Sky of Fire [open]

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Destruction. Burning. Screaming.

That had been the life of Maglor for the past forty eight hours. No one knew what was going on, and there was nothing that the beta male could do to calm the members of the pack. How could he possibly hope to keep a lid on everything when all hell was breaking loose? The most that Maglor managed to do was corral everyone back to the ship. It was there that the Kenai Peninsula male hoped and prayed that the flaming bits of debris would miss their humble home. If one were to land on the old wood ship, then it would almost certainly go up in flames.

And so the pack had waited out the devil fire storm patiently, and while everyone refused to let their fear show, it was thick in the air. Maglor had never before so sincerely believed that he might die. The male did not know what to make of this. Surely there had to be some sort of protocol for this? With such a long-established pack, Maglor thought that surely they could do something. But yet all they could really do was wait for the hell to cease so that they could emerge from the dens once more. By some measure of grace, the ship stayed in tact and out of harm's way. They were the lucky ones.

Once the chaos had settled, Maglor had been one of the survivors of the terror that had ventured out to check what had been lost. Leaving Darius and the pack behind had been difficult, but there was so much that the male needed to know. First, he headed south to check on his birth pack. After all, what Darius did not know would not hurt him, and he was petrified to see what had happened. It seemed that the southern pack had suffered losses so extreme that all Maglor could do was turn his back and walk away. There was little to no southern pack remaining. All that charred flesh left a horrid stench in the male's nose. It took hours before he could even start to let the smell fade away, but he would never forget. That was his family, his birth pack. They were all gone; he would never see them again.

And so the beta headed to the pack's lands once more, intent on completing his mission. He surveyed the land mass, noticing that some areas were more devastated than others. It seemed that the horror had struck the southern territories of Kal'dyne harder than Vor'asa. Their pack had been fortunate, but he still did not know what had become of some of the others in the pack. Those who had not made it back to the dens were unaccounted for, and all Maglor could do was hope that safety and shelter had found them promptly. There were other wolves out wandering, but he could not put a name or face to the endless bodies he encountered. Most were struck dead, but others were burned alive. He cringed, finally finding himself in central Tas'alea. It was too much for the male.

Sobs wracked the male's body as he mourned the loss of his parents, his brothers, his sisters, and his former pack mates. The sheer immensity and unfairness of this world overcame him, and Maglor cried out to the sky to curse the Gods that were watching over them. He wallowed for several hours, unable to wrap his head around the pain and misery that had become there little island. There were so few of them left now. He needed to be strong and be there to support his pack.

The beta brute finally recollected himself and headed to the eastern coast, following after the nameless wolves who seemed to whisper among themselves in curiosity. Maglor could not help but be drawn in, and when he approached the beaches of the loner lands, his jaw dropped. There was land, and a lot of it, not too far out. It was easily within swimming distance. The surprised and uncomfortable whispers among the wolves stirred curiosity in the beta wolf. Were there others who intended to swim to this new land? What if there was a riptide just barely below the surface that would sweep them out to sea?

It was only because he was watching in curiosity that Maglor caught sight of the fire once more. There were flames licking the sandy beaches of the other land mass! The golden-tinted brute watched in amazement as what appeared to be liquid fire seeped toward the ocean. An earth-shattering boom snapped the male's attention skyward. The volcano on this new land exploded, and large chunks of earth pummeled the water as the gold and red liquid rushed closer to the water. The sizzles and crackles from the contact caused the male to wince back; the heat rolled off the lava and rushed toward the wolves of Tas'alea. It was only when it became evident that the lava flow was not going to stop prior to hitting their island that Maglor cried for everyone to fall away. Finally, it seemed that the wolves could listen once more, and they all fled westward, fearing for their lives. Was this fire going to end their humble home?

Maglor rushed back to the pack's lands, relishing in the safety he felt within the borders of the long-established pack. The rain poured down on the brute's coat, coating him in an ashy layer of water that soaked him straight to the bone. His coat quickly turned grey, adding to the dismal mood the beta male already had swirling about his head. Darius could provide them some insight as to this situation, he was sure of it. There were so few of them left, and so much that needed to be done. How could he possibly hope to take a leadership position now, when it seemed that the world was crashing in around him? Time found the large male back home, worming his way between the old slats of the SS Rilon and into the safety of his home. This was where he belonged, and this is where he wanted to stay.

It was then that the beta male noticed that Darius was nowhere to be found. Where had their alpha gone? Maglor did not even have the heart to ask where he went or when he would be back. He had to hold onto the hope that Vashti would be alright. They had survived all this madness so far, had they not? Surely their fearless leader would return to take up the pack's helm once more. The male stared into the eyes of the pack members; what was he supposed to tell them? How could he possibly let them know that this was quickly becoming hell on earth?

