The Voyager [Jaienyx]

[Deleted]

The sun was beginning to make its usual descent into the western horizon, painting the sky vivid shades of red, orange, and golden luminescence. The russet tones of the distant landscape were accentuated by the flaming hues in the skies as if the world was on fire. The earth looked alive, possessing a spirit all its own in the magical time just before the darkness of night consumed the lands. Paws stepped tenderly, careful of each stride the female took. The silvery fae was alone, limping along in silence, wandering through strange lands that did not belong to her newly adopted pack. The east seemed to grow darker by the minute, and the hint of a waning crescent moon hung low in the sky. The dots of far-off stars began to appear in a cloudless firmament, so beautiful that she had to stop to admire the view. Somewhere, the melodic sound of songbirds seemed to fit the dreamlike mood of the coming evening.

Despite the apparent serenity, Athena’s ears were pricked forward, aware.  Deep orange eyes scouted the area for signs of lupine life. There was always an element of danger that accompanied Athena when she wandered a little too far from the protection of Val’dyne and her pack. No one had noticed her short absences yet. Their territory was large enough for a huge pack, but their numbers still dwindled. Some days passed Athena without seeing another of her pack sisters. She knew it was wrong to leave because she felt some vague sense of guilt when she strayed from her new home. Athena had been wandering her entire life. It was proving a difficult habit to kill. While she was grateful to Valyn for taking her in when she was desperate, there was a part of her that remained eternally restless, despite her disability.

The journey had not been easy. Then again, no task was easy for Athena since her encounter with a deranged bear months ago. Each step was a reminder of the fight that was hers to lose, along with an ugly scar. Her right foreleg dragged painfully along as she tested the breeze, dark nostrils searching. Water was nearby. She could smell it, hiding somewhere within the rocky landscape. The desert lands were tolerable now that summer had vanished, and with winter looming, the nights would grow cold. She had not planned to stay out this long, but some misguided sense of curiosity had brought her this far, and her need to quench her thirst urged her further. In the distance, she saw the faint silhouette of trees, and Athena knew she was heading in the right direction. Where there were trees gathered together, there was water nearby. Her pace unconsciously quickened in response, and she winced. Someday, she hoped, she would be able to walk again normally.

For the present, she could only dream of being the strong, autonomous wolf she had once been. She nearly stumbled over the crumbling sandstone that littered the ground in her rush to find the creek, but the sound of water trickling over rocks was too enticing, and her thirst to great. She found the shore with a happy sigh, silvery head dipping low to lap at the cold liquid. The pale pebbles beneath her paws felt chilly and a wind rustled the leaves overhead. Another night was closing in on Anikira swiftly.

words: 565
tag: Jaienyx
ooc: I wasn't sure how long to make it,
hope this works for a start!

[Jaienyx]

Was the world so in debt, so knowledgeable of its great error, having tossed her aside on the likes of what very well could have been an entirely new planet, forced to open her weary eyes for the first time amidst the wreckage that had taken her from where it was she had been born, as to prolong this eerie silence, this fascinating stillness, for the sake of allowing her restless mind, resultant of the way through which she had wound up here, to locate at least some sensation of appeasement? She never would have chanced venturing astray from where it was that she had awoken days prior, but being found there - may whatever sort of misguided heaven existed forbid - inside of that disgusting, burnt-smelling disaster would have proved a most unsuitable turn of events. She much preferred the shelter of the trees, whispering harmonious, calming phrases into her neatly tucked ears whenever a breeze tore through their branches. Coupled with the delicately flowing stream, to which she owed her utmost gratitude for sparing her of the wreckage and its stench with a fast, easy cleansing, the light sound of it passing over pebbles and continuing downstream enough to lull her into the sort of simple peace that she thought unattainable until now.

