Too Little, Too Late [Vorilye, Tike]

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] The sand beneath Kyra’s paws had grown hotter than ever. She was unaccustomed to such heats, even after spending a few short weeks in the Occasus. But now, her paws were leading her north. Aries had been missing for some time now, and with Rasalas on edge about finding her, Kyra had found she merely got in the way of pack duties. She was still far too young to be of any help, despite wanting nothing more than to do so. She never once turned her gaze back, to see if anyone was following her. With the alphess gone, she felt she was no longer a part of the pack. Even if they tried to bring her back, she would just find refuge in the Lleingas Woods. Home of her father’s land. The runt didn’t even hesitate as she crossed over the border between the Occasus and Acerbus. She could smell her father all around her, and though she felt anger bubble in her veins, she felt more secure with each step she took. The woods were ominous, but she knew nothing would harm her so long as she was in her father’s grasp. It was both a comforting and nauseating thought. Kyra wanted nothing more than to hate her father for what had happened to her sisters, for abandoning her and her siblings before they were even born. But just knowing that he had come to her rescue once made her feel that no matter the circumstance, he would always rush to her defense. It made traveling the scary woods that much easier. Not once did the pup announce her arrival in the territory. As arrogant as it seemed, she felt as if these lands were as good as hers, given her relation to its alpha. And if any of the pack members were to find her and question that relation, she would just tell them to bring her right to the alpha. She had his eyes, and his gold markings, but she knew how quick others were to assume a lie over the truth. She cared not for those under her father. In fact, she hoped she didn’t run into any other wolves. Including her mother. A short growl slipped past the runt’s maw. She knew her mother was wandering the territory somewhere, along with Tike. As for Taqqiq, she could only assume her brother had ventured this way as well. Even she hadn’t been able to fight the call of family, no matter how hard she’d tried. But despite all of that, she didn’t want to see any of them. Taq had simply walked away from her after the death of her sisters. Tike had vanished as well. And Mother. Well, Mother had always been a thorn in her side, pitying her more than the others ever had. Kyra, don’t wander too far from the den. Kyra, watch that you don’t fall and hurt yourself. Kyra. Kyra. Kyra! What did Mother know! The runt snarled bitterly, the noise echoing all around her. Maybe her coming this way had been a bad idea. She could have cut across the Aughgar River and swam to Kamari, venturing north from there. But the pup was not sure how well she could swim. A little romp in the Hot Springs of Kamari had been one thing, but the strength of the river would likely sweep her to the ocean. No. Going by land was the safest route, even if it brought her straight to the family she wanted nothing to do with. words:: Six-Hundred and Two muse:: Pretty good tags:: Vorilye, and Tike mood:: Depressed and annoyed ooc::

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] Tike had chosen to actually get out of the dens today. Mainly because he had grown stir-crazy just laying around for days on end. He needed to stretch his legs and get caught back up on the happenings of the pack. He had heard little bits of what was going on but nothing major. Tike's paws trotted along the inner workings of the Lleingas Woods, weaving in and out of the trees. He took deep breaths to try to remind himself of the reality going on around him though it kept escaping him. Tike was losing his grip on reality with everything that had happened to him. His only brother was dead, his sisters were dead, he hadn't seen his mother or sister in what seemed like forever. Not that he wanted to see them. They were nothing more than slivers in his paws. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Tike breathed slowly as every noise around him grabbed his attention. Every break of a twig was a killer laying in wait for his life. Every bird chirping was a signal to a clan of ambushers. Tike felt like he was losing his mind. He never felt so helpless and so vulnerable in his life. There was nothing he could do about it though. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw what looked like his runt sister Kyra. The wolf made him to a double-take. She looked just like his sister and would be about the size his sister would have grown into. He cocked his head to the side before deciding that it really was his sister. He debated whether or not to continue walking and leave her alone or to go and talk with her. Both his mind and his heart told him to continue walking but he ignored them both and walked up to her casually. What are you doing here Kyra? Tike said aloofly. He had been through a lot in the last few weeks and honestly, the reason why his sister decided to show up was not on his list of things to care about. His curiosity was the main reason for the question. Tike refused to look at her. He kept his eyes either on the trees or the ground. He didn't want to get personal with her again. He had already made that mistake once and he wouldn't do it again. He hoped for an aloof answer so he could be on his way. Then he remembered that she didn't know Taq was dead. He could pretend to be him and play a sick little game with her. It would be fun like all the other games they used to play when they were in Kamari. He chuckled to himself as the sick thought entered into his mind. It would be cruel to play with her like that but it wasn't as if she hadn't been cruel to him. He remembered that day when he had gone to see her when Taq had abandoned her and she rejected him like he was as worthless as an ant on the ground. It was time for some pay back if she didn't recognize him as Tike.