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This was a horrible sight. There were bodies of wolves laying everywhere. There was a stench of burnt fur and flesh everywhere. The smell was insufferable. Artos coughed as he trotted on to try to get the awful smell out of his lungs. He could almost taste it. Yuck. Artos couldn't help but look at each of the wolves that lay on the ground to see if he recognized any of them. He didn't. They were all a stranger to him. He was happy that he didn't see his biological family members in that state. It meant that there was a chance that they were still alive somewhere. Perhaps they had found shelter and were safe. Perhaps they had thrown themselves in the sea and were carried somewhere else. Perhaps they were just as dead as these bodies that he was walking past.

Out of the corner of his eye, as he was still checking the remainder of faces, he saw a wolf that he recognized. Thankfully, it was neither his brother nor his parents. It was his beta, Maglor. There had been no order for him to stay at the den from Maglor or Darius so, he decided to approach the beta male. It looked like he had jumped in the ocean. Coupled with the ash, it gave him a gray coat. He laughed a little to himself while he was still out of earshot of the beta. He did look quite hilarious. He approached after his snickering was done. The rain on his own coat made him uncomfortable but he didn't look nearly as bad as the beta did. He was careful to not let any of the ash that was still falling not get on his nose or in his eyes or in his mouth. That would be nasty.

Greetings, sir. Artos greeted his beta. He was in a decent mood today despite all that had happened in these last few days and he wanted to know if Maglor had found anything or..anyone..he should say. His silver eyes weren't friendly but they weren't aggressive either which was a step up from normal. The beta looked a bit..off for some reason that Artos didn't understand.

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"Artos."

The beta male dipped his head in greeting to the smaller wolf, content to see a friendly face that did not seem angry with him for the situation. Truthfully, he could not have changed anything, but it was not uncommon for others to blame those in authority for things that were beyond their control. Darius had always told him to keep a tight rein on the members of the pack, but Maglor was softer than his alpha. He wanted the wolves to respect him for him, not to fear him because of the power he held. He believed that he had done a good job thus far, but he could never be certain.

Maglor wanted to ensure that his sister was alright. While Darius did not shelter Melethiel from any of the harshness living in Vashti, he wanted to ensure that she was treated fairly and not discriminated against due to her sight issues. The male was fiercely protective of her, yet he was certain that she grew to resent it from time to time. The beta simply wanted what was best for her, yet she was not an invalid. It was because of her strong skills with plant life that Mel had earned a spot in a pack that, while it had a strong female connotation about it, was essential to their survival. He was proud to see how well she had done given the complications with her sight. Some days, the male wondered just how life would be different if he had somehow been able to protect her. It was a daily battle for the beta; he needed to give his sister the room she deserved, but he felt an overwhelming need to dote on and care for her, despite what Darius believed.

"It is good to see that you are well. Have you any clue where Darius has gone?" he inquired of the smaller dire male. Maglor was intrigued to see if his alpha had indicated where he headed off to. The beta had known that the entire pack was not back when the chaos started, but perhaps Darius had gone off in search of their lost pack members. The pack had been more that fourteen strong; so where was everyone? "It is chaos out there. Absolute madness," the male snorted in frustration. How had everything gone awry so quickly?

One minute, Vashti was happily living their militaristic lives, protected from the outside world. Maglor was happy to remain cocooned in his pack, protected by his loyalty to both the pack and Darius's leadership. The previous alpha had not been overly fond of him, but Darius had been there for him, regardless of the fact that Mags was more than two and a half years his junior. For a younger male to rise so quickly in the ranks would likely have been a farce if it were not for the trust between the two of them. However, it was peculiar for Darius to leave the pack alone without him having returned. That was what piqued the beta's interest the most.

Upon noticing Artos staring at his coat, the brute growled softly in warning. "Do you find something interesting?" he quipped, irritated by the brute's obvious interest. Maglor was not in the mood to be harassed. In fact, it was an odd day for him, as he normally had a mostly sunshiny disposition. Today, however, he had lost most of his family. The only one he knew to be living, so long as the universe had spared her in the pack's borders, was Mel, and he could not wait to gaze upon her face once more, even though she did not have the luxury of looking back. It was comforting to Maglor to have his litter mate here with him. Perhaps he could find comfort in her after this tragedy in a way that the others could not understand. Art definitely could not relate; he had been raised in this pack since birth. He knew Darius when he was younger, and he had a stable position within the pack. Maglor had had to work his way from the lowliest of positions through the ranks. It had taken blood, sweat, and tears to earn him the beta position that he held today. And he was damn proud of it, too.