To say she was not in the mood for interruption was an understatement, but nevertheless she would not be spotted while sprawled on the ground, her limbs tangled into one another in a manner most unflattering. She gathered herself into a sit, her body accustomed to instantaneously molding into a stance that radiated a most envied poise, awaiting the presence of a newcomer, admittedly the first she had seen thus far, with nothing more than the unresponsive flutter of her peculiarly dark eyes. She had taken her position, having arrived one or two hours earlier, upon the slightest of inclines, forcing her to tilt her golden chin downward if to properly peer upon the white silhouette of a wolf - a female. Satisfied, if by only her gender alone, she moved on to an entirely different examination, accounting for her noticeable limp. She could not imagine being rendered incapable of moving about with the same precision, the same grace, all because one of her legs decided to hold her back. She was not sure whether or not any disdain was directed towards her leg - broken and dysfunctional as it was, as Jaienyx seemed to think it, despite it being nothing more than the slightest setback on the way that she had to walk - because the she-wolf’s face revealed to her a straightforward contentment for having found a place to drink, and few things otherwise. She could not be sure whether or not the wolf had, in fact, noticed her, and was simply getting a drink before she paid Jaienyx any attention, or she was so preoccupied by the fact that she had something to drink that she had not cared to take a look around her before dipping her head to quench her thirst. She liked to think the second option more likely, for there was no way, not in her mind, that she was being ignored. Where she came from, it took nothing more than doing precisely what she was doing right now - sitting, plain and simple - to have all eyes cast in her direction with a mix of awe, admiration, and for some, jealousy. Such dark eyes would be found unpleasant on the face of someone else entirely, but it seemed, on her face, to enrich her golden complexion, making her all the more beautiful because, after all, was that not exactly what she was? She was beautiful. It was, hands down, the most used word to describe the way that she looked down to the lovely ring of her name back in her birth pack. There only remained for her to realize that she was no longer with her birth pack. These wolves, in this foreign place, knew nothing about her. Here, she would not immediately be beautiful to anyone other than herself.

That was, of course, until any of these foreign wolves took a second to actually look at her.

Fatigued by the tense silence in which a she-wolf drank and another she-wolf stared at said she-wolf drinking, Jaienyx cleared her throat with an audible ahem. She did not currently possess the inclination to speak. Before her stood a wolf that she had never had the pleasure of meeting, and since she knew nothing of said wolf’s disposition, it was far more tasteful, in Jaienyx’s opinion, to spare the unidentified white wolf a handful of seconds to collect herself, having been the center of an onlooker’s attention for the better half of entering this clearing to take the drink that Jaienyx could only assume her of needing. She would not so much as flinch upon this newcomer’s eyes averting up the length of the slight elevation on which she was perched, habituated with the way it felt to have a pair of eyes fixed upon her. She had felt, in her own unique way, sorry for the she-wolf, having seemed completely unaware of being watched. She would have, of course, sympathized far less had it been a male to have stumbled upon her, and though she stayed inwardly judgmental of her disability, on the outside there was nothing to be seen on her expressionless face. That was, until she brought herself to offer the slightest upward curve of her lip, meant to be a proposal that was, and would remain, willing to converse in an inviting manner as long as her counterpart was willing to do the same. She was a master of being polite, of flashing a smile that out shined the brightest of stars in the night sky. Perhaps, through being polite, she would be able to learn a thing or two about this abnormal place that she had found herself within.

---
Word Count: 990.
Tags: Athena
OOC: Everything is perfectly fine! ^^ It was a great post. I enjoyed reading it. Mine is a bit lengthy, so I apologize for that. I had a lot of muse!

[Deleted]

The feeling of cold water in her parched mouth was a welcome relief, and Athena drank greedily. Raised a wandered, she never knew when the opportunity to drink would come again. The memories of dehydration and famine in her younger years still lurked in the back of her consciousness. Perhaps her earliest months had stunted her growth, but her health had always been consistently fair. The sound of the rushing water as it toppled over stones in the creek bed was hypnotizing. Her mind traveled back to another time, sometime late in a distant summer, searching the dried up riverbeds of the neutral lands that the rogues could wander freely. Winter was no more merciful than the heat of a long summer, and the changing seasons brought new problems. Athena was not aware of the company she had stumbled into in her haste to reach the water’s edge. The unexpected sound of another surprised Athena, and her head lifted suddenly to search for the source of the noise, eyes of topaz darting around quickly until she found the stranger.

