Purpose (Arche / Joining)

[Hannibal]

Two sets of paws thudded gently along the ground, their owners moving at a slow but steady pace along the rocky ground in the shadow of the mountain. Truthfully, the whole land was still in shadow, as the sun had not yet risen and brought forth its generous light and warmth, but the mountain still loomed overhead as though blocking light from the valley. A wolf and his strangely colored companion travelled in the darkness, easily traversing the barren ground on their way north, headed toward the first pack they had smelled in quite a while. Then again, they had been mostly in the mountains for the past few weeks, where few wolves were bound to be at all, let alone a whole pack.

The wolf was fairly average, as wolves go--normal stature, a typical dark-on-light pelt, though he had a very serious sort of look to his face and seemed to be somewhat distant, despite his paying a great deal of attention to his surroundings. Most of his attention was to be sure his companion would not be harmed, as the creature was a great deal smaller than the average lupine. He was less than half the size of his wolf friend, with a brightly colored brown-black-white-orange short-haired pelt, deep brown eyes, and a small but fluffy white-tipped tail, marking his as an African Wild Dog. Strange as they pair were, it was clear the two were close; they walked side-by-side, touching on occasion when one or the other wavered slightly from their forward path.

"I do believe we will be encountering some wolves soon, Graham," said the wolf, his voice somehow light and deep all at once, smooth and carefully lowered to avoid attracting attention. His intelligent amber eyes swept the area before him as the dark trunks of trees materialized before him, and in his mind's eye he saw activity that wasn't happening currently, but had happened in the past. Scenes flashed by him--wolves greeting others in small numbers, short scuffles between unwelcome wolves and pack members--and with them, he gained a smidgeon of knowledge about the workings of the border.

He had encountered pack lands in the past, of course, but not all packs were the same, and he enjoyed the fact that he could garner some insight because of his mental differences. As the sun began to rise, though it was not yet above the horizon, the sky began to lighten, everything around the pair turning a strange grey color in the pre-dawn gloom. Dew that had formed on the grass now clung to the feet that slowed before they reached the trees, noses twitching as scent markers became incredibly obvious as they hovered just beyond the imaginary line that separated the mountains from the pack lands.

Sighing softly, the wolf turned to his painted company and smiled, the feeling of his lips pulling back strange to him. It was rare that he smiled, though he could always spare one for Graham if he needed to. The dog returned the smile briefly, flashing his teeth and nodding encouragement to the unasked question. Knowing what he had to do next, the wolf settled his feet and opened his mouth to let free several loud, booming barks that echoed into the forest and back to his own tall ears, sure to be heard by anyone within the area. A bit of anxiety gripped him as he closed his jaws and shifted his weight between his four feet, unable to sit down, for he knew that as soon as he did, he would need to stand again and greet whoever it was who answered his call.

Words || 625
Tags || Arche
Notes || Welcome Hannibal!! I'M SO EXCITED. Let me know if I need to change the location or anything. 

[Arche]

Another day, another morning. The sun was still sleeping, as he assumed most of the pack was as well, but Arche was up and about and already on patrol of the territory's boundaries. His large paws carried him slowly, moving his body gradually along the edge of the pack's land while his nose brought in each and ever familiar and unfamiliar scent that might linger. Green eyes scanned ahead of him, picking up shapes and shadows, but so far, there was nothing of much interest for the Alpha of Airila. It seemed like today would go by just like any other, even though it technically had not even begun. His father was still ill, the pack was still on edge because of it, but he would not allow them to fall apart, even for a moment.

Instead, he would do his job, and he would keep Airila safe and strong. There were a few new faces within their ranks now, but not so many to make the entire pack unfamiliar with one another. He had tried to encourage them to socialize with on another, get to know each other, but there was only so much he could do. It was not like he had any intention of forcing them to become a united pack. No, he would do his best to nurture loyalty and unity, but that was all he really could do. Forcing a pack to do anything would only result in their resentment for him. He picked up his pace slightly, sighing softly as he did what he could to ignore the constant pressure weighing him down day to day. Instead, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand, on the patrol.