"Mel?" Maglor called out curiously, wondering if his sister had nestled herself somewhere within the ship. Her scent was strong, but that could mean anything. For all he knew, Melethiel had been out gathering herbs as per her usual that morning. How could he be sure that she was save? Panicking is going to do me no good, he had to remind himself silently. He refused to show any signs of weakness in front of the pack. He was their beta; if he were rattled, then they all obviously had reasons to be shaken as well. Darius would not be pleased if he returned to find the pack shaking like a litter of wet puppies. He would have to make sure to keep himself under control.

There was much that needed to be handled. Hopefully, the deadly lava had not drawn any closer than it was before. It would me more likely, however, that it would not get near the dens. With the SS Rilon being nestled at one of the northernmost parts of Tas'alea, they were shielded from much of the trauma. It seemed that central and southern Tas received the brunt of the assault from Mother Nature. Now, they needed to hope and pray that karma did not turn around and bite them in the ass.

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Malgor dipped his head in greeting to him and Artos did the same for him. No matter the events that had happened, Malgor was still his beta and as much as he wished he didn't have to, he had to show his respect to the larger male. It was hard to believe that anyone could be any larger than himself. He weighed a good 170 pounds and was quite tall as well but that was how it went he guessed.

Artos wasn't mad at Malgor for what had happened. It wasn't like he could have planned any of this to happen. No one can control the weather or natural disasters such as the ones that had happened here. Artos knew better than to blame those in charge for such things. He was four years old now and had grown up in this pack. This was his home and Darius had been his alpha for three of those years. He knew how things worked and he knew that this was no one's fault. Artos wasn't terribly religious so he believed that this was just mother nature doing what mother nature does. It was the circle of life. Things had to die in order for other things to live and as long as he wasn't the thing that had to die, he was fine with it.

Thank you, Sir and no I haven't a clue where Darius might be. He actually hadn't seen him in a long time. He was certain that he had seen him at the den when he had gotten there for shelter when all of this craziness had started but after that, he wasn't sure. Arots nodded as Maglor pointed out the obvious chaos like he couldn't see it or something. Did the beta think he was stupid or something? He had eyes, didn't he? His mind started racing as the anger built but he told himself to take a deep breath and relax. It's okay. You're fine. He was just pointing out the obvious like an idiot. It has nothing to do with you. Calm down. Artos told himself and he relaxed. This wasn't his problem to deal with. It was Maglor's and Darius' wherever he was.

But now Maglor was pushing it. What was he growling at him about? He wasn't doing anything wrong? Must be apologize for the fact that his beta's coat was hilarious looking? No. It wasn't his fault. Only in your dreams. Artos thought to himself as his silver eyes changed from normal to enraged. His body shook slightly and when he spoke his slightly longer canines showed just enough. Apologies, Sir. Gray isn't your color. That was the most respectful comment that came into his head. Breath. You have to relax before this turns into a fight. Artos liked fighting but fighting with the beta on a day like this because of something that he said, was not on his list of things he wanted to do today. What he had already said might have been enough to get him in significant trouble. It looked like he was preoccupied with other thoughts though.

The beta had called out his sister's name. Idiot. If she wanted you to see her, she would have come out. Artos had many thoughts come into his head that he didn't dare actually speak. If he did, he would end up being the omega of the pack or get kicked out..or worse.

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Melethiel wasn't sure how long she had been in her makeshift shelter. When chaos reigned like it had been time wasn't a factor. Hours could feel like minutes or drag like days, and when mixed with fear it was close to impossible to be certain. But, when the outside seemed to quiet, the booms of something heavy hitting the ground ceased, she deemed it safe to try and head home. She stepped out of her shelter and surveyed her senses, something she had always done since she had lost her sight. Depending on her other senses was tough to grow accustomed to and this system seemed to be the best way to do so.

Sound; in the distance she could hear screams of pain. She couldn't be sure if it was physical pain or emotional. She knew whatever had happened couldn't have been good to any means and there must have been some injuries or tragedies. Her work would definitely be cut out for her. What had been a quiet season in Vashti had turned into something of a nightmare. She was a healer, through and through and she wanted to go and help the source of these screams, but her mind was telling her to go home. She needed to analyze the situation and know just what she was dealing with first. After all, she wouldn't be much help if she got herself injury or killed trying to jump into the situation so hastily.