A pair of dark eyes stared at her, startlingly close to Athena. The pools of deep onyx seemed unnatural, mysterious, darker than a nightmare. It felt as though the stranger was staring right through her, like Athena was little more than an apparition. Slowly, the silver wolfess pushed herself up from where she had been kneeling on the banks of the creek. Favoring her left front digit, she sat back on her haunches to mirror the other’s seated position. The unknown female was staring, and immediately, Athena felt uncomfortable, but she tried to suppress this from showing on her face. She was certainly less nervous around her own gender than with the brutes of Anikira, but her apprehension swelled within her chest. How long had the she-wolf been watching? Why did she watch, or draw attention to herself? Athena felt a keen sense of diffident sadness. She hated to meet others now that she was impaired. It was like being only a part of yourself when something as simple as walking became a chore. Running was completely out of the question.

The gold fae that observed her did not frighten her, though. Athena had made a mistake – she had not noticed the other first. It would have been easy to attack her while she was prone, but the stranger had not bothered, and nothing in her countenance suggested malice or the threat of violence. After seconds had passed that felt more like much longer minutes, the faint hint of a smile appeared on the other’s visage. From too far a distance, the expression on her muzzle would have been missed entirely. Athena’s attention was often drawn to the barely visible communication others offered – the secret smiles or glares, posture and body language. The golden female said nothing. Athena was quiet as a graveyard as the silence lingered on, and her own silvery façade was void of any discernible emotion.

Her placid demeanor hid the growing panic within her – Had she trespassed onto another pack’s territories in her desperate search to quench her thirst? Ebony nostrils flared to detect any scents that the flaxen fae carried, but the smells were indistinguishable from the ones that already littered the area.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Athena cleared her throat. She was not certain her voice would come to her. Her eyelids drifted shut slowly as she inhaled a steadying breath. ”Greetings, stranger. I hope that I am not interrupting something.” The moment the words departed her tongue, Athena wondered why she had said it. The female, only slightly larger than Athena herself, did not look exactly perturbed – in fact, it was difficult to guess how the other felt about Athena’s presence. ”I am Athena of the Valyn pack.” It still felt a little strange to ascribe herself to a pack after a lifetime of wandering, but it felt worth mentioning. It was still a fairly new pack in its inception, so there was a good chance the stranger had never heard of them.

She wondered where the pretty female had come from. The regal she-wolf had an attractive pelt, the warm hues a sharp contrast to Athena’s cool, grayish coat, the color of silver moonlight. In the fading sunlight, the unknown fae seemed to glow, soft and golden, statuesque and regal. Athena felt a sudden rush of shame for her own appearance. While her fur was tidy and sleek, she was still gaunt from her months spent healing. Compared to the golden wolf’s beautiful impression, almost dream-like in quality thanks to the sunset, Athena knew she must seem as common as a lump of granite.

words: 783
tag: Jaienyx
ooc: I couldn't quite match your word count, but I had fun reading yours and writing this one. <3

[Jaienyx]

When the stranger finally lifted her head, expression void of the shock that Jaienyx had admittedly been anticipating, she continued to stare, to pry, as if there was no greater weapon than her depthless black holes for eyes. She resisted the temptation to openly scoff, as if somehow offended by the she-wolf’s lack of immediate admiration. It would have been comical, savoury, to bear witness to the way that she could have pathetically groveled over her sub-par attentiveness. No good would come to someone that did not understand the importance of paying attention. Perhaps, this time around, she had gotten lucky since Jaienyx did not feel particularly hostile towards her, but she could have just as easily been someone else entirely - something else entirely with intentions most monstrous. A part of her found it necessary to speak on the behalf of such a significant subject. Although it could certainly be taken the wrong way, a complete stranger’s opening line being along the likes of right now you would be dead if I had any reason to desire your throat, she would only be saying such a thing for the sake of being helpful and informative. However, she did not owe any niceties to this unfamiliar face. In time, she would learn that lesson for herself - the world had a cruel way of preying upon those that could no longer keep up.

The silence persisted, and in turn so did her stubbornness. It was painfully clear that she would not be the first to speak. Unless this stranger did the honours, and did them soon, their uncomfortable stare-off would prolong until one of them decided to give in. Her eyes narrowed considerably, a contrast to the miniscule smile still eating away at the corner of her mouth. Sitting upon her perch, as light and graceful as a butterfly, she was consumed by a feeling of her own superiority. The slight inflation of the stranger’s nose, undoubtedly searching for something that Jaienyx cared not to ponder within her scent, brought satisfaction to her. If she would not directly show Jaienyx the way that she was feeling inside - hopefully unnerved, and even a little inferior - then she would take to other means of finding the information that she sought. There was no keeping things from her. There was no hiding behind masks that tried to conceal their inner thoughts and emotions. These things did not happen because, plainly and simply, she did not permit them. She ate up other wolves like they were flies in her spider web, but first she liked to play.