The sound of a bark, several barks actually, echoed around the trees and bounced off the mountains beside them. The Alpha's ears perked, listening to the sound briefly before turning his body in the direction of the call. It was not a threat, that much was immediately obvious. It was not an accident, or a call for help, but it was a call for attention. The source of the call was from a wolf like himself, but a wolf that did not belong within Airila's territory. But this wolf was not inside of Airila territory, no, it was remaining respectfully outside of the borders and calling out for an audience with him. It was rare that a leader of a pack was afforded such respect, even though it was common sense and would likely be the only way one would be accepted into the pack's ranks. Clearly, from the little that Arche knew about this stranger, he had at least some intelligence to him.

He shook himself slowly, knocking off any stray pieces of dirt or leaves that clung to his fur, and then headed in the direction of the call. Although his mind told him that he should probably call out to the wolf before appearing, he instead moved ahead at a brisk pace and only slowed down - albeit slightly - when the scent of another creature filled his nose. It was not a wolf, but still within the canine family. An african wild dog. Although he personally had never encountered one of the creature, he was at least aware of their existence. His green eyes moved slowly back and forth between the two creatures as he stepped into view, paws only stopping when he was within about ten feet of them and close enough to easily converse with them if they wished to talk. It was not unusual for the Alpha to accept strangers into Airila, even those that did not fit in as wolves like the rest of their numbers. Calantha, for example, was not a wolf, but a coyote. He had accepted her after his friend, Rikez, had brought her into their pack's territory and to the meeting he had called. "Hello, I am Arche, Alpha of Airila. What brings you to our pack's borders?" He asked, his voice calm and relaxed, though he remained standing and held at least somewhat of a dominant posture.



Words: 684
Tags: Hannibal
Muse: Medium
Notes: n/a

[Hannibal]

For several moments, the wolf named Hannibal danced from one side to the other, continually shifting his weight in an uncomfortable motion that indicated he very much would like to settle down somewhere but could not find a good enough reason to do so. His painted companion stood beside him silently, still as a tree on a breezeless day, not a hint of emotion or comprehension present upon his small face. The creature was incredibly stoic, had been from the day the two met, and Hannibal brushed against him briefly in an attempt to steal some of his comfort with unknown situations. There were things that the wolf was good at dealing with, but there were many more that he had trouble with, and calling attention to himself and awaiting a response was one of the highest on his list of uncomfortable situations.

Suddenly there was sound, movement, and the wolf snapped to attention, turning his head slightly to watch an impressive male step forward from the trees, staring at him--though not unkindly--through green eyes that eventually met his own yellow ones, though the Mackenzie Valley wolf turned slightly to avoid staring too hard and instead focused on the body of the wolf before him. The two males were of a similar size, though the pack wolf was all leg while Hannibal was stout and sturdy. A brief moment was taken for his companion, but the wolf clearly was used to non-wolf canines, and seemed to have quarrel with neither of the newcomers before him.

From the muzzle of the newly arrived wolf came unexpected words--those being that he was alpha in these lands, rather than some passer-by who belonged to the pack. What luck, to be approached by a leader instead of a subordinate, especially with the attitude of most wolves toward potential members bringing non-wolf lupines with them. After a brief pause, Hannibal dipped his head respectfully, casting his eyes to the ground as he spoke. "A pleasure, dear Arche. Thank you for greeting me so kindly. I am called Hannibal, and I come to you seeking refuge." The words flowed smoothly and carefully from a slightly high-pitched, feminine voice that somehow fit the burly wolf well.

"Beside me is my companion, Graham," he added softly, turning to smile at the dog, who turned slightly to him in return but kept his brown eyes fixed upon Arche. "He is an invaluable friend, and one I cannot be without." The statement may have seemed arbitrary, but the implication was very clear; should Arche reveal that Graham was not welcome, Hannibal would not stay either. His words stopped there, as he had no more impertinent information to share. Arche had asked his purpose here, and he had gotten his answer.