Smell; the air wreaked of fire and ash, the was for certain. But mixed in was the horrible smell of burnt hair and flesh, making the shaman cringe and only furthered her assumption of fatalities and injuries. Her home used to smell of earth and wildlife, now was littered with death and fire. It would take years to forget the smell of the burning bodies. She was far away from where the bulk of them were, thankfully, but as she made her way closer to the dens it became stronger and stronger. She could only hope for the best for her pack. And Maglor, she begged whoever was watching over them that he was alright. She wasn't sure how she would handle losing her brother.

Taste; ash was the first thing that woke her taste buds. It was like licking a burnt log. She quickly spat out any saliva containing the terrible taste and closed her mouth. The air was disgusting, but she wasn't sure if using her nose was much better. She figured if she continued breathing through her mouth her throat would eventually be effected and she needed herself in top shape to help out the others.

Touch; the air around her was warm, like standing next to a fire. It would be comforting in a cold winter, but now it was only alarming. A couple times while walking home she had stepped in something that was both a liquid and a solid, however that worked, that burned her pads, she had jumped back in surprise. How was she supposed to avoid those painful puddles? But, despite the obstacles she had made it back to the SS Rilon successfully.

She could smell the old wood of the ship if she focused enough past the smells of the disaster around her. She could hear wolves scuffling around inside as she rounded the corners of the ship. Outside the dens she could smell the presence of two males, she came within earshot just in time to hear her name being called in question, as if someone was looking for her, unsure if she was around to be beckoned. But, to her joy, the voice belonged to that of the pack's beta, her brother Maglor. He smelled tinted of ash, but not of blood or sickness, to her relief. He was okay!

Near him she almost assumed to be Darius, but upon further investigation she recognized the scent as a warrior of Vashti, Argos. Being that she was blind, it was easy to see wolves as they truly were. And while Argos was a brilliant warrior, he was arrogant and hot-headed. She could sense the tense between the pair as clearly as she could smell the ash in the air.

"I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but let's put our egos away. There's a lady present," she woofed light-heartedly. "I'm happy you both are okay," she continued as she jogged closer, "I don't think a lot of others were so lucky." The blind, black fae came close enough to be considered as part of the group. As much as she wanted to nuzzle her brother in happiness, she wasn't entirely sure where he was, so she refrained so she wouldn't look ridiculous trying to find his neck.

She wondered where Darius was, usually her brother and the alpha were linked at the hip. Hopefully he was okay, the pack needed their leader and it would be unfit for him to be absent in such a dire time. "Could someone tell me exactly what's going on? Are there an casualties to attend to?" Duty called, as always.

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Well... This is something new...

Life these past few days had been difficult to maintain for the Mongollon femme. For one, she was alone, and all knew that to survive, one must have a pack to turn to. And secondly, the world was coming to an end.

Or so it had seemed. Syren had never experienced such a thing, so she wasn’t entirely sure what to call it. The sky was red, filled with the suffocating scent of fire, ash, and smoke. The geysers erupted noisily in their field, taking the lives of any that ventured even a paw’s length too close. And the bodies... Whatever this weird storm was, it was taking with it countless lives. Syren didn’t know any of the creatures that had been lost—her only family had been dead for over a year, now—but could still feel the sting of truth.

How long would it be before the storm claimed her life?

But Syren fought, as she would against a physical opponent. She kept to the eastern edge of the small continent, away from the fire and smoke. She was aware that she had technically entered into the Vashti pack’s territory, but would they really mind her presence at the moment? The world was ending. A stray loner should mean nothing to them. Though, in a way, she kind of hoped they would take notice of her. It would be the push she had been waiting for, that moment where she could become part of a pack for the first time.

Now is not the time to be thinking that! the Mongollon femme snarled at herself, shaking her head. Rain had begun to pour down from the heavens, mixing in with the floating ash. The dunes around her became coated in wet ash, causing the femme to wrinkle her nose. The scent was abhorrent. And to make matters worse, her coarse coat was also falling victim to the ash mixture. No amount of shaking would rid her of the moisture, and taking a quick swim in the ocean was out of the question. The dark water was darkened further by ash as far as the eye could see. It would only make matters worse.

So the femme turned her head north, debating her next course of action. She knew of the SS Rilon, the decaying ship that had been rooted in Adeli’s Cove since long before Syren herself was born. Mother had taken her there several times before, to seek refuge from the nastiest of storms. In this time of need, she was sure the pack’s alpha would be forgiving. The world was ending, or perhaps it was already over. Weren’t they supposed to support one another, pack mates or not?

There was no other option in Syren’s view. With the rain growing heavier, the Mongollon femme took to her paws, following the scents of the wolves that had lived in Vor’asa for some time. She was an excellent tracker, what with her mother’s twisted trainings, and despite the rain, she managed to find her way to the ship in a short amount of time. Syren hesitated for a few moments, pausing not only to catch her breath, but to listen to the voices echoing within. She couldn’t make out what was being said, but she knew there were at least three others inside. Maybe more. Syren shuddered. It was far more company than she was used to.