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] Kyra found herself walking the trees of the Lleingas Woods rather tentatively. It irked her, really, that she be as nervous as she was. Her father owned these lands, her mother was around here somewhere, and she was fairly certain Tike was wandering about as well. She even hoped, for a fleeting moment, that Taqqiq would be nearby. Oh how she missed him, despite the pain he’d put her through. She ought to have scorned him, as she did her mother, and she did to a point. But he was her older brother. She couldn’t hate him forever. And she knew that the moment she saw him, she would forgive him for all the horrible things he’d done to her. A branch cracked nearby, causing the runt to come to a complete stop. Her eyes scanned the area, though her left side was completely dark. In the time it took to survey the whole area, a predator could easily sneak up on her and overtake her. The thought caused her thick fur to stand on end, giving her and even puffier appearance. Maybe she looked bigger as well, big enough to frighten off any attackers. But she saw nothing. Lifting her nose to the air, she took a few short breaths, tasting the scents that lingered. Her father’s scent was strong and true, as it had been the moment she stepped foot across the border. There were other, less dominant scents that she didn’t recognize, but they were all far off. For now, she was safe. Kyra continued on once again. But just up ahead, she knew she heard something close by. She stopped once again, tasting the air. Still nothing. The runt let out a low growl, daring the unseen creature to step out and make itself known. She paused her warning, listening. Before she could repeat her growl, she heard a familiar voice. Her head snapped to the left where her brother stood, staring at her as if he didn’t even recognize her. But as soon as she caught his gaze, it slipped away. He wasn’t looking at her. Tike would have found no reason to look away—what did he have to be guilty about? But Taq... After all that he had done to her, Kyra felt he would know better than to look her in the eye. Instead of tilting her head in pride at making her older brother grovel, Kyra rushed forward, nuzzling against her brother. All the days she was in the Occasus, she had only rubbed against one wolf, and it had been a fleeting gesture. The femme had smelled so foreign, yet it was oddly comforting. But smelling Taq so close to her once again was enough to swell the poor runt’s heart. She grew closer to him, burying her muzzle in his scent, as if to memorize it. “I’ve missed you so much,” she muttered to him, pressing even closer. If she could see herself in that moment, she probably would have felt disgust. She had rarely ever shown affection so great to her siblings, preferring they keep their distance from her so their existence wouldn’t harm her further. But the loneliness she had been enduring was just too much for the young pup. She had missed her brother so, so much. Kyra eventually got a grip on herself and stepped back, looking up at her brother. His golden maw. Those gold rimmed ears. Even the dark emerald eyes that he shared with Tike and Mother. All of it she had missed. A light whimper slipped past her maw as she reached up to nuzzle him once again. He had grown even larger in the weeks they had been apart. But he was still the same. Still the same Taq. She stepped back once again, wagging her tail as she looked into his eyes. “Where’s Mother?” She looked around the area, as if she would suddenly materialize from behind a tree. “And Father?” Though she hated to admit it, she wanted to meet her father formally, at least once. She was his remaining daughter, and he had a right to at least know her name. Kyra eventually dragged her eyes back to Taq’s face, frowning just the slightest. “And what about Tike? Didn’t he arrive here with Mother? And what are you doing here, Taq?” She narrowed her eyes at him, backing up a little more. “What would drive you to stay in Father’s lands?” Her fur, which had smoothed down to her skin, sprang back up in anger. Taq had taken one look at their father that day and simply bailed. He had given her no indication that he wished to ever live with the brute he took after. Taqqiq had a lot of explaining to do. words:: Eight-Hundred and Eleven muse:: Pretty good tags:: Tike mood:: Frightened at first, then happy to see Taq Tike ooc:: She's spoiled and needs to be knocked down a few pegs...the brat XD

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] Kyra fell for the bait. Which really wasn't bait at all. The only reason he hadn't looked in his sister's eyes was because he didn't want to be close to her again. But for some reason, she had mistaken him for Taq. He assumed that it was because he was acting weaker and softer like his brother always had. Weaker. That was a nasty word in Tike's mind. But it had worked. Kyra knew that he as Tike would never act in such a way which was a compliment to him. So the only other wolf he could be was Taqqiq. As Kyra rushed over to him and nuzzled her face into his fur and breathed him in. He thought for sure that she was going to catch him as being Tike instead of Taq but she didn't. He and his brother did smell very similar and she hadn't been around either of them in a long, long time. “I’ve missed you so much.” The words coming from Kyra's mouth may have been touching if they were really for him and not for his brother. Tike never understood how close Taq and Kyra were until right then. Until he walked in his brother's paw steps, he had no idea. But that didn't matter anymore. Taq was dead and it was time for the games to begin. I've missed you too. Tike's voice soothed and caressed the air as he put his own golden muzzle into his sister's fur and breathed in her scent like it actually meant something to him. Kyra stepped back and seemed to be examining him and he returned the favor. His emerald eyes looked on her with loving care like Taq would have. Tike was really selling his game and from the looks of it, Kyra was buying it. Tike could mimic his brother to a tee as he was sure that Taq could do to him, if he were still alive. Tike even used the same facial expression as Taqqiq did when he looked at something he cared about. Tike had seen this look many times even though he himself rarely ever, if at all, used it. She whimpered lightly and reached her nose up to nuzzle him again. Kyra was still the same runty sister that she had been but now she seemed even more annoying. She was so whinny. The sound of her whimper made him want to smack her across the face but he had to remember that he was in character. Taqqiq would never smack Kyra. He kept that urge far from himself and reached his own nose down to meet his sister. Her facial markings looked so much like Kallik's. It was a shame that she had to carry them. From what he understood, Kallik was a liar and a whore. But it also sounded like Vorilye wasn't much better. Why couldn't he have had normal parents? Instead of probably the worst parents on all of anikira? Kallik hardly cared for him all all and Vorilye apparently didn't even consider Kallik as his mate. Though, his efforts to be a good father were redeeming him in that regard. I don't know where mother is, I've been looking for her. That would have been something that Taqqiq would be doing. Tike dripped his voice with worry and concern but he was careful to not over sell it. Taqqiq was emotional but not overly so. Well, Tike joked that he was and sometimes he meant it but it reality, Taq was only on the boarder of being over emotional. He looked at the ground again to make his concern sound even more real. As for father, I've only seen him once. The concern in his voice was greatly dwindled into almost nothing. Tike knew that Taq didn't give a rat's ass about where father was so that's what he had to make it sound like. He made his voice sound more cold and distant at the talk of the wolf who had sired them. This was turning out to be a fun game though he knew he would only get to play it until someone correctly identified