A new chapter (Open!)

[charis]

OOC - I'm listening to "The Oneups" so my muse is unlimited right now ;D They're a band that play video game songs!

The moon was high up in the sky as a large figure lumbered toward Salen's untouched borders. It looked so empt from where she was. It all seemed to be just some grass-covered plains. Only a few trees and other out-of-the-ordinary things were in place. A mostly-jet black graying with age continued to take slow, cautious steps toward the new chapter in her long, lonely life. She couldn't help but wonder what her new life would be like in this strange new place. Would she be rejected once again for her uselessness and old age? She hoped not. Hopefully though today she would have a new almost-home place. to reside in.

Cold frigid breezes whispered into the she-wolf's pricked up ears and sent shivers down her spine, shaking her entire body violently. Cold thoughts and emotions created increasing anxiety within those long moments. Time inched by as her not-so-good nose caught small, peculiar scents of other wolves. She held her head low to the ground and her tail just slightly tucked in, showing submission in the right areas but yet not too much of it. She wasn't the type of girl to break down that easily, well mentally. Her bones were really starting to wear down at this particular part of her life especially.

Her thoughts strayed to her past. Her old slow-beating heart ached and hurt so deeply whenever her mind wandered backward. Right there the female could have lied down to starve, suffer and die. A few of times she considered giving up, although she was quite bold. She sadly would sometimes though think about just killing herself and leaving her miserable life. She needed somebody to comfort her and help her heal, although she never really did. Charis wanted somebody to care for and nurture, like a child. Her vision grew just a bit less blurred when she focused back on where she was heading and she stopped when her nose touched a spot where urine was released. She looked around, waiting for someone to ask her whatever was she doing or whatever did she want?

[Deleted]

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Being delusional had its perks. To Meridian, the strange creatures her mind conjured were completely real and tangible. As such, they could serve completely real and tangible purposes. Constantly they fed her information about her world, her surroundings, her home and the creatures within it. One particular delusion constantly plagued her, acting much like her conscious and always telling her what to do. Right now the little, purple dragonfly was acting as a messenger of sorts. It lead her through the twists and turns of the spooky forest, guiding her to where it thinned out to form the border with another of the pack territories. It always hovered just out of her reach, taunting her as it beckoned her forward. Meridian, of course, followed it without question. She paid no heed to the fact that it was only visible to her eyes or the thought that it could again be leading her into trouble. Many times she had followed the hallucination right out of the territory and into danger. But it always brought her home, and it never got her into the sort of trouble she could not handle on her own. So she followed it, slinking across the territory with the silence of a predator stalking small prey. There was a delighted yet unsettling grin upon her muzzle, the sort of smile that spelled disaster for all that crossed her path. It really was a pity, the sorts of genes she had inherited. The over-sized pup was sadistic for a one year old and loved nothing more than "play" with new friends. As reserved as she was from most of her family, she had no qualms about approaching strangers. Unfortunately for the elder standing quietly at the border, Meridian was the last Salen member that should have been met. The dragonfly delusion lighted atop the stranger's head before vanishing completely, reappearing behind its creator to watch the chaos unfold. Meridian had caught the stranger red-handed, so to speak, and she was going to thoroughly enjoy playing with this one before her Papa came to scold her. "What's this? Someone so ancient she has forgotten her manners? Tut tut." The heiress pranced about, posture dominant as she smiled menacingly at the stranger, circling her like a piece of prey. "Or maybe you're just stupid, that thinker in your head all rotted away. Go ahead. Take one more silent step into the territory. I dare you. Papa hates trespassers that never howl." A snap of her teeth was a threat of death, something that contrasted starkly against her happy, playful expression. But those were the sorts of games Meridian liked best. She danced on the borderline of right and taboo, determined to terrorize her new friend until someone came and told her otherwise. Because it was what the delusions wanted from her. It was what they expected from her. It was what they commanded of her. And she always obeyed them, because they were her closest friends and they always showed her a good time.

[charis]

The female's scraggly tail began to wag slightly, still tucked a bit, as a creme-colored stepped in to greet her. Charis felt a but unsure of this girl's actions when she saw that vain, snide small spread across her well-structured face. The black-colored canine averted her eyes away from her, not wanting to look as if she were challenging her leadership.