Her steps were tentative, and full of tension. One nasty look, one fierce comment, and she would leave, never to return. For all she knew, they were waiting for her, waiting to tear her limb from limb. The fur on the back of Syren’s neck rose as a dark look filled her vibrant blue eyes. They wouldn’t take her down that easily, even if they were all male. She was only seeking temporary refuge, she would tell them. She would make them understand. She would make them listen.


words:: Six-Hundred and Seventy-Five
muse:: Great
ooc:: I figure she's kind of hovering in the opening of the ship or something, too wary and afraid to actually walk in XD

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Maglor had half the mind to lash out at Artos for his completely unnecessary comment, but it quickly vanished from his muzzle as the sound of Mel’s reappearance drew his full attention. The Kenai Peninsula male had never been more pleased than he had when the sound of her voice flooded his ears once more. It was by pure luck that fate had spared his sister. She had such poor luck in the past, and now the universe was finally starting to deal her a better hand. Maglor could not help but say a silent prayer to the Gods for watching over his sister; after all, he truly felt that they were the reason that she was before him this very moment. The male rushed forward, nuzzling into her neck in greeting as she spouted off about them being polite in the presence of a lady. He smirked in amusement, and although he knew she could not see it, his soft laughter would be enough for her to discern that he was more than happy that she turned up when she did. The beta male felt complete once more. Although the remainder of their family, as far as Maglor knew, had been decimated, he still had his litter mate, and that was more than enough for him.

Artos was all but forgotten as Maglor assessed his sister’s well-being. It was obvious that she was more concerned about everyone around her but herself, but the large male would not answer her question until he was certain that she was not harmed in any way. Her health came first; then, she could tend to anyone who needed her. Finally satisfied that Melethiel was in good health, he turned his attention to her questions and comments. “There are volcanoes all around Tas’alea, Mel. I don’t know where they came from or whether they are there to stay, but almost all of the southern territory’s pack is gone. I don’t know who fled and who stayed. I didn’t investigate the dens at all; it would be far too dangerous for me to wander that far into another pack’s lands,” he explained briefly. Surely she would understand his position. While Maglor may have been born in the southern pack, he would not be welcomed back with open arms, particularly with his affiliation with the northern pack. While the two were not enemies, per say, they were not on the best of terms, either. Maglor would not risk his own life to check on their’s. There were only two wolves that the beta male would go so far for: Mel and Darius.

“I don’t know about the casualties yet, Mel. The ones I encountered were… not exactly saveable,” he admitted, wincing back in frustration. There were many from the pack that were unaccounted for, including Artos’s parents. When would the elder members of the pack return? Artos did not know where Darius was. It was lucky that Maglor had been with the alpha during the reign of terror or he would fear that the alpha male had fallen as well. “We should wait to see who else returns. We’ll need to organize a group to search out the members of the pack. Those who did not return, I want to know what has happened to them,” he commanded in a powerful voice, his sense of normalcy finally kicking in.

Suddenly, a sense of tension flooded the air. A new scent rushed to the beta’s nose, and he whirled around in defense, unwilling to be taken off guard. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” Maglor demanded, his eyes trained on the unfamiliar female in frustration. Why would a wolf wander into the heart of Vashti’s territory without so much as a call out to them. Not only was their alpha conveniently absent, but this wolf had approached with one of the most fierce of Vashti’s warriors beside him. It would not end well if this wolf could not explain herself quickly. “Don’t you know better than to traipse into pack territory?” the male snapped in irritation, his hackles raised as his tail stood erect. In Darius’s absence, he was the one with sole discretion as to what to do with invaders, and he would not hesitate to put this wolf in her place if the need arose.

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Artos could feel a scolding coming but it was so worth it. Maglor was one of Artos' favorite wolves to annoy. He wouldn't have dared say anything like that to Darius because the consequences would be certain death but Maglor was a little easier on the punishments in his mind. It would still be a beating or long hours doing drills or something.

As Artos braced mentally for the punishment that was to come, Melethiel strode in with her usual happy-nothing-could-possibly-go-wrong attitude. It was a nice change from the normal personalities in the pack. She was light-hearted and almost pup-like. Sometimes it got really annoying. But today Artos was glad that she had survived and was here. Her being here was a relief for the Vashti warrior.