Jaienyx elevated her head, golden ears that put the sun’s luminescence to shame pricked eagerly, as the other wolf finally took the initiative to speak. Her name was Athena, and she was of the Valyn pack. She had never heard of the pack that Athena supposedly belonged to, but being new to this part of the world, that was to be expected. She was curious to hear more about the group of wolves that she represented. Jaienyx remained uncertain of whether or not she planned to join another pack. The action of doing so had certainly not crossed her mind up until this point, having abandoned where it was that she had been born and raised with no intention of ever looking back to the way of living that pack wolves exhibited. She would not belong to another band of ungrateful males that thought they could be in control of the pairings. It was the female’s decision, and the female’s decision alone, to decide when and if she wanted to produce a litter. A male was not of the appropriate standing to have any say in the matter. It was because of her newly found hatred for the functioning of pack wolves - of the belief that packs here, as well, had the same principles - that she scrutinized the white female with dark, wary eyes. Had her Alpha decided to force a pairing upon her? Was such the cause of her handicap? She closed in with fluent strides, much like a predator would with its fearful prey, feathery tail of gold settling atop her neatly positioned paws as she, once again, took a poised seat, now much closer than she had been before. "A pleasure." Her voice was like warm honey, softly tipping her head in acknowledgement. "You may refer to me as Jaienyx."

She reserved her opinion of the experiences that she had with a pack, regarding Athena - and Valyn’s scent - skeptically, for it was reasonably difficult to imagine that she hailed from a land where females were held in higher regard as they were meant to be. "You claim that you are of Valyn, Athena. The name is foreign to my ears." She tested the female’s name on her tongue, attempting to instill a sense of familiarity between them. She wanted for this stranger to trust and to like her. She was, after all, Jaienyx’s best hope of learning something useful as of now. "Pardon my curiousity, but I am unenlightened of its principles and values. I cannot resist wondering about its inner workings, if you would be kind enough to share them with me." Rarely did her voice heighten in pitch to indicate the existence of a question mark, for asking questions left an individual in a position of vulnerability where they must rely on the response of their counterpart. She would not directly request insight, but she would inquire as to the actuality of insight. It would be clear, if not through her speech alone, that she prized her vocabulary, her linguistic correctness, and her overall polished mannerism. She was sophisticated and deeply refined. Every aspect of her body language was masterfully crafted in such a way as to ensure she was never anything short of radiant. She was an elegant being, and the fact that she knew it, that she thought herself more enhanced than Athena behind her gracious and inviting smile, made her poisonous as a cobra in her own unique way.

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Word Count: 1007.
Tags: Athena.
OOC: Not matching my word count isn't a big deal. I won't hold it against you. cx

[Deleted]

Athena was an intuitive creature by nature. This was not the first time someone had looked at her the way that Jaienyx looked down upon her now.  Even in the persisting silence, with stares exchanged instead of words, Athena could guess at Jaienyx’s low opinion of the limping healer. The golden one carried herself with the dignity befitting a queen, settled several feel higher than where Athena stood beside the creek. The female gazed at her in a way that made Athena uncomfortable, as if she was still the filthy, flea-bitten reject of a pup she had been years ago. This female knew nothing of her sordid past – a callous mother who never wanted or cared for Athena, who never even bothered to give her a real name. The golden fae had no inkling of the abandonment she had endured or the torture that had followed. Regardless, Jaienyx regarded her with an air of arrogance, as royalty looked down on the humble and the meek. She offered her name – a very strange moniker, something inexplicable and mysterious, but Athena made no comment of it. This one was hard to read.

The darkness crept closer still from the chasm within she carried with her, but Athena pushed these thoughts away. Jaienyx would not know whether Athena was a outcast thief or a wayward leader, separated from her pack. Meticulously, she adopted a suitable façade to feign the latter. The silver femme summoned what shreds of dignity remained, lifting her head higher above her slumping shoulders, which squared as her posture stiffened. The movement triggered a sharp pain that shot through her leg and up her spine. She exhaled sharply to keep herself from reacting to the pain. A strange smile crossed her muzzle in an expression that was, at best, tense. It was like the tired forced smile a mother gave her restless pups when they would not be still. Like the stranger, Athena was not given to polite conversation for the sake of hearing her own voice.