him as Tike which may be never if Kyra left soon. Kyra's face was frowning slightly as she brought up talk about himself. Tike's been at the dens for the last few days. He hasn't really moved much. I don't know if he got here with mother, Kyra. I...accidentally got here before he did. I didn't know where I was going and accidentally ended up here. There was this fae that washed up on the beach and I went to see what was going on. I helped the beta and Tike bring her back to the dens. I couldn't bring myself to leave until I knew that she was okay. His voice had a little bit of a frantic tone to it as he explained "himself" to Kyra. He had taken bits of information that he had gotten from when they were with father last and mushed it together with what he already knew to make a believable story. And I found a cougar cub..I named her Jade. She started following me around and I guess she likes it here and I can't leave her because...because then she'll die. Tike was good at this game. Taqqiq always talked a lot and over explained things. He always gave more information than what was needed. So that was what Tike did. Tike's eyes kept an emotional feel to them. Like they were trying to connect. But in reality, behind those eyes, there was a laughing Tike who had just discovered his acting abilities. Tike often communicated with his eyes so it was important that he didn't show any kind of anything that would give him away.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] It was such a different feeling being in the presence of a member of the family than being in the presence of pack members. A pack was bound to one another by obligation and trust. Family was bound together by blood and memories. And standing in the middle of the dark woods with Taq was bringing back all of Kyra’s puphood memories. The days before she could romp with the others, and how she would mope and whine in the mouth of the den, hoping the day she could join them would soon arrive. The cold nights spent cozy in the den with the others, squished in between the warm masses that were her older twin brothers. And of course, the days she spent hunting for Mother (who was too busy feeling sorry for herself to even lift a paw to attempt to keep herself alive). No matter how much she pretended to hate her family, Kyra had genuinely missed being around those she was tied to. If Mother was happy to see her, and Tike wasn’t too upset by how she always treated him, maybe she would stay in Acerbus and be with her family. It was a good chance for her to get to know her father too, though that was an encounter she was still hesitant to begin. He had caused her so much grief, more than she already had being the half-blind runt. Why hadn’t he been around? Why had he driven Mother out of these lands? Was she not good enough for him? Thousands of questions swam across the runt’s mind as she thought of her father. But he wasn’t the focus at the moment. Kyra listened patiently as Taq answered her questions. His voice seemed concerned as he spoke of Mother—to which the runt scoffed, as usual. She never truly understood his worry for Mother. Sure, she had raised them all on her own, but she had done a pretty poor job of it, if Kyra were to have an opinion. It was her fault Tibiki and Karima were dead. Hers and Father’s... A dark expression crossed the runt’s expression as Taq spoke of their father, likely influenced partially by Taq’s cold tone. Where Taq hated their father, Kyra was indifferent. She blamed him, just as Taq did, but she couldn’t bring herself to loathe his existence. Not until she heard his side of the story, anyway. And then Taq exploded. The runt rolled her eyes as Taq went on and on...and on and on. It was typical ‘Taq’, spewing out all sorts of useless information. “Tike’s at the dens. Got it,” she muttered, hoping his incessant ranting would end. It didn’t. He went about telling her a long story of some femme who washed up on shore and something about the beta. Kyra kind of stopped paying attention by that point. But her focus returned to him when he spoke of this ‘Jade’. “What did you just say?” Her voice hit a dangerous low, a threatening thing she’d gotten from her father (not that she knew that just yet). “Our sisters were killed by one of those monsters! How dare you!” The young brute before her was not her brother. This creature was some kind of monster incarnate. “Do you get some sort of sick pleasure, babysitting a mewling ball of fur?” Kyra stared at Taq incredulously, backing away until there were a few feet between them. “What does it matter if she dies? If you want to feel merciful, kill her yourself! Better yet. Where is the little monster?” Kyra lifted her nose to the air, tasting the air for the cub’s scent. “I’ll do you the favor and rip her apart myself!” She turned a dark look onto her brother. “You’ve always been far too sensitive for your own good, brother. You should take a few lessons from Tike and toughen up a bit.” Her words were like venom dripping from the fangs of a snake. She just hoped she’d bitten hard enough to cause damage to his pathetic pride. words:: Six-Hundred and Ninety-Eight muse:: Not that great... tags:: Tike mood:: Happy to be with Taq, then pissed to be with Taq ooc:: So...this post was kind of weird to write. I think I jumped around like a jack rabbit or something XD

[Vorilye]

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/vorilyemid2.png] As the brute started his patrols of the territory, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. All his scent markers were in place, and he took extra time to renew the marks as often as he felt was necessary along the borders. Of course, this meant that Vorilye often had to stop to drink once more, as he was spraying his scent on any and every surface imaginable in an attempt to dissuade any intruder to set foot on his pack's lands again. They could not mistake his scent marks this way. That much he would make sure. But as he reached the southern border with the Occasus, he discovered something out of place. There was a rogue scent; someone he did not recognize had entered Acerbus once more. A growl rippled in the alpha's throat as his nose dipped to the earth, inhaling the scent with vigor and trotting off after its path. Vorilye would find this intruder and deal with him accordingly. The last wolf to enter Acerbus unannounced had gotten off easy, but he planned to make an example of this wolf. Perhaps he would string him up by his paws in the trees. Surely one of the smaller wolves could manage to get into a tree, right? Something needed to be done, and he would see to it that this wolf did not go unpunished. Vorilye could tell he was growing near his target; he could hear voices through the trees. The shadowy woods hid his location as he strolled toward the wolves. He had not caught a second scent breaking past his borders. Did this mean that yet another wolf had invaded, as well, just at a different point further on? He sighed in irritation. These loners never learn, he thought, grumbling to himself. As he wedged himself