"I believe so. Sorry Hun. I still intend to mean no harm though, I hope it shows..." she chirred sweetly. She was perhaps a pinch too comfortable with the situation she was in. Charis couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed for forgetting to howl. Her ears pricked back up as the youngster continued to speak with her sly velvet words slipping off her tongue.

"Where is this 'Papa' of yours'? I only wish to join what you are apart of. But, if I can't then I'll just go somewhere else I search of a home. If you wish to keep taunting me with your words, go ahead. Words don't hurt. So, go on. You're just wasting your breaths..." the motherly canine spoke, hoping not to appear too harsh but at least teach this female a bit of a lesson.

Mother flinched just a bit at what else she did. Great, she wanted to fight. The elder knew better than that though as she continued to show calmness and signs of submission. There had been a few moments of silence after her threat before Charis added on, "I don't wish to fight, young one. I know you don't want to appear weak but guess what, you already are. Why don't we work this out like civilized wolves would, hm?" The widow chided softly, wishing her words would show improvement in the younger-one's behavior.

[zirri]

Kerr wandered silently through the grassy plains of the unknown territory, her path lit by the dim light of the moon. Her paws touched lightly on the ground, barely making a sound as she passed a lone, dying tree. She kept her nose low to the ground, hundreds of different scents seeping into her sensitive nostrils. Her black-tipped ears pointed high in the air, showing she was alert and ready for a fight if one came. She didn't know where she was - she had simply followed her nose and hoped for the best. If her travels brought her to another wolf, all the better. Perhaps she would get the chance to join a pack.

The young wolf didn't know much about social interaction; her life had been one of loneliness and despair, and she was well aware of her awkwardness around other wolves. She usually offended someone without meaning to, and without even realising she had done it. That wouldn't work in her favour on her quest to find a pack, but she had to try. It was either this, or spend the rest of her life living alone, as she had done since her family had died.

Deep in thought, Kerr almost missed the rather interesting sight of two wolves interacting. She stopped a few feet away from the pair, taking in the sight with a smirk. An elderly wolf and a younger one, both female, but not familiar with each other by the sound of their conversation. She listened closely to what they were saying, until her curiosity peaked, and she entered the clearing. From their postures, Kerr could see the youngest was the dominant wolf here. She walked closer, quickly at first, then slowed to a halt when she reached the pair.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting this," she glanced from the eldest wolf to the youngest, then back. "This is quite a little gathering we have here. I hope I am not interrupting anything." She looked to the younger, lightly-coloured wolf, and was surprised when she snapped her teeth. The stranger had a playful expression, and yet she had seen the threat of death clearly with her own eyes. She lowered her head in submission; hoping that was the right thing to do. Barely a minute into the conversation and already she was confused by the younger wolf. After watching in silence for a moment, she turned her attention to the elder of the two.

"Are you not a little old to be joining a new pack?" She smirked, looking the dark-coloured wolf up and down. She certainly didn't look like trouble, and Kerr had no doubt she could take her in a fight if it came to that.