Words || 473
Tags || Arche
Notes || Sorry he didn't actually say anything specifically about joining, if you want Arche to ask just to be sure that's fine. xD But the 'seeking refuge' part was basically it.< 3

[Arche]

They were an interesting pair, the wolf and the wild dog. However, the large Alpha felt no discomfort seeing them together, or here at Airila's borders, for that matter. Instead, he nodded to both Hannibal and his companion as they were both introduced. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. I would love to offer you shelter and family here within Airila, though I must first ask what skills you might bring to our pack." He said, wanting to know what exactly they could do for Airila as well as where to place them. There were several ranks available to the wolf within Airila, though he doubted that the dog would take a rank at all. In fact, he seemed to be more of a companion to Hannibal and would likely fall into whatever rank Hannibal chose. Unlike Calantha, this creature seemed more silent and dutiful towards Hannibal and not interested in taking on a full rank within Airila.

Of course, Arche was alright with this, as long as the other canine remained loyal and worked alongside Hannibal for the benefit of Airila as a whole. It was clear that they meant to be kept together, therefore he would not separate them unless it was extremely necessary. Airila might not have been full of powerful giants like Kairos, but they were the most diverse and welcoming group in all of Anikira. Arche hoped to keep that going for as long as possible. Although his father was sick, he would not allow his ideals to fall ill with him. Instead he would do all he could to keep his father's pack strong, even if that meant allowing non-wolf creatures into their midst. At least they were all canines so far, that is, except for Rikez's companion, which was a bird. The meeting with the little bird that traveled with his friend had been an interesting one, but he trusted the black wolf and had no qualms with the bird. At least not so far.

"Airila is full of loyal and honorable creatures. I assure you that Graham will not be the first non-wolf to enter our borders and will be welcomed just like any other pack member." He said, hoping to close the deal and earn another loyal pack member. So far Hannibal had been nothing but polite, and a bit nervous and uncomfortable, but there were no red flags that Arche could see. Plus, it was not like there were not any other wolves in the pack to keep an eye on him for a while after he joined. For now, though, the choice was up to Hannibal and Graham. Once they decided where they would fit, then Arche could offer them a position within the pack.

Words: 458
Tags: Hannibal
Muse: Low
Notes: n/a

[Hannibal]

Hannibal nodded in response to Arche's words, unsurprised that he would be asked to play a role and fill a rank within the pack. After all, the unit would not be what it was if all of the wolves did not participate, and the male was not opposed to proving himself loyal and worthy of a position. "Certainly, Arche. I must confess that while I have plenty of skills, there is only one that I would wish to focus upon, given the chance," he said slowly, sitting down upon his haunches as his body finally relaxed to the point where he was mostly comfortable in the presence of the alpha. "I trained long and hard to become a warrior, and would be honored to prove myself by defending your lands and those who make their home here."

It was true; Hannibal had been trained by his father and siblings to channel his feelings and the abuse of his mother into the very cathartic act of fighting, whether for defense or offense, and due to his inability to focus in most cases, he needed an outlet. When he first discovered that sparring with his family could channel his unknown feelings for him to file away and ignore, he devoted his entire being to the act, gaining muscle and skill and memory in order to increase his fighting ability. It was all he knew that had ever helped him, besides Graham, whom Arche assured would be welcome. It warmed his heart, and Hannibal smiled gently, very much appreciative of the fact that his dear friend would not be frowned upon.

The dog had not been with him long, but he was invaluable and irreplaceable; without his warnings, there would have been many instances in which Hannibal would have been in potentially deadly situations, and the wolf had no doubt that the small creature had saved his life over and over. "I should explain Graham to you also," Hannibal said quietly, casting his eyes down and away but keeping his face pointed at Arche. "I am not always well, physically. I suffer on occasion from whole-body tremors, paired with loss of consciousness. It is not a common occurrence but it does happen at random. Graham knows when it is going to affect me, and gives me a warning so that I may find a safe place, and he watches to make sure no enemies stumble upon me when I am unable to react."

The silence felt as though it were pressing down upon his whole body when he finished speaking, as he had just revealed a huge part of his past that was also likely to deter Arche from allowing him to join. If asked, Hannibal would explain that the seizures were usually short and non-consequential, and that he had no lasting damage from them aside from a period directly after where he was confused and ataxic. But he was not good at speaking with others, and rarely gave up more information than was immediately pertinent.