under a leafy shrub that had not yet dropped its foliage for the winter, he eavesdropped on the two's conversation. It was only then that he realized who one of the wolves was. Tike. Why had he not gone straight back to the dens like the alpha had instructed? Or maybe, since he had spent hours upon hours patrolling the borders, he had gone back, and had since wandered back into the forest to entertain himself. Regardless, he needed to appoint one of the pack members to watch over him. He was tired of Tike being in danger, either by coincidence or him putting himself into it. This was the latter of the two situations. Vorilye had no idea who this wolf was, but it did not cross his mind that Tike seemed to recognize the femme. The alpha emerged from the bush, his eyes locked on Tike. "I told you to stay back at the dens, son!" he spoke, exacerbated. As he turned to the loner, a growl ripped out his maw that was instantaneously cut short as he spied the wolf Tike had encountered. It was his daughter. What is she doing here? She is alive? Where has she been? A plethora of sentences rushed through the alpha's head, but nothing was quite as amusing as the gaping look Vorilye had on his face. He had not been rendered speechless in a long time, yet the young Mackenzie Valley femme had managed to do just that. He could not figure out what she was doing here. In fact, the alpha could not even remember her name. Kallik, why did you have to die? You could have been useful for something, he thought with irritation. He would have to wait for Tike to address her by name before he could do the same. It was moments like this that Vorilye felt even more ashamed and less of a father figure. Maybe this was why his daughter had waited so long to seek him out. "Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" he asked her softly, dipping his head to her in greeting as his gold eyes met her matching ones. It seemed that his living daughter had been the only one to inherit his golden eyes, though he noticed some discrepancies in the coloring between the two. One seemed slightly lighter than the other; it fascinated him. The young femme was quite beautiful, if he could say so himself. She was a perfect mixture between himself and Kallik. While her fur would be what some may consider odd, he thought it was lovely. But she was here. And Vorilye wanted her to stay here. What would he have to do to convince his daughter to come home? Count | 763 words Muse | Good. Tags | Tike, Kyra Notes | I intentionally did not have Vor address Tike by name XD

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] Kyra was completely in his paws. She was eating everything that he was serving to her. She seemed to be irritated with him slightly with his ramblings. Which was a good sign. It was a face that she would have given Taqqiq. He couldn't say if he was surprised with his sister. Other than himself, she was the wolf that had to listen to Taqqiq's boasting about more than anyone. That was either a compliment to his acting or, and insult as to how well Kyra could tell himself and his brother a part. They were identical twins but there were subtle differences between them. Taqqiq had more gold on his face that Tike did. It was also argued that their eyes were slightly different in color but nothing noticeable. But their facial expressions were what really separated them. Taqqiq always had an emotional face. One could always tell how he was feeling or what he was thinking. As opposed to Tike who kept his face straight most of the time and communicated his emotions and feelings through his eyes and other more subtle ways. At the sound of Jade's name, Kyra snapped. It was wonderful. She became alive and livid. He hadn't seen so much fire inside of her in a long time. She spat at him like it would offend him. Ha. Tike wasn't the one that cared for the cougar cub. He was actually on Kyra's side. He wanted to eat the stupid thing since the first day that he saw it. He hadn't for Taqqiq's sake. He watched her sniffing the air, probably checking for the little monster. He had not seen it since Taqqiq's death. He was sure that she had been killed by now by something or another. Or maybe she had starved to death. He was slightly interesting to find her body to satisfy his curiosity. Tike decided that now would be a good time to give up his little game. He had gotten a rise out of Kyra which was really his goal. There was no other reason to continue. Tike put his normal face back on and went back into himself. The Taqqiq part of him was now and forever gone. Tike started laughing cynically. It was a quiet laugh but it was a laugh. His emerald eyes looked to meet with his sister's yellow ones to tell her the news. Taqqiq is dead, sister. Tike said it like he was telling her what the time of day was. Like it was nothing more than a simple "good morning" though it did have cynical undertones. His eyes laughed at her for falling for his trick. Though it is flattering how well you could tell us apart. He smiled at her with a mocking tone, still laughing quietly. He started to turn to leave her to her own thoughts when Vorilye came out of nowhere. How long has he been able to hear that? It was unsettling to know that his father could have been watching or, hearing, all that had been going on. Not that there was much that his father could really do to him. He was a subordinate so the only thing lower to go was an omega but, teasing his sister was hardly punishable by becoming an omega. Of course his father exploded at him like everyone else. He had done nothing wrong! All he had done was get his butt out of the dens. I did go back to the dens. I only came out to stretch my legs. I was on my way back. That seemed to sum up most of what he wanted his father to believe. He was covering his own ass with the part about being on his way back but other that than it was mostly true. Tike had been at the dens for days though. It must have been four or five days since he left before now. Did his father not see him, or remember? Or did he want him to stay at the dens for the rest of his life? Well, if that was the case, his father was in for some news because that was not happening.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] What was with this reaction? Taq was basically standing there, almost complacent, as Kyra spat about his stupid little fuzzball. Shouldn’t he have grown defensive? Shouldn’t he have chastised her for her bloodthirsty desire? He should have, at the very least, cowered before her anger. Taq was always sensitive to how she felt towards him. He would coddle her like the weaker sibling she was, attempting to coax her from her rage. But he simply stood there, taking it like...well, like Tike would always take it. The death of their sisters must have changed him a little. Perhaps this Jade creature wasn’t truly all that important to him. But then why would he be so worried about the cub’s death had he left her on her own. Kyra shook her head, dismissing all those thoughts. Now was definitely not the time to be dwelling on the fact that Taq was contradicting himself. She’d address that some other time, when she was out of this territory, maybe. Yeah right, she reasoned with herself. This time, for sure, when she left her family, she would not return. She was simply passing through to show them she had a pulse. To prove the desert hadn’t swallowed her whole (not that they knew where she had gone). For now, she had to convince him to let her pass through the territory. She doubted he had the power to run her out (let alone the desire to), but she had no idea if he was lying to her about their father. Maybe he was in his father’s inner circle, the most trusted. The idea sickened the runt, but she shook her head once again to get rid of the feeling all together. Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Taq began laughing. For no apparent reason. And it wasn’t the kind of joyful laugh that usually came from Taq. This was...dark. It baffled Kyra, and for a moment, she merely stood there staring at her brother with a puzzled expression. And then he spoke. All blood seemed to drain from the pup. “Wh-What did you just say?” she asked, hardly above a whisper. No. She had to have heard that wrong. But the longer she stared at her brother, the more obvious it became that this was, in fact, Tike. How had she not seen it? A fierce growl ripped from her throat, and the runt bounded forward, attempting to get in her brother’s face. Unfortunately, he was taller than she was, and she couldn’t exactly reach. That, and another wolf had entered the scene. The black and gold brute that was her father was standing before her. He addressed Tike in a scolding manner before turning a rather annoyed growl onto Kyra. She answered with one of her own, fueled by her rage at her brother’s trickery. But then it seemed her father recognized her. His entire expression changed in the blink of an eye, from pure rage and annoyance to what Kyra could only describe as speechlessness. She cared not that she was in the presence of the great alpha of Descai, nor her father. Her eyes, which had both once matched his, narrowed dangerously as she turned to face him. She no longer cared for Tike’s presence—his trick had rendered him unforgiveable. “Hello Father.” Her tone was harsh, but there was a very slight hint of warmth and longing hidden beneath it. At the brute’s words, Kyra snorted. “How very eloquent of an alpha. First, my name is not Sweetheart.” She glared at her father. She would be very surprised if he actually knew her name. “And second, I’m here to show Mother I’m alive. I was going to see Taq and Tike as well...” Her eyes trailed back to her brother before returning to her father. “But I’ve been made aware that yet another one of my siblings is dead.” The bite in her words made it very clear that she was blaming her father for Taq’s death. But she surprised herself when she let out a deep sigh, as if she was forgiving him for everything that had happened. “Where is Mother? I just want to say hello before I head north.” For the first time since he appeared, Kyra dragged her eyes from her father’s face. Was she ashamed to announce where she was headed to her father? Perhaps. He was the alpha of a pack. It made more sense for her to remain in his care than to wander off on her own again. Look what had happened the last time she’d done that... words:: Seven-Hundred and Ninety-One muse:: Good tags:: Tike, and Vorilye mood:: Pissed at Tike for his ruse, unsure about her father ooc:: She actually wants to forgive her father ;-; It's so cute..

[Vorilye]

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/vorilyemid2.png] While the brute may not have overheard the entire conversation, he heard enough of the tail end to make him livid. Joking about his brother's death was unwarranted. And it was not necessarily that the alpha was angry about the death of his son, but more so related to the idea that he had acted so callously in the face of his son's death. The more of his children he lost, the more he walled himself off from the emotions he felt. First it had been his two daughters, then one of his sons. What was going to be next, his beta? His pack barely functioned without himself and Shayde, and nothing would be more devastating than the loss of another great Descai wolf. As Kyra snapped back with a fire in her eyes, he did not feel angered by her attacks, but rather warmed. "You have my eyes," he commented softly, unable to truly respond to the young femme's hurtful words. This was the first time he really had the opportunity to gaze into the face of his only daughter, and he was relishing the moment. He did not care for her anger against him, but merely the fact that she was alive and well. He had lost sleep over her welfare. Since the day she disappeared with Taq after her sisters' murders, he had worried about her. And now she was here, right in front of him, and he had no idea what to say to her. She wanted to see her family, but she made no mention of him. She wanted to see her mother, but he could not form the words to tell her that Kallik was gone. All he could do was look at her angelic face and realize that, as much as he loved his sons, there was nothing that could truly rival the love he felt for his daughter. Vorilye had wanted a relationship with her so badly, and yet he had been deprived of it. Everything about this moment felt wrong. He did not even know her name, and yet he loved her. It had been so long since any feeling as strong as this had entered his body, and it felt strangely comforting. Even faced with her anger, he could not reciprocate in turn. She was here, right in front of him. And she was alive. "I wish I could say you were wrong," he murmured in distress, his gaze dropping to the golden socks of his front paws. "But you are right, my dear. And oh, how I wish you were wrong." He looked back at her, feeling the warmth re-enter his chest as he did so. Tike's words about his brother were completely lost at this time. He was too caught up in his little bubble where he could have had a relationship with his pups. Had Kallik not taken off, he would have known his daughters. He would have been there to protect them, and most of all, he would know his own daughter's name. He would have had a hand in naming them, even. But now his daughter wanted to only see her mother, and he did not have the heart in him to tell her that she had killed herself. It would likely be even more that his daughter could place on his list of crimes, when all he had ever done since laying eyes on his children was wanted to love them. "Baby girl, I know you must hate me, and I understand. I wish I had been there for you all this time. But believe me when I tell you that is was not by choice," he told her fervently, his eyes pleading with her to believe him. He was throwing himself at the mercy of this young femme, and the feeling of insecurity at whether or not she would believe him was one of the most hurtful things he had ever encountered. "I would so much love to know you." Count | 673 words Muse | Good. Tags | Tike, Kyra Notes | That was... way out of character.