Artos could tell that he had been forgotten by Maglor as soon as she had arrived. He wanted to talk to her, to make sure she was okay. Females were less durable and more fragile than males so it was only expected. She looked to be in good health to him from where he stood. He of course didn't rush up to the fae but his silver orbs greeted her. Maglor then went into explaining the situation. The volcanoes everywhere were something that he didn't want to stay. They were dangerous and possible reason for relocation should Darius think that they would destroy the land. He understood why Maglor wouldn't go checking dens and doing laps around the island. He wouldn't have. The only lives that Artos might go look for would be his brother and his parents. He would have left all others to perish on their own. Darius and Maglor were his leaders but that was it. He would defend them to the death on the battle field but in natural disasters such as this, they were on there own.

As Maglor went on about the casualties, Artos wanted to ask "Mel" a question. You haven't seen my parents or my brother, have you? His voice was concerned and a bit anxious. He was careful to not show too much. He was trained better than that but these were his family members that hadn't returned. Maglor then said that they would wait to see who else returned and there would be a group to search out the members who don't return. Maglor was back into leadership mode. Artos gave an "understood" nod to Maglor. Artos may joke around and push buttons but he knew who was in charge and how to take a command. He had been trained that way.

Artos smelled a new female. A female he hadn't ever met before. He was always sure to get a good nose-full of every wolf he met to keep in his database of a mind and this female's scent didn't register. Artos whipped around to try to get a visual. Artos was ready to attack if needed be. One could never be too careful. She didn't look too threatening. Actually, she looked timid and shy. Nothing to worry about but she may be tricking them or she might have warriors waiting outside. Artos' body was tense, ready, prepared. He showed his teeth but didn't let a growl out yet. He wasn't going to over-due this. She shouldn't be a threat. He had to protect Maglor and Mel. Maglor went into dominance. Artos stayed at prepared and alert. His longer canines showing should be enough to keep her in check let alone his size. She couldn't have weighed much more than 70 pounds. He had a good 100 pounds on her. This would easy if it should turn hostile.

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[atrb=background,http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z444/spottystar/melbg_zps7fa3cb30.jpg] Maglor seemed to be just as happy as she was upon their reunion, her tail whipped back and forth as his heavy paws thundered against the ground while he ran to her side. She waited for his touch before she nuzzled him back. It was always a comfort to feel her brother beside her and she couldn't have been more thankful to have him her as she was now. It was luck of the draw who survived the destruction of the island and it seemed Maglor's stars still shone brightly. He was always very lucky in his actions, after all, leaving the comfort of your birth pack, everything you had ever known, in search of a brighter future wasn't always the best decision. It was very risky for a wolf to go out on their own, but fate was always on Maglor's side and he had made for himself a wonderful life here in Vashti. There were times where she had wished she had followed him, the day he left. Maybe she would still have her sight. But, there was no use thinking about what might have been, there was today to worry about. Maglor went into detail about what was going on. She couldn't see the volcanoes, so he had to explain to her what might be quite obvious to any other wolf. They were surrounding the islands, so what? They had popped up out of the ocean spontaneously? This made no sense to her. How could such large landmarks just come from out of no where? But, the subject of the volcanoes didn't hold place in Mel's mind for much longer. What her brother said next shocked her. The'r homelands had been destroyed, he wasn't sure if anyone had made it. Her parents, her sister. Friends of her past, her mentor. It was much too possible for them all to be gone. Just like that. Mel's ears laid flat against her head in sorrow, her tail ceased it's motion and hung heavy like her heart. There was no reason to blame her brother for not checking thoroughly, if there were any survivors they were bound to be on edge. The packs were weakened, they had to be on guard for stronger packs to try and move in. There was no doubt prey would be scarce, herbs, too. And how much of the fresh water was tainted by the lava and molten rock that may have landed in or nearby? Tough times were coming for the packs, they had to take care of themselves. Mel nodded at his statement, accepting the facts as they were. Facts. They couldn't be changed or altered, time went on, there was no changing the past. The status of casualties was currently unknown, which was a frustration for Mel. If there were survivors who knew how much time they truly had left to be saved? There wasn't much she could do for them if they weren't found. She sighed, remembering the smell of burnt flesh. "Yes, I know. I came across many bodies myself. None with life left to save." It was a harsh reality, she always wanted to try to help. But, when there was no hope, there was nothing she could do. Sometimes she wished she had the power and skills to raise the dead. Mel wasn't sure if Artos was taking a jab at her disability or not at his question. But, his inquiry was serious enough that she let it go. She tried not to be touchy about her eyesight, but sometimes she could just scream. It was hard enough being blind, why did others have to point it out? She let the comment slide, he was asking about the well being of his family, after all. She perked her ears his way as he spoke, this words laced with anxiety and concern. Emotions warriors often tried to keep under the surface. She shook her head, "I'm sorry Artos, but, no. I have not met with them. But, in cases like this no news may be good news." She raised her brows toward him sincerly. If Maglor had come across bodies of the dead and had not I.D.ed them as members, it was more of a chance that they were survivors. Only time would tell. Maglor had suddenly left "brother mode" in the dust and had entered into "beta mode." His voice held a certain power to it as he ordered everyone to stay here and wait for other members to return. Mel had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving the SS Rilon for quite some time. She wouldn't be much help in a search party and she needed to organize her herbs and see what she was in need of. She kept her supply full, ready for anything, which was handy at a time like this. She had much to prepare for for when injured wolves started to trickle in. She didn't want to have her hands full with nothing to work with. It was then that an unfamiliar scent hit her nostrils. It was a female, she wasn't very young but not old enough to be considered old either. An adult. She smelled nervous, probably unsure of what she was doing here. That was valid, it wasn't very smart to wander into pack lands, especially unannounced. Both males turned toward the stranger, Mel padded closer, careful to stay behind the two males. If the fae was dangerous, which by her smell didn't seem like she was going to try anything, Mel was the weakest link. She needed the protection of Maglor and Artos in cases such as these. Any prideful wolf would be bitter towards such a true statement, but Mel accepted it with an open heart. She knew protecting herself was close to impossible and the best way she could protect others was by keeping them healthy with herbs. With Darius absent, Maglor needed to step up to the plate, which he did without hesitation. He was a great beta and would someday make an outstanding alpha. Darius was lucky to have him at his right hand. Maglor immediately confronted the female, asking what she was doing here and for her identity. He called her out on her foolishness for coming so deep into pack territory, which Mel had to smirk at. The fae could have at least waited at the border, how disrespectful could you get? That brought her back to her thought about being on guard for other packs. Surely the packs were lacking, whether it be with land, prey, water or herbs. They had to back careful to keep the borders tight and strict to avoid too much conflict with other wolves. But, for now she patiently wait for the situation to unfold with the newcomer. Count --> 1,144 w. Muse --> Too good. o.o Tags --> Maglor && Artos && Syren Notes --> I have too much muse for Mel. xD

