A soft sigh pierced the air, so maybe the last journey wasn't going to be her last major disappearance until winter. The white canine shook her head as the trek through the mountains continued, at least the lands of Acerbus had multiple things she could collect and bring back to Shyia. Clumsy paws carried the delicate body through the expanse of mountains, until the darkness beneath became a distinctive shape. Trees, leaves, a forest that cast an eerie feeling upon this unfamiliar female. 'Maybe traveling alone wasn't such a good idea,' nervously the femme halted her approach. Shy eyes glanced at the strange territory looming in front of her, before they flashed back over her shoulder, to proceed or turn back now?
True, her reasons were not urgent; yet, the femme was worried that she would not be prepared. The last thing she wanted was for Toiro to be upset with her, to believe that she was less than fit for the position he had granted her. Besides that, what if another wolf got sick and she did not have the cure? What would happen to them then? Auds pulled back against her skull as the female attempted to stop such negativity from prancing around. Focus was needed for right now, get in and then get home. The Arctic creature hesitantly proceeded forward, the beginning of the forest looming dangerously close to her. The stench hit her nose like a bag of rocks, once more causing the Shaman to take a few steps back. This was definitely a pack land, to say the least. It felt as if someone overwhelmingly had marked these lands as theirs, as if each particular blade of grass must be claimed. 'Maybe these are all hints to turn back, no! Don't be scared off by such foolishness,' the female nodded, attempting to reassure herself.
Muzzle turned towards the sky, and called briefly to announce her arrival upon these lands; however the female's song was cut short. The musical, romance of her vocals echoed so strangely within this new area that the female had to end it sooner than she intended. The shaman fully acknowledged that she was just nervous of traveling through this area, but for what reason she was quite unsure. Thus far there was really no reason for her to be so afraid and yet she was. There was the sensation as if she was covered with spiders, they were crawling upon her flesh. Shaking herself briefly, the female slowly crossed the border. It had felt like an eternity since her call had rang out, and thus far she had heard nothing else. Nostrils flared rapidly, attempting to detect if another creature planned on joining her on this night; yet all continued to remain too quiet for the female's liking.
'Stop it! This is foolish,' and with that the female managed to rid herself of most the overwhelming emotion she sensed towards these woods. After all, there was truthfully no logical reason that she should be so afraid, at least that she knew of. There was no reason to waste any more time than she already had, eyes darted around. The white creature stood out quite well even within the darkness that the foliage cover provided for her. Her tail flickered behind her on occasion, reminding her that time was ticking. The female placed her muzzle to the ground, and began rooting around for any of the foliage she was searching for. A familiar scent caught her nares as Aludra was digging about, 'I found something at least,' she mused to herself.
Carefully the female began to pull at the low growing plant, it was not the reason she was sent here; however, there was no reason not to bring it back. If she found it and her pack could use it, then the shaman would happily bring it to them. Encouragement swelled throughout the female, she was quite happy about finding something not long after her arrival here. Although the Ashwagandha leaves were not exceptionally useful, they proved to remind Aludra of her knowledge and skills. It created a sense of pride and worthiness within the female. Casually she lifted a leg to give herself a loving scratch behind the ear, 'this trip may not be too bad.'
Last Edit: Nov 21, 2012 11:49:54 GMT -5 by Deleted
Things had been looking up for Noella ever since she had returned to Descai's territory. Her figured had filled out quite a bit and she had even earned herself a rank. Okay, so it was more like the alpha demand she hunt if she wanted to maintain the safety of the territory. Still, it wasn't all that bad of a gig. She had skill enough to not be completely useless (had she not she never would have survived on her own as long as she did, near death from her journey across the sea excluded). And while she was mostly bringing back small game, primarily rabbits, it was enough to keep the alpha's disapproving attention off of her. For the most part she could continue to fade into the background, keeping out of the business of her pack mates and in turn giving them no reason to bother with her.