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] Kyra's words were nothing more than a whisper. Tike could barely hear them. She asked what he had said. He was sure that she had heard him and he doubted that she wanted him to repeat it. Though saying it again would have been more of a blow to his sister, he didn't want her to cry. Tike still had a heart and he understood that the death of Taqqiq had hurt her. He himself was hurt by the death of his twin for several days. Her sadness soon turned to anger. A growl rumbled in his sisters throat, as if he was afraid of her. She couldn't have been more than half of his size. Her claws however did come somewhat close to his face which made him back up a step or two. She was deranged if she thought that she was going to scare him and that he would fold under her like Taqqiq always had. No, Tike had never been that type. If she wanted that out of him, she would need to try a lot harder. It was obvious to Tike that his sister was more accustomed to dealing with Taq instead of himself. When Vorilye arrived, Kyra turned her anger away from him and faced the wolf who had sired them. Her tone was fierce and angry sounding though, not completely. When his father replied to Kyra instead of his own explanation, it became obvious that neither wolf was paying any attention to his presence. Vorilye seemed to be lost in Kyra's eyes, for whatever reason. Kyra was his sister and therefore thought of her as nothing more. Tike never thought of her as overly beautiful or beautiful in any sense. She was just, not ugly, in Tike's mind. Tike thought about leaving this scene for Kyra and Father to get some bonding time. But judging by the fact that he had just gotten scolded for being on his own, he figured that leaving to go on his own wouldn't go over so well. He did, however; keep from looking at them. He kept his attention in the trees, where he was certain that someone was hiding to take his life. With his father's presence though, he was less frantic than he usually would have been. He felt safe here in these lands. He knew that his father would always protect him if he needed it and that Shayde would as well. He felt as if this was his true family and his true home. He felt as though he had been born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe if he had been born here; Karima, Tibikki and Taqqiq might still be alive. What a cruel world this was. Taking the lives of three young wolves before they had even reached one year of age. But at least the earth was a beautiful grave. He knew in his heart of hearts that his siblings were among good company though. Everyone dies eventually so, they must be with the greats of Anikira that have passed on. He himself would join them one day. Maybe even one day soon. The word "death" seemed so, not serious. It seemed as though it was nothing more than a long nap. The permanent value to death didn't seem so long to the young wolf. Death was slowly losing it's fear. The value of life was soon losing it's luster.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] Kyra had wanted nothing more than to be with her family, at least for the past couple weeks. The pack of the Occasus had been friendly towards her, and never once treated her based on her size or blindness. But all the affection that they could have given her wouldn’t have been enough to quell the homesickness that had begun to rise. And once Aries had disappeared, that longing had only increased. Her surrogate mother had left her, just as her own mother had. And her father. And her sisters. And her brothers. She was alone. Kyra had wanted to meet with them, to apologize for acting rashly, to have them accept her once again. But this... This was not what she wanted. Tike posing as Taq, who was dead. Her father, stunned by her presence. Did he think she was dead? That would explain why he didn’t know her name. A low growl rumbled in Kyra’s chest. She doubted he even knew his two other daughters’ names. That growl was torn in two, however, but his very honest statement. Kyra hadn’t been expecting that. She was expecting anger, growling, violence. She not only crossed into his lands unannounced (though she still felt she had clearance), but she had also snapped at him without the slightest feeling of regret. “M-My eyes?” Looking into his eyes, she saw that they were, in fact, the same as her own. Or at least one of her own. The other had grown much paler since the accident. But Kyra wasn’t going to be swayed by his kind words. She resumed her growling after a moment, taking a few steps back so as not to fall under his spell. “That’s the only thing we have in common; the only connection to you that I have.” And of course, under all that irritation was a swelling feeling. She had her father’s eyes! She knew, from Mother’s stories, that she had his eyes, but to hear him admit it and to finally see it for herself... There was no comparison. But that didn’t mean she had to show how pleased she was. All of a sudden, the brute before her turned...bashful? No, that wasn’t the right word... His eyes locked onto his paws as he murmured to her, his voice laced with pain. It caused Kyra’s growling to once again cease. After a moment, her father lifted his gaze to hers, and Kyra couldn’t look away. Before her was the strongest wolf she ever knew, stronger still because all she knew of him was what Mother had always told her. And she had seen him fight the cougar, however briefly. Kyra had always thought he was stoic and cruel, turning Mother away as he had. But if he was so stoic and cruel, why was he looking at her like that? Why did it appear as if all he wanted to do was nuzzle her affectionately? Would he do it? Would he cross that invisible line between them and make the first move? Kyra doubted it. He spoke up again, voice nearing desperate as he did so. His words were beginning to crumble the wall she’d built, the one she vowed would never be destroyed again. She’d lost so much after leaving Kamari. To have to feel all that pain again would be unbearable. But she couldn’t help herself. With a low whine, Kyra took a few tentative steps forward. He didn’t want her to hate him, right? So getting close to him was okay, right? And when he told her he loved her, with no indication of lying, it was the final straw. A soft yelp escaped the runt’s lips and she rushed forward, shoving her head against her father’s chest. Mother wasn’t here to comfort her, and she knew Tike would sooner turn up his nose than allow her to nuzzle against him. And her father... He wanted to know her. He loved her, he’d said it himself. Tears leaked from the pup’s eyes as she buried herself in his scent, getting as close to him as she possibly could. She would return to her stubborn self in due time. But for now, she would act like the pup she was and allow herself a reunion with her father. words:: Seven-Hundred and Thirty-Seven muse:: Really good tags:: Tike, and Vorilye mood:: She wants to be angry with her father, but she just can't do it ooc:: She's so cute sometimes ;-;

[Vorilye]