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Acting upon a hunch was something Syren rarely did. She was a femme of cunning, one who calculated her every move before taking action. It was a survival instinct to know what is expected before the battle commences. Though she wouldn’t consider her waltzing up to the Vashti den a battle, per se, it was certainly a challenge in its own right. There ought to have been sentries, those that would chase her out as she grew nearer. Either the pack was much smaller than she had anticipated or all its members were nestled within the massive ship before her.

What really worried her was that she couldn’t pick out the alpha’s scent among those sitting in the air. His scent was all over the territory, naturally, but none of those scents were fresh. Alive. They were merely place markers, an announcement that these dunes belonged to the great brute, and any who entered were dead meat. Syren let out a soft snort. She had entered. Did that make her dead meat? Probably, given how close she was to the den. She was practically inside it even. Just one more step...

But Syren didn’t even get that chance. The moment the wolves picked up on her scent, it was as if the world was ending all over again. Her world. The two brutes—one of which she recognized as the beta himself—spun to face her, both towering over her small frame. As the beta snarled at her, Syren hunkered down instinctively. He was much larger than she was, and even if she turned and ran, he would likely catch up to her in a few strides. “I-I’m Syren,” she stammered out meekly, shrinking back. Her tail was tucked snug beneath her hind legs which, as with her front, were bent so low that her stomach was nearly brushing the ground. Her ears lay against her head, nearly hidden beneath the coarse fur standing on end. The fear she felt for these two large brutes was clear as day in her sky-colored orbs.

Syren looked between the three wolves staring at her, not knowing what to think or say. Each of them had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds, maybe more for the brutes. Each of them had a few inches of height on her as well. She felt so puny in their presence, something she was unaccustomed to. Her mother had been her height, her weight. And with the way the three were looking at her, it was almost as if she were facing her executioners after having walked to the gallows willingly. The thought made her shiver and shrink back even more.

As the beta brute snapped at her again, Syren winced, letting out a small whimper. “N-No...” she muttered truthfully. “I just thought...” She thought, what? That maybe they would feel pity for her and allow her entry just like that? Such a thought was a fool’s thinking, and Syren was no fool. Her eyes darted between her executioners once again before focusing on the ground at her feet. “The fire...and the blood...” Images of red and orange filled her head, causing her to wince once again. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Syren brought her eyes up once more, staring straight into the beta brute’s brown ones. “I ran. I’m all alone. I need to hide.” It felt to her as if her vocabulary had suddenly shut down, forcing her to babble as she had as a pup. She felt foolish, but fear was a powerful thing. And this brute was wielding it very well.