Vivid topaz orbs remained locked with the other’s eyes, as deep as an abyss and just as dark. She did not trust Jaienyx – but then again, Athena found it almost impossible to trust anyone, let alone a stranger. When she inquired about the Valyn pack, Athena’s ears flicked forward. The internal debate kept her tongue silenced – Was she truly interested in the pack for honorable reasons, or was she inquiring for some other, darker purpose? It was difficult to guess, and Jaienyx gave few physical clues to decipher her intent, though Athena was watching closely. She could not seem to look away from the attractive female before her.

After a lingering moment, Athena cleared her throat to speak. Even if the stranger was fishing for information, Athena could not see the harm in keeping it from the female. Valyn was, after all, meant to be a sanctuary to the faes that called Anikira home. There was a chance that she was in need of solace and refuge, and Valyn’s ranks had been slow to expand. They needed all of the talent they could get.

Carefully, she considered the words before they parted her jaws. ”Sovereignty is not exclusively the domain of males, though they have claimed much of the world for themselves. Valyn is different. Alpha Valeria leads a pack that values females, and she is as powerful and fearsome in size and clout as any brute you may encounter. There will always be packs roaming these lands that treat our kind as inferior. Valyn exists for those who choose to live without the domination and control of a male. To my knowledge, there are no brutes currently straying the territory.” The notion brought the slightest hint of a laugh, but the sound seemed to catch in her throat. Her voice was heavy as lead, low and inscrutable. Any semblance of emotion was veiled and her silver-gray features were steady.

words: 656
tag: Jaienyx
ooc: short(ish) post again, I blame finals week. >.<

[Jaienyx]

Her intentions were unclear. Even as the golden she-wolf scrutinized through narrowed, abysmal eyes, the intensity locked away within their indecipherable depth hotter than any forest fire, she couldn’t determine whether or not she felt threatened, perhaps challenged, in the seconds it took for Athena to lift up her head as though it had no purpose being beneath her own. The smile along her lips was tight, incapable of backing down even if a part of her truly wanted to. She drew closer to the silvery-white stranger, much like a vulture would, having just confirmed that its target was, in fact, deceased and ripe for the picking. A flash of sharp teeth was revealed with the partial opening of her jaw, outlining the golden tufts of fur around her mouth with her tongue. It was entirely up to Athena to decide whether or not she had simply been licking her lips, or indirectly issuing a firm warning. Her head was nearly held at its highest, but she pushed it higher still, lithe shoulders pulled forward. She wished not to quarrel with this female that she had just met, but at the same time, the other was making it rather difficult. She had become so used to being thoroughly admired; treated like a queen even when she wasn’t one. The idea of her own greatness was so deeply implemented into her brain, into the way that she thought, that it became borderline impossible to not react to this stranger in a way that appeared defensive. With that leg of hers, nothing good would come from trying to act tough. Of course, there was a part of her, a very small part, that quite enjoyed how this female was seemingly unwilling to appear lesser. It was her place, as a female, to understand that she was, in a sense, above others. Being above Jaienyx was an entirely different story that she’d sooner not consider, but Athena would have time to learn that for herself.

Besides, there would be time to ponder Athena’s motive behind trying to counter Jaienyx’s self-confidence and aura of regality later on. For the time being, there was a matter of far greater interest, and that was Valyn. At first, she was uncertain of whether or not she had heard the other’s words correctly. She truly wanted to believe that what she said had been true, and thus had not just been a figure of her imagination, but nonetheless, there remained a few moments of time in which she simply blinked, as though Athena was entitled to repeat herself without Jaienyx directly requesting that she do so. There was a pack in these lands that shared her values? They genuinely believed that females were superior to their male counterpart? The Alpha, Valeria, was immediately a subject of immense intrigue. The tight corners of her lips softened substantially, regarding the other with a gaze that was almost . . . accepting, despite the injury that plagued her grace. If this female belonged to the ranks of Valyn, then that meant, in turn, that she supported their ideal beliefs. She could only hope that every female in all of Anikira’s lands strove to align themselves with this pack. “Marvelous.” Her dark eyes were alight with passion. “Your Alpha has created a most quintessential sanctuary! Surely, all females are inclined to join her ranks. There is immeasurable significance behind a female’s understanding of her own superiority.” There was no room for Athena to add to her comments, for it was more of a statement than it was an offered topic of conversation. Jaienyx genuinely believed will all of her heart, as black as it was sometimes, that a female was of higher standing than a male. This belief of hers was likely communicated vividly to the other through her words, and through the enthusiasm with which she spoke them.