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/vorilyemid2.png] It was pitiful, but Vorilye had all but turned away from Tike. He was too invested in his beautiful daughter who had finally found her way home. Even if she did not decide to stay, it was a moment that he would not have given up for all the power in the world. It was true that this one small wolf was the center of his universe. Never before had he developed such a strong bond to a wolf with whom he had never spoken. It was both amazing and frightening at the same time. All he could do was hope that she had her mother's heart and would be able to look past the hurt that was between them. And as his young daughter whimpered and rushed toward him, Vorilye nuzzled his snout deep into her fur, wrapping her up affectionately as he murmured to her, "I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry." He still had not found a way to tell her that Kallik was gone as well. How could he shatter this moment? How could he tear apart this obviously fragile new relationship between the two of them? He was supposed to protect the members of his pack, but there was only so much he could do to protect them from themselves. That was the greatest problem; there was no way he could be expected to be all-knowing. But he did not know if his daughter would see it that way. In fact, he still did not know her name, and it pained him to have that slapped in his face repeatedly. "Sweetheart, please tell me your name," he almost whined to the young femme. To her, Vorilye was dad. He was not the alpha of the greatest pack in Anikira. He was a simple father who only wanted to have a relationship with his daughter. However, the ball was completely in her court. She was in control here, and it killed Vorilye to know that. Oh, how he wished for his daughter to join him here in Acerbus and live happily ever after where he could protect her. But once she found out about her mother, the brute doubted that she would stay. It was partially for that reason that the alpha was delaying telling his daughter about the action. True, it had been at no fault of his own or anyone other than Kallik, but it still did not make it easier to tell a pup who had lost both of her sisters and a brother in less than a year that her mother had passed as well. Everything about the situation was messed up, and he could do nothing to fix it. The alpha felt more vulnerable than he had in years, even more so than when his mate and sons turned against him. The brute was at a loss as to what could be done to keep his daughter with him, yet smooth over the accident with Kallik. He was drawing a blank. The alpha brute finally glanced up at Tike and addressed him calmly. Though he was angry about the fact that his son had mocked his daughter as he had, there was nothing he could do to quell a sibling rivalry. It had been the same way between himself and Arwen, and he would never have changed it. However, his words had been hurtful, and that was more irritating to the alpha than the fact that the pair had bickered. "Tike, if you wish to remain here with your sister, that is fine. I would like you to go back to the dens when we are finished here. There is some pack business that we need to attend to." He hated to interrupt such a sweet moment, but there was nothing he could do. Vorilye was obligated to run his pack, and although the arrival of his daughter was a pleasant surprise - even more so considering it meant that she was alive - the black and gold brute could not stop the business of Descai. They needed to be moving forward at all times, whether it was himself propelling them in that direction or the pack itself moving as a whole. He had business to tend to with everyone; hopefully Shayde had the pack gathered once he returned. Count | 719 words Muse | Good. Tags | Tike, Kyra Notes | He is somewhat at a loss here.

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] This mushy gushy moment between Kyra and their father almost made Tike want to puke. If Vorilye only knew what had really gone on with the almost completely dissolved family that he and his sister shared, he doubted that he would be treating her like this. The two wolves exchanged some very emotional words. Vorilye treated Kyra differently than he had treated him. Of course it was only natural to treat a daughter differently than a son but Vorilye seemed to be melting into Kyra's paws. A mistake that he may soon regret. Tike hadn't gotten particularly close with any of his siblings aside from Taqqiq but Tike never would forget that one incident after Karima and Tibikki had died. Tike ran to Krya, ready to comfort her and try to make things better. His one soft moment with her and she had turned him away. She had rejected him. She had hurt him. The anger started to flow back into his system from that day. He could hardly stand it. He wanted to kill something. He tried to breathe deeply and quietly as to not bring attention to himself. He needed to focus on reality. But Kyra had deserved his trick nonetheless. She was too proud for her own good. Her head was getting to big for her to carry. Tike could tell this from just talking with her for a few minutes. So he decided to knock her down a few pegs. He needed to show her that she was not the only one that could play these games and cause harm. But now, Tike was the only sibling she had left. Ha. She was stuck with him whether she liked it or not. She didn't have an option to like Taqqiq better anymore. He was dead. She didn't have the option to be with her sisters instead of him. They were dead. He was the only one she had left, aside from Kallik and Vorilye. He hoped that she felt all alone. He hoped that she could feel even a fraction of the pain he had felt all of his life. He hoped that he had shown her a little piece of what it was like to him for just a few seconds. Tike's life had not been a walk in the park. His whole family seemed to be choosing his siblings over himself. Even Vorilye was focusing all of his attention on Kyra and probably forgetting that he was even standing here. Well you know what? He didn't need either of them. He chose to be around them for whatever reason. He didn't need anyone. All he has ever needed was himself. That thought alone was a comfort. Alright. Tike said in response to his Father's calm request. Hmm. Maybe he didn't hear any of that. Tike thought to himself. Perhaps he was in the clearing for this little endeavor. Though Tike really wanted to leave this..love fest between his sister and his father, he would feel a little more comfortable if someone went with him. It was truly and embarrassing feeling to want to be chaperoned around like that but he was still sure that someone, somehow, was planning his death. Though, with Amyntas (or whatever his name was) out of the picture, his findings of who it could be had vanished. Which, made him more anxious. Deep breaths Tike. Deep breaths. He was trying to calm himself down. Maybe he should talk to a Shaman about these anxieties that he had been having.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,text-align:justify,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://tinyurl.com/d6c5be8) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 600px; padding: 0px;] The warmth her father offered was like nothing Kyra had ever experienced, not even when sleeping in the den with her siblings those months ago. This was pure, true. There was no judgment in his actions, mostly because he didn’t know her. She wasn’t his blind, runt of a daughter. She was just his daughter. His only daughter. And as he nuzzled into her, she could feel the deep affection he held for her. It was stronger than anything she’d ever felt from her mother or siblings. It was potent, and under different circumstances, she’d jump away from him and shudder in disgust. But simply knowing that he loved her was enough to keep her locked in place, burying her face deeper into his fur. The great brute murmured his apologies again, as if at a loss of how to make it up to her. Kyra had come to these lands with no intention to forgive her father for everything he’d done, let alone meet him in the first place. But the longer she stood, wrapped in his scent, the harder it was to remain angry with him. Besides. She had grown up with the decision of giving him the benefit of the doubt. There were two sides to every story, weren’t there? What if Mother’s was not the truth? She’d never once spoken ill of the black and gold brute, but