---

words:: Six-Hundred and Fifteen
muse:: Meh
ooc::

[Deleted]

All Maglor could do was shake his head in response to Artos. There had been no sign of his family, but as his sister had indicated, it was often good news to have no news. That simply meant that they had not been added to the body count yet. Furthermore, there was at least half of the pack absent, and Maglor was growing concerned that they had not returned to the dens yet. He knew that the hunting group had departed prior to the fire storm and did not return; anyone with that band was missing currently, and that did not sit well with the beta. The pack could not survive without their hunters; hunting was for the females, and the males were supposed to protect the pack. But with all the females of the pack gone, how could they possibly expect to be alright?

As the new wolf, Syren as she introduced herself, stammered through her explanation, Maglor could not help but to pity her some. He wondered if she had lost her family, similar to what had happened to him. True, Vashti was his pack family, but his biological family was gone so far as he could see. But what in the world did she need to hide from now? The fire, so far as the large male could see, had ceased. Things were starting to calm, and he could not fathom why the female believed that a pack's dens was the appropriate place to seek shelter. "I am Maglor, the Beta of Vashti. It is better that you arrived when Darius was not here, or you may very well have lost your life for daring to set foot within half a mile of our dens," he snapped sharply, floored by the female's lack of self-preservation. His voice softened as he continued to address her. "What are you needing to hide from, Syren?"

If there were wolves after her, then they would have no choice but to turn her away. Maglor could not risk putting his pack in danger for the well-being of a loner. However, with their numbers likely decimated, Maglor knew better than to run her off when she could possibly be an asset to the pack. If the hunters did not return soon, then they would be sorely in need of some new hunters, and the loners of Tas'alea would be where they turned. Hopefully Darius would return shortly; he was starting to grow worried that the alpha was nowhere to be found. If wolves were starting to crawl across the island once more, then the alpha male would need to remark his boundaries soon, or more wolves would dare to venture into Vashti territory. They likely did not have the man power to keep more than one or two strangers out, particualrly in their weakened state. Maglor was a trained fighter, as was Darius and Artos, but where were the others? Where was Artos's father and brother? Without their leading warriors, they were at a severe disadvantage.

Something had to be figured out soon. If Darius did not turn up shortly, then Maglor would have to declare himself in charge of the pack. He did not want to be the alpha. He was loyal to Darius; that was the only reason he rose so quickly to the position he held, not because he had a desire to usurp power to the pack. Maglor often wondered if that was the sole reason the alpha chose him as beta. If the second-in-command did not have a reason to steal power, then why would anyone else? He was sure it was a good sense of security for Darius to not have the threat of treason from his right hand adviser. But right now, he was the leading rank in the pack. If the alpha could not make his appearance soon, Maglor would have no choice but to take the pack's reins and steer them in the direct they needed to go.

"I need you to talk to me, Syren. I need to know what you mean," the beta demanded urgently, the other pack members virtually invisible at this point. If this wolf had brought a threat upon their pack, then Maglor had a right to know. Maybe she was a spy, sent to take out the remainder of Vashti while they were at their weakest. If so, Syren would not make it another step into the dens or another step out. The beta male would end her where she stood. But if this was not the case, the the Kenai Peninsula male needed to figure out what this meant for both the pack and for Syren. There was much to be considered.

[Deleted]

Artos hadn't meant to be offensive to Melethiel about his asking her if she had "seen" his family. It was just that she had gotten around so well without her site that he forgot that she was blind sometimes. It was merely a slip of the tongue and nothing more. But with her response, he was discouraged and relieved at the same time. If Mel hadn't come across his family, that means they were either too burned up to recognize or they were hiding somewhere and alive. Artos was hoping for the latter of course. He loved his brother no matter how irritating and intellectual he got sometimes.

The intruder introduced herself as Syren. She claimed to be running away from someone. All the more reason to turn her away or kill her before whoever was chasing her caught up to her and came across the pack in it weakened state. He was shocked that Malgor had even spoken to her after she had stepped foot into their dens. Volcano explosion or not, this was still a pack and their boarders needed to be respected. But he wasn't the beta so it wasn't his decision. This was a time when Malgor's softness was more irritating than fun. He wished that the beta would just punish her and send her on her way.

Melthiel had stayed behind himself and Malgor. A wise decision on her part. However well she could get around without her eyes, if this turned into a violent situation, being blind wouldn't help her.

Artos stayed in an alert position. He wasn't letting his guard down no matter how ridiculously submissive and non-threatening she appeared. He had been trained better than that and he wasn't going to let anything happen to Mel or Malgor if he could help it.