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[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7288/atreyutbg.jpg,true] He was in an exceptionally foul mood today. Black paws fell heavily, irritably as the Salen Beta paced the territory looking for something, or someone to take his aggression out on. Walking along the fog laden territory, the scent of another wolf caught his attention, stopping him in his tracks. Recoiling, his body tensed, ears swiveling to pin point where the intruder was located. Growling he began to circle the area, each circle around tighter than the last making sure the trespasser was not fleeing the area. As the onyx male began to isolate the character, and as he circled closer, the scent, distinctly feminine, became stronger. At thirty lengths away from her, he paused in between two timbers, reclining to his haunches. Emerald eyes observed the elderly female, carelessly lounging around the territory. A small part of him, the part insisting on keeping up the charade, said to alert Exodus to his discovery. A larger part of him, the one clawing at the surface, waiting impatiently to be released, the true demon beneath the façade, slipped into reverie to years long ago. The middle-aged male drifted back four years to a time when he was a slightly different wolf. He was naïve, not quite at as strong as he is, and less in control of his mind. For weeks he had been trying to get closer to his father, but each time he entered his sorry excuse for a territory, he was chased away to the border by the larger, foreboding male. Atreyu always thought it was because he was not doing his best, so he’d always go kill something bigger, do some new dastardly deed in an attempt to earn his father’s respect and acceptance. One day he was able to sneak past his father’s senses and into the heart of his territory, right to his den site. What he discovered amazed him; a young female living in the lap of luxury, her belly fat with pregnancy, and an elderly female, her teeth rotting out of her skull, a walking corpse! Atreyu’s jaw dropped, he was in disbelief. They were part of his father’s pack; his father was taking care of them. Why? Why take care of a female he impregnated when he forced Atreyu’s mother to carry his children. Why take care of a female who physically cannot care for herself? His father had always preached that old wolves were a wasting air and useless creatures that should be “taken care of”. Vision clearing back to the present he was surprised to see another wolf standing near the elderly female, though this one was familiar. She was younger, a little girl…his little girl, Meridian. Since their first meeting, Meridian intrigued Atreyu. And now they were alone, albeit the old hag, and better yet, Meridian was sharing the same mood her biological father was, threatening the trespasser. A smile crossed his lips, a proud papa. He was content sitting where he was watching his daughter torment the female, until another wolf emerged from the fog. She was older than Meridian, it was likely she was more experienced as well, and her attitude concerned Atreyu. Picking himself up to all fours, he slowly crept towards the trio of females, keeping a closer eye on the events about to unfold. He would stay within the shadows unless his baby girl needed him. For now, he wanted to see how well she could handle herself. And if Exodus showed up, he would be in the clear for not keeping Meridian in check. ***** words: five ninty-one muse: average. notes: none.

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The beauty of long speeches was that no one ever paid any attention to them. Point in case, Meridian had tuned out as soon as the old hag opened her mouth. There were many more interesting things to pay attention. Why listen to the insignificant ramblings of some foreign female when she could lose herself in the calls of birds, insects, and whatever else stalked the land at night? Besides, her dragonfly had reappeared. Meridian's eyes had instantly locked onto the tiny, purple creature. It hovered just past the grey one, slowly making its way in the direction of something in the distance. Naturally the pup stared after the delusion, seemingly looking at the old wolf despite looking past her. Any words spoken went in one ear and out the other. The call of the dragonfly was too strong to ignore; she took a step forward before catching herself. A number of things broke the spell then. Whatever the dragonfly was after had just come to her instead of the other way around. The hag had gone quiet. And, her own movement had actually startled her a bit. The overgrown pup blinked, confused. Her head shook back and forth lightly, as if trying to clear itself of her daze. The dragonfly had vanished again, a new stranger's voice replacing it. Meridian ignored those words too. Her mind was clever enough to substitute whatever events were actually transpiring with devious plans of her own. That sadistic smile was back on her muzzle, her tail wagging now in delight. An ingenious idea had struck the young girl, one she was hellbent to propose. Disregarding everything as if it was a boring show on the television, she turned about in a circle before once again asserting her dominance over those gathered. Her head was held as high as her tail, and the glint in green eyes was unnerving. The stage had just set itself, and she was the narrator in her brand new play. It didn't matter that her words had nothing to do with whatever conversation was going on. This was Meridian's world, and it was the only world she cared about. "As the Salen heiress, I decree a fight to the death! The winner will be allowed entrance into the pack. The loser, naturally, dies!" The excitement on her face was so pure, so innocent. It was hard to believe that such a deranged psychopath lurked within the confines of such a sweet looking child.

[charis]

Charis was a little frightened after the bold statement the rambunctious young female had declared. She narrowed her eyes down at her broad front paws and sighed. She remembered back in the day when she was the most feared of all in the forest and when nobody would ever dare to mess with her. She never really missed those days and was glad that she had started to begin to see the better parts of life than battling for dominance. The elder couldn't help but chuckle a bit at Meridian's actions as they reminded her of her own.

"I've told you I do not wish to fight" the black-coated canine stated briskly as she looked up at the female who had decided to join the party. It was just one more wolf she'd tame. Her eyes rolled back to a nearby tree, not wanting to show that she was being somewhat dominant.

"Therefor, I will not fight. What point will we reach when one of us dies? I clearly haven't done anything wrong and if you think opposite, why don't you tell me what's on your mind. I was like you when I was younger, believe me, I know your point of view right now" Mother added smoothly in a sweet tone. She backed away slightly and tucked her tail in just a bit. She hoped this would turn out right.