there was always a chance of the truth being fogged over by emotions and such. When had that logic dissipated? Perhaps when the cougar attacked. Kyra shook her head, stepping back from her father to look him in the eyes. There was so much she wished to convey to him. A million questions she wanted to ask. But he beat her to the punch. He wanted her name. Kyra stepped back some more, eyes falling to the side. “No...” she murmured in a quiet voice, head and tail drooping in a synchronized manner. “I don’t want you to know my name...” She turned to Tike with a longing look. Please don’t tell him, Tike, she willed with her eyes, a softness filling them that hadn’t been present since she before she became blind. Without removing her gaze from her older brother, Kyra turned and began walking towards him. When she was right in front of him, her eyes dropped to her paws. She swallowed hard. “Tike. I doubt my words will mean anything to you after everything we’ve gone through, but I want you to know that...” Kyra brought her eyes to his again, searching his emerald ones for any sign of affection. Maybe her father’s attitude towards her was affecting her. But if she left without saying it... “Tike, I’m sorry. Ever since we were just pups, I’ve compared you to Taq. We all did. But it was because you two are so different. He is...was...soft and affectionate, and I hated it...” She trailed off in a low growl, dropping her eyes to the side. No. This wasn’t the time to get angry. Kyra took a deep breath before looking back into his eyes. “I know you won’t believe me, Tike, but I do love you. And I know I don’t show it all that often, but I never got to say it to Tibiki and Karima and Taq, and now they’re all gone. I won’t be able to live with myself if I lose you too, and know that I was too stubborn to speak the truth.” Tentatively, the runt stepped towards her brother, running her muzzle along his chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she waited for the rejection she felt was coming. Why should he believe her now? Just because their father was present? If the recent past meant anything, Tike would never forgive her. Not even if she died. But telling him how she felt, whether he believed it or not, made her feel a thousand times better. Before he could speak and reject her, Kyra stepped back, standing beside him in front of their father. She didn’t look at either brute, her eyes locked on the ground, but she remained where she was, waiting for some sort of order. When her father spoke up, her eyes lifted slightly, glancing to Tike who had been addressed. The latter answered curtly, but didn’t make any indication of moving. Kyra tilted her head. “We can go together if you’d like, Tike. I don’t know the way... And we’re family,” she added, wagging her tail. “You can teach me everything you’ve learned since you arrived in father’s lands.” The runt’s eyes moved back to the black and gold brute. She didn’t know what this ‘pack business’ he’d mentioned was about, but if it meant he was going to be introducing his children to the pack, she felt she ought to be present. But there was something nagging at the back of her brain. “You never answered my question, Father.” She waited until she had his full attention before dropping the bomb. “Where is Mother?” She glanced at Tike before looking back. “Is she at the dens? Do you mind if I call for her? I’d like to talk to her before I meet the rest of the pack.” Without waiting for his response, Kyra lifted her crown to the sky, summoning her mother with a long howl. Little did she know that her mother could no longer hear her. Her mother would not answer her call. Not now. Not ever. words:: Nine-Hundred and Forty-Eight muse:: Really good tags:: Tike, and Vorilye mood:: She's desperate to get Tike's forgiveness ooc:: I think she's about to break...

[Ryker]

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[atrb=background,http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7738/94326341.png] When Tike received a somber look from his sister, asking him not to tell their father her name, he was a little confused. Why wouldn't his sister want to tell their father her name? She couldn't have possibly been embarrassed about it and he was starting to think that he was the only wolf in this entire territory that didn't have issues giving others his name. His sister seemed so, soft. It was something that he wasn't used to seeing. Albeit a little annoying, it was cute. No. He wasn't making this mistake again. If she thought that he would just melt into her paws like Taqqiq had she had another thing-- wait was she crying? Kyra swallowed hard and looked down at her paws like she was going to say something to him. Tike didn't always get along with his sister. They were both very strong wolves with very strong opinions but Tike couldn't stand here and pretend not to care that his sister was hurting. They were the only family they had left, after all. If she was playing a game with him, it was working. No matter how much Tike thought that Kyra deserved his trick, he still loved her. She was telling him things that he never knew and probably never would have known if she had not told him. Tike was surprised when she said that she hated how Taqqiq was softer and more affectionate. All this time he thought that Kyra liked that about his brother. He had been wrong. He had been mistaken to think that his sister loved his brother more. It was the hardest thing in the world for Tike to accept. His sisters' deaths and his brother's death hurt but it was easy to accept that one was gone forever. It was difficult to realize that you had been wrong your whole life. Everything that Tike ever thought to be true had been dissolved into nothing. Tike's heart swelled with emotions that he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. His sister loved him. Someone loved him and cared about him. As Kyra's words ended, she rushed forward and burred her face in his chest. To be told, Tike wasn't used to dealing with this sort of stuff. He wasn't sure how to comfort her. He didn't know what to do. Something about the words that she had said made the tough young brute believe her. He hadn't seen Kyra cry much, if at all. If she was faking, she had done a spectacular job. She pulled away and stood beside him I love you too. Tike took another deep breath before continuing. He was dealing with things that he had burred a while ago. They were all coming back to him now. I'm sorry I tricked you like that. How would he explain to her why he did that? Why did he do that? Tike couldn't even remember. He could tell her that he thought that she was proud and needed to be knocked down a few pegs? No. That wouldn't be..appropriate however true that might have been. Tike's voice was low and soft. It was a new experience for him. He never behaved like this. It was strange. He decided he would leave his apology at that. He couldn't come up with the words to say anything more. He nodded to his sister when she offered to go with him back to the dens. It seemed as though the gushy moment was over and Tike could relax just a little bit more. He started to turn to leave when his sister asked of their mother, Kallik, again. This made Tike stop and look at his father, wanting to know the same. She, had not made amends with him and so he was still not a happy camper with her but he still wanted to know where she was. He hadn't seen her around or smelled her at the dens. Where could she be? Tike's emerald eyes look to the yellows of his father. When Kyra howled, Tike sincerely hoped that Kallik wouldn't come bursting through the trees. She would probably scold him and blame him for the death of her favorite son. Despite Kyra's confession, Tike still believed that Kallik's favorite son was Taqqiq.