But as she roamed through the forest, stretching her legs after spending far too long being idle, it seemed more than her usual job description was about to be demanded. Musical notes in a familiar voice rang clear across the land. Aludra... How long had it been since the Airila shaman had found her lost and suffering? Weeks had passed since then. Noella was no longer a shell of a wolf, dying while her heart still beat. She was strong enough to stand on her own and had adjusted enough that she could roam freely.
By now she knew her territory well. The cold mists of the forest with his ominous spirit no longer bothered her the way it once had. Noella had accepted the way things were and was managing to move forward. Which is why when she came upon Aludra digging up the ground, the multi-colored female was hardly recognizable. If it wasn't for the unnatural aqua of her eyes, nothing about her would have seemed familiar.
The female let out a low, warning growl. She had learned Vorilye's take on trespassers and, though the arctic wolf had signaled her arrival she had not quite remained where she was. Instead Aludra had pushed forward and now she was taking their plants. Alpha would not be pleased to discover a nosey trespasser within his lands. He had already murdered the alphess of Haishin and taken over her territory. If he caught wind of what Aludra was doing without having first talked to a pack member of rank... Prowling forward, Noella growled again. She needed to get the other to leave, now. Once upon a time the white femme had helped to save her life. Now she believed she was returning the favor by driving the other out.
What was that? Tike's ears pricked as he heard a howl that had been cut short for whatever reason. It wasn't a howl that he recognized. His curiosity pulled him to see what it was but he knew that he wasn't supposed to leave the dens without someone to "watch" him. He was starting to feel like Kyra must have felt to have someone be so over-protective over her.
What would happen if he left to go see whoever this wolf was? Possibly punishment if he were caught. He had already gotten caught once but no punishment had occurred. Granted that his sister had been a distraction off of himself. But still, nothing had really happened. What more could Vorilye do to him anyway? Forbid him to leave the den at all? It may be a bit boring but getting to take long naps during the day and having an excuse for not getting up in the morning didn't sound so bad. Tike was Vorilye's only remaining son and he doubted that Vorilye would do anything severe to harm him. So, he decided to go.
He picked himself up off of the den floor and began in the direction of the howl, careful to make sure no one saw him. He was sure that Vorilye had the whole pack making sure that he stayed put. His anxieties about the forest didn't help much either.
When he had arrived, it looked like the trespasser had already crossed the boarder lines! That was punishable by death! Tike growled as he approached, trying to imitate his father. Vorilye struck a fear in wolves and Tike wanted the same ability. Noe, was already there and growling at whoever this was as well. Who do you think you are? This is clearly Descai territory and we have strict rules about trespassers so state your name and business here before you are wasted. Tike said with his voice proud and strong though his words didn't run the smoothest, but he was trying to imitate Vorilye. Tike stood tall and rigid, waiting for her answer which had better come quickly. Tike's size and body language might have been the only things that would have been threatening though. His age alone would make him less threatening.
Auds pinned roughly against the female's skull, head instantly turned towards the sound of another. Pupils dilated and clumsily the Arctic creature backed up slightly. She had never been exactly the most coordinated canine around, especially not when frightened. The whimper that escaped her mouth was that of surprise more than fear, Aludra had lost her focus for a moment. 'This was a bad idea,' her gaze towards the heavens confirmed such. The expanse of trees clouded her vision, prevented the female from searching the sky above for any answers they may cast towards her. For the moment Aludra had yet to notice the similarity between the fragile creature she had helped and the well-fed female before her. Regret swarmed her frame, she only wished to get out alive. To prevent any harm to her pack. The female was less concerned about herself. If her life had to be taken in order to protect Airila, then it would be so; especially since this was her own doing.
Her tail snuggled itself between her legs and her stance grew more submissive. It was at that moment when the striking aqua glance seemed ever so familiar to her. Aludra knew that eyes like those were quite rare, shivers slunk throughout her frame. Was she really deserving of such cruelty? The female's sense of fear was overtaken with sorrow. Did she really fail this stranger so much? It would seem so for the other female to be rushing at her with such hostility. Tears would have ran down her cheeks had the female not been so shaken from the sudden twist of events. Breathing quickened, adrenaline began to rise. Unfortunately, when the going became difficult all of this female's coordination seemed to dissipate as well. At least when it came to any form of fighting or running. Her mind would go into a lock down mode, and all would freeze except for her body. A green gaze held itself upon the aqua one, studying it gently; as if inquiring why she was being greeted with such harshness.