Words || 514
Tags || Arche
Notes || n/a

[Arche]

It was easy to see the relief flood the two faces in front of him, and though it was clear there was still more that he needed to hear, he was confident that the two would become part of the pack regardless. "Certainly, Arche. I must confess that while I have plenty of skills, there is only one that I would wish to focus upon, given the chance. I trained long and hard to become a warrior, and would be honored to prove myself by defending your lands and those who make their home here." The words received a nod from the Alpha male, and he glanced over at Graham as he waited for the continuation of words that he was positive that Hannibal would be following his previous statement with. "I should explain Graham to you also." And there it was. There was obviously more to this relationship between wolf and dog than he had originally thought, but a part of him was glad.

After all, a simple friendship between them two did not suggest a full bond like he had automatically assumed. "I am not always well, physically. I suffer on occasion from whole-body tremors, paired with loss of consciousness. It is not a common occurrence but it does happen at random. Graham knows when it is going to affect me, and gives me a warning so that I may find a safe place, and he watches to make sure no enemies stumble upon me when I am unable to react." He slowly looked from wolf to dog and back, a mild concern creasing his brow for a few moments. "I only have one question," He said, tilting his head slightly and focusing his attention back on Hannibal. "Is is possible for you to harm one of your pack mates during one of these episodes?" He trusted that Graham was able to protect Hannibal and watch over him during his episodes, but would the dog be able to keep him from harming anyone within the pack? After all, as Alpha in his father's stead, it was his duty to keep Airila safe, even from within.

"If you are able to ensure each and every pack member's safety, then I welcome you both into Airila, Warrior Hannibal." He said, giving the other wolf a nod and then adding one in for Graham as well. With that he stretched his legs, waiting for the response of the other male before he would officially be off to patrol the rest of the borders. Surely the two males would like to get to know their new home and explore a while before meeting the rest of the pack.

Words: 446
Tags: Hannibal
Muse: Low
Notes: We can end this with Hannibal's post if you'd like ^.^

[Hannibal]

Hannibal did not feel any anxiety as he awaited Arche's answer, which was a new sensation for him. As a wolf with a rough past and significant health issues, he very much expected to be turned away from the pack, and he would not blame the alpha for saying he did not feel comfortable with an unhealthy wolf in the midst of his family. But his question caused the yellow eyes of the loner to look up again, meeting those of the alpha straight-on for the first time since their meeting. He blinked once, then smiled a very small, grateful smile and shifted his eyes to Arche's ears.

"I endanger only myself during my seizures," he said confidently, feeling as though he could be very open with this male and relishing the fact. "Unless someone were to put their foot in my mouth, I promise no harm will come to your pack members if they should happen upon me while I am unconscious. Graham will always do his best to warn anyone passing by as well, so they are not alarmed." Only his family had ever seen him during an epileptic episode, and Hannibal was sure that his mother had once beaten him at one such time, and come to no harm herself; he was very confident that he was harmless to others when he wasn't fighting, except perhaps putting a stain on their mind about the gruesome nature of his illness.

Graham wagged his tail as Hannibal glanced at him momentarily for reassurance, worried that Arche's next words would be that he was sorry, he simply could not risk his pack. But when words of acceptance reached his ears, the male turned slowly and gazed for a second at Arche, his new alpha, granting him the title 'Warrior' without hardly a second thought. The words swirled around in his head and caused a warm, welcoming feeling to flow through his body, giving new energy to the former loner and causing his lips to lift in a large and genuine grin.

"Arche, I thank you for your kindness," he said excitedly, his tail matching Graham's as they wagged in unison, Hannibal lifting himself from the ground as his alpha stretched, clearly ready to get going on his patrols. "You are by far the most welcoming wolf I have met to date. I willingly offer you my allegiance, and promise to protect my new home from any intruders or enemies that may wish to take it from you." The dark-coated wolf swept his head down in another bow, brushing his nose against the forest floor. "I will leave you to your patrolling, and do a bit of exploring of my own. I am forever in your debt." With that, the two lupines slowly trotted past Arche and into Airlia territory, their spirits and heads held high as they began to explore their new home.

Words || 500
Tags || Arche
Notes || Done!< 3 Yay for Airila!