“I must admit, the added fact of no males currently aligning themselves under her rule makes for an even more promising residence. They are pests, thorough and thorough, good for nothing more than providing a female with a litter when and if she desires one.” She had no problems with being honest when it came down to sharing what it was that she believed. Her tone took on a quality of far greater aggression when she spoke of males, as though even her mouth was wired to be repulsed by the sound of their gender on her tongue. She despised everything about them with the entirety of her being. Athena could, of course, verbally disagree if she so pleased, but it would only prove capable of making Jaienyx look at her as if she, too, was a pest for not understanding her own prominence. “Tell me of the time that you have spent there, if you’d please. I wonder if you find it as pleasurable as it sounds.” She settled herself into a comfortable sit, her posture still radiant, though less intent on ensuring that it couldn’t be matched by Athena’s own. She was already relatively assured that she was better. Her arrogance couldn’t be helped, for it was a part of who she was. There would be no need to prolong the flaunting of her advantages and her excellence while in the company of someone who, based on their pack, thought in a way similar to the way that she did. Perhaps, one day soon enough, they’d even be working alongside one another.

---
Word Count: 908.
Tags: @athena.
OOC: N/A

[Deleted]

The swift flash of ivory canines caught Athena’s attention, and her heart leapt into throat. However, the silver female was not intimidated as the thumping within her chest quickened beyond her control. A warm, unfamiliar feeling seeped through her body as she watched the other’s tongue trace the corners of her lips. Athena’s cheeks felt as if they were suddenly on fire. Finally, the intensity in her own stare faltered and her gaze broke, twin pools of fiery orange averting to the golden fae’s graceful paws as she moved closer, slowly filling the protective space that still lingered between the two. She wanted to move away, to react in any reasonable fashion to actions that could easy be construed as a threat, but Athena could not seem to tear herself away from the place she had been caught. Part of her wished she could turn and run off as the overwhelming, conflicting feelings swirled inside of her, while part of her wanted to hear Jaienyx speak again – even if the words were not friendly or kind.

Her eyes flicked upwards again as the other spoke. Athena’s expression seemed to brighten visibly as Jaienyx professed her beliefs of their gender’s superiority. The tenseness in the air surrounding the females eased just a little. High opinions of the “weaker sex” were not the majority when it came to their species. Athena was well aware of the fact from her own unfortunate experiences. Rather, females were expected to abandon their freedom as soon as the mating season arrived for some foolish brute and his empty promises. Once, nothing had been more precious to Athena than her independence, the ability to choose where she went and how long she stayed, so long as she kept her distance from the pack territories and the brutes who claimed them. She had never intended to join a pack, but life had other plans for the female that she was helpless to avoid. Joining Valyn had been a practical decision – for one, Athena could no longer defend herself the way she had before. Now, neither fight nor flight remained a viable option in times of danger.

She paused to carefully consider how to explain her own experiences in Valyn, though her time spent there had thus far been limited. Pleasurable was subjective – for Athena, it meant simply not having to tolerate the dominance and arrogance of the males of Anikira. Valyn meant protection from a dark past and a lonely future. ”I suppose one’s opinion of Valyn is dependent upon what the individuals seeks. The lands claimed by Valeria are vast and the prey is bountiful. The pack is a small one, however.” Her tongue silenced again as her mind wandered. How many days, weeks had passed without encountering another of her packmates? Thus far, Athena had lived mostly alone. She knew that Valeria and the others were close by, but they were often elusive. ”Valyn is meant to be a refuge for our kind. The only suitable place for a male within the ranks of Valyn is omega.” The thought caused a satisfied smile to spread across Athena’s delicate muzzle.