Either way, Aludra was gradually backing herself up; attempting to slowly shift her way off of this terrain. Until, yet another creature greeted her in a similar manner to the first. This one was a brute, obviously a whelp - but quite large either way. Perhaps a normal wolf would not have been intimidated by this brute, but the rapid shifting in atmosphere had dug its way underneath the Arctic one's skin. Her body quivered, fear seemed to be dripping from her pores; yet, within her mind the female was attempting to calculate an escape plan. 'I must be able to figure this out,' the gears within her mind were spinning vigorously. All had been going so well, now was not when she wanted it to end. The female longed for the companionship of another, specifically for Cherie. It seemed that she was able to function a bit better in social situations with that female around, but it seemed her only friend may be a silhouette stuck in the past for now. Cherie was standing alongside Toiro, another creature who would be able to help her escape such a tight bind; yet neither of them would be summoned. This was her challenge to face, and she would have to do it alone.
Something had to be said, to be done. Aludra was stuck, did she mention that she knew this other female? Perhaps that would only condemn the other female to questioning, which could perhaps lead back to Airila. Silently the female bit her tongue, praying that somehow things would go her way. "My apologies," the female said, lowering her head as close to the ground as she could; however, orbs focused upon the whelp's feet. The female knew the signs to look for when a canine was going to attack, even if she still was unable to avoid them. "I was just hoping to grab some herbs, I know someone very ill," Aludra whimpered once more, taking a couple slow calculated steps away from the two Descai members. She longed to look over her shoulder, to turn and run away. Something told her to stay, to slowly make a retreat instead of a full out sprint. 'This could be the death of me, if this doesn't work out,' Aludra had not been in a situation such as this. Her life had gained utmost perfection - and she had wandered into the wrong area to continue that.
Death was exactly why Noella showed no kindness. Trespassing was punishable by death. While she herself was no killer, not even a fighter, she had been granted the protection of a strong pack. Descai took no mercy and no prisoners. If Aludra proved to be useless to them then she would lose her life. Not only was she trespassing, she had been caught stealing. And with Tike suddenly there to put the danger into words... The arctic femme needed to head the warning.
The presence of the young male changed everything. Almost automatically Noella's stance became submissive. Her head dropped respectfully, ears pulling back and a soft whine leaving her muzzle in greeting. In truth, it was not much different from how she greeted Vorilye himself. This pup was his heir. Even if his rank was lower than her own, his blood was greater. He was in training to become a warrior and eventually the alpha. His word was as much the law as his father's was in her eyes. Especially when he was acting the same way Vorilye did.
Of course, the multicolored tundra did know that the pup wasn't supposed to be out of the dens unsupervised. Unfortunately, she did not have the words to chastise him, not that she would. Confrontation was not something she liked to deal with. She wasn't equipped both mentally and physically. A push over, a door mat, the others had the ability to walk all over her. Tike was no different. He could tell the others whatever he wanted when they made their way back to the dens. He could lie and say she had been with him the whole time, took him out hunting. Though it was not in the femme nature, she had no voice to protest.
Just as she had no voice to warn Aludra of the danger she was under by coming here. Aqua eyes meeting a stunning blue, she shook her head and growled again. Out, out, Aludra needed to get out. One step forward, two steps. If she could herd he other to the border before anyone else stumbled upon them, before real danger could befall the one who'd help her keep her life, everything would be alright. Aludra would just have to understand the emotion in her eyes, the regret and the apology as she continued to advance.
