.

”I’m Inara,” she answered finally, absently picking at the lizard before her pale blue gaze found Kiva once more. ”There is no pack that I call home. I have been wandering for some time now.”

It felt odd in a way to admit that – not because she was ashamed, but because she could only imagine how different their lives must be. Kiva had an alpha to answer to, a responsibility as hunter, and the protection of her pack, while Inara fended for herself and filled no belly other than her own. It brought back memories of her own pack, although she was quick to dismiss these with a flick of her ears. She would not allow them to occupy her thoughts any more than she had to.

”Have you been for a swim?” She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her as her mind returned to her previous thoughts. Kiva’s fur had a dampness that suggested she had, something that Inara had noticed upon first ducking into the cage but had promptly forgotten about. Now, however, she had time to speak. ”I can only imagine what the water must feel like right now.” As if to prove her point, a shiver ran the length of her spine and she cast a quickly glance in the direction of the cave entrance.

COUNT: 602

TAGGED: Kiva

NOTES: 

[Kiva]

The fact that the young wolf seemed so hesitant when she stumbled on Kiva made her frown inside and made her wander about the wolf’s past and why a wolf her age was on her own. Sure, young wolves left packs sometimes once they were old enough to hunt for their selves but usually, for a wolf two or younger to leave, something had to happen or they just had to have a really big loner personality which this she wolf didn’t seem to have. She seemed to be more on the subtle, kind, loyal side than the rebellious side. Of course, she could be wrong, but she doubted she was.

The older wolf was glad that she didn’t try to argue with her when she denied her offer to share her kill. She knew the other wolf needed to eat as she was still young and had a lot of energy. Kiva would never take wolf from someone of her age or younger. In fact, she’d likely give up her own kills to feed those that young. With a gentle sigh, she laid her head back on her paws and closed her eyes, though she stayed aware of what was going on around her.

When the she wolf spoke again, Kiva opened her blue eyes and perked her ears. “Inara,” she tested the name on her tongue. “I love the way that sounds,” she said with a smile, “It’s very pretty.” When she said that there was currently no pack she called home, Kiva relaxed inside, glad she had yet to run into Goliath. While Kiva wouldn’t speak badly about her pack, she definitely didn’t want to know what Goliath or even Titan would do to her. She was the slim, agile, petite she wolf the Goliath seemed to go after and that thought alone was enough to make her want to growl protectively. She hoped the young wolf would never venture anywhere near her alpha or beta but at least if she did, Kiva would be there to protect her.

“Yes, I have,” she nodded. “My territory is an island not too far off shore but the only way to get to and from is to swim,” she chuckled lightly at the shiver that ran through Inara, and she hoped it would be enough to keep her from wanting to go for a swim herself. “It was very cold, but I happen to enjoy the cold, it makes you feel alive but it is not something I would recommend doing. It can easily be fatal,” her warning was laced with hidden meanings and was said in much the same tone a mother would use. It would be the only thing she said on the matter. Rather Inara listened or not was up to her.

[Deleted]

As Kiva voiced her warnings concerning the frigid water, Inara could not help but furrow her brows, a twinge of recognition stirring in her gut. While she was certain that she’d never met Kiva before – she surely would have remembered the peculiar mark if she had – it was something about the older she-wolf that made Inara feel…safe. She was normally wary of strangers, suspicious of their intentions through and through. How could she not be when nearly everyone she met was much larger than she was? But with Kiva…something was different. It took her only a moment more to realize what it was. Kiva’s tone and the way she carried herself reminded Inara, inevitably, of her mother. For a moment she was stricken by her feelings; she missed her family, of course….but they had sent her away. It was the memory of her exile that steeled her, her head lifting just slightly, pale blue eyes flashing with determination. She would show them.

”I’ve never been a fan of swimming anyways,” she finally admitted, dragging herself back to their conversation. She curled her tail around her haunches as she began to pick at the second agama, speaking around tiny bites. ”Winter has always been my least favorite season. I’m not exactly built for cold.” She turned her head to run her muzzle along the short fur of her shoulders as if to demonstrate. The cold had a way of getting under her skin, seeming to freeze her to her very core. She could only imagine how much worse it would be in the water. Shaking her head, she resigned herself to finishing the rest of her meal before settling back against the warmth of the stone behind her.

”Your territory sounds very well secured though. Surely you’d be able to see anyone coming if they were forced to swim,” she acknowledged, turning her muzzle just slightly towards the water as if she could see Kairos. She couldn’t, of course – Inara had never visited the island, and if it was surrounded by water, she doubted that she ever would. Still, it was amusing to imagine some grand territory surrounded by the shimmering blue ocean, perhaps covered in sand or trees. Her imagination always had been a tad bit overactive, but she’d explored very little of Anikira. Perhaps with time she would branch out more, exploring enough so that she wouldn’t need to use her imagination. This was her life now, after all. She was resigned to wandering paws and whatever shelter she could find in her travels. Strangely enough, the thought didn’t bother Inara as much as it originally had. It was a life of adventure, although it proved to be dull more often than not. It was what she’d always sworn she wanted.

Glancing back towards the ivory she-wolf who rested before her, Inara tilted her head as more questions sprang to mind. ”Your alpha doesn’t mind if you leave?” She asked. Her family had always loathed the fact that Inara wandered off; it was ultimately one of the reasons why she’d been exiled, and the thought that an alpha would let his pack members come and go as they pleased was a new experience to the diminutive femme.

COUNT: 538

TAGGED: Kiva

NOTES: I am so so sorry for the wait ;^;