The intruders ears went flat back against her head and her pupils widened. She was afraid. Excellent. He wanted her to have fear. He didn't want her to come back. He wanted this lesson to stick with her for the rest of her life. One did not simply waltz into Descai territory without dealing with someone. They were very harsh on the loners that came through here. Noe looked like she understood these rules as well. He didn't understand why she never spoke. He couldn't remember the last time she actually said anything other than her name at the meeting. She obviously had the ability to speak but she chose not to. Did she think that she was better than the rest of them? Did she think that they were undeserving of her words? It seemed as such. But that didn't matter now. What mattered now was figuring out why this wolf had decided that it was okay for her to intrude as she was doing.
Herbs? Well now what was he supposed to do? He couldn't kill her for that? Shaman were allowed to look for herbs and..someone was sick. Tike was at a loss of what to do. What would Vorilye do? Uhm..well in that case...you can look for what you need and Noe will stay with you and watch you. It seemed fair for Tike although he had no authority to give such permissions. It felt good giving a command though. It felt good to actually have some control over something. He felt as though he had no control over his life but in that moment, the anxiety that went along with that dissipated. He felt a relief inside of him. He know knew why wolves became alphas. It felt good to be in charge. Tike took one last look at the two wolves before him before turning to leave. He was never very good at being social. He hadn't been socialized well when he was younger so his entrances and exits to conversations and meetings were always awkward and sometimes the middle was awkward too. He trotted away back to the dens before anyone saw him. He certainly didn't want to stay at the boarder.
(( It's sad when one asks themselves "what would Vorilye do?"))
Aludra understood now the extent to which she was in danger. The pleading look that filled the other female's eyes explained everything. 'She is trying to save me?' the thought was strange to the Shaman, it made little sense; however, she accepted that it may have been pure luck that had prevented her from wandering upon Descai territory originally. Fate had taken hell away from the poor ivory creature, instead it granted her with heaven upon the lands of Shyia. Her own emerald eyes scanned Noella once more, casting her a gaze that seemed to convey her understanding. The Arctic one accepted that this mistake was her own, that perhaps she would be truly suffering in the end because of her actions. No one else could take blame for this, she was the one who had wanted to gather more.
Her silhouette began trembling, the waves of worry washing over her as the ocean waters once had. The feeling of drowning remained the same, salty and bitter upon her tongue. Adrenaline pumped throughout her veins, giving her the ability to focus and potentially escape from this hell. 'Just back up,' paws carried her a cautious one step further from the two foreign canines. The brute was the one that Aludra felt most intimidated by. She could tell that he was young; however, his size was enough to horrify her. Even if he was a poor fighter, there would be little that Aludra could do in order to prevent him from crushing her within a fight. Her own clumsy paws would be of no use and her kind soul hardly would let her violently bite another wolf. If he wanted to make this a physical fight, she knew that it would easily be her death.
Tike did manage to take her off guard though, and the change in his words was rather unsettling. Her head cocked to the side instantly, emerald eyes cast an inquiring glance at the ebony hued brute. He had simply given her orders that she was allowed to stay, and then vanished. Her heartbeat decreased gradually with the large whelp being gone; it seemed he was the one who had more control than the Tundra femme. Either way, she had been given permission to remain on these lands - to continue gathering what she needed. A part of her could not bare to move, feet were locked to the ground. What was she going to do now? Nervously, her auds quivered. The Shaman needed to ensure that no one was going to be joining herself and Noella now. The Tundra female had already given a definite warning prior to the brute arriving, she did not need yet another pack mate wandering through.
The female had no words in which to respond to the brute whelp with. Her tongue was tied into a complete knot, her mind was blown by the entirety of what had happened. Confusion, yet thankfulness, combined in her chest. The change in the brute's behavior toward her would not be forgotten, nor completely understood. After all, she knew not that he was the pup of the Alpha - or what type of show the Alpha even ran upon these lands. "I am sorry," she whispered towards Noella, words were only spoken after the shaman felt confident that the two females were completely alone. Even then she felt it extremely risky to communicate verbally, others could be sitting and waiting. Paranoia and anxiety were becoming more apparent in her figurine, however the fear was draining away. 'I should still run, turn and bolt away from here.' Somehow, the appearance of the wolf she had helped made her want to stay. Aludra wanted to ensure that this other female was truly okay.