Clearly, her own opinion of brutes was low. The small number of kind males wandering the island could not make up for the torture the silver female had suffered at the paws of the one who had tried to claim her as his property. He was dead now. Athena had made certain of this herself before she fled the scene of the crime.

words: 586
tag: Jaienyx

[Jaienyx]

Although she didn’t directly speak on the behalf of Athena’s . . . what was it . . . shyness, it had certainly been noted. It had never been difficult for her to establish eye-contact and to do so for long periods of time, given the fact that she wasn’t one to feel particularly uncomfortable on the receiving end of another’s scrutiny. She liked to be looked at. She liked the way it felt to be appreciated. Being goggled at by a male who obviously saw her as nothing more than their next treat was something different entirely, something that made her abrasive, but attention nonetheless was generally welcomed. She certainly had no issues with this female finally recognizing that there was something about her worth drooling over - something that made her want to be a better version of herself. She could be wrong in her assumption, for there was simply no way of knowing for sure what types of thoughts could be going through her head, but, to her, it seemed the most likely. She knew that she was the best of the best, after all, so it was plausible to be convinced that others saw her in the same light.

The golden she-wolf tilted her head at a becoming degree, dark brown eyes never straying from the silvery wolf’s face, even as her own peculiarly hued eyes drifted towards the ground. The brightening of her face was visible; when she stated that males belonged to them as nothing more than omegas, and rightfully deserved to belong to them in such a lowly rank, what remained of her concerns in regards to this she-wolf’s values had subsided completely in favour of a more renewed, casual approval. No longer did she look at Athena like she was a pathetic stranger, an unwelcome interruption, and worst of all, a wretched cripple, but instead like she was someone worthy of being along the lines of an equal. It was outstanding what the belief of female superiority could do in regards to bettering Jaienyx’s opinion of another. Her gaze, normally as sharp as porcupine quails, was a lot softer, rearing her head back and openly laughing at the expense of males and what little worth they held in Valyn. No wonder none of them currently resided there. It was a work in progress at best when it came to males understanding their own inferiority. If she could, she would gladly help them along the way. They all deserved a clear pathway, riddled with guiding lights, leading them into their designated places as worthless omegas.

“Valyn sounds . . . respectable. I commend its strength, existing in a world that clashes bitterly with its minority beliefs.” She stood, then, with all the dignity befitting a true queen, intentionally invading Athena’s personal space as she walked by, golden fur brushing lightly against her own silvery-white.There was no way of knowing for sure what her reasoning behind doing so could be, for there were a number of guesses that could potentially be valid: another crack at tacit dominance, a misinterpreted estimate of distance between their bodies, or perhaps even a genuine display of unforeseen affection. Surely only a fool would look into her eyes and claim to see the lingering traces of authentic fondness, but then again, it was capable of being expressed vividly when she wanted it to be. If she was right in assuming that, somewhere deep down, this female found appeal inside of Jaienyx, then she would do everything in her power to ensure that it remained, and perhaps even grew.

Coming to a halt a short distance away, she gingerly turned to look over her shoulders, dark eyes fluttering like butterfly wings. “It saddens me to know that so few females are born with the immediate potential to understand the extent of their own supremacy. For most, it has to be learned and developed over time. I am thankful that I am among the lucky few that never had to feel bonded to a male, and as a result, inferior to a male.” She didn’t often venture willingly into explanations of the life that she led, but snippets of information were offered through her words. She, after all, had been lucky to have been spared the grief of being involved with a male. None had ever caught her eye, and that was simply because, from a young age, she was taught that none were meant to - none deserved to. “I am glad for you, Athena - “ such an odd thing to say, “ - because even though I know not what events have taken place to sharpen the beliefs that you have, you have them nonetheless. Males are disgusting creatures, truly. You deserve better than what they are capable of giving, just as every female does.” She smiled, and it was arguably kind.

She had other places to go, other things to learn, and she was eager to go to those places and to learn those things. The existence of Valyn was promising, and perhaps after she had the chance to familiarize herself with Anikira in more detail - the others packs, as well, even though she knew that none would likely be quite as favourable - she would dedicate the remainder of her time as a vagabond to finding where it was that Valyn was nestled. She would see Athena again when she aligned herself among her kind, such being why a goodbye didn’t feel necessary. Yet, she remained still, statuesque, head lightly turned over her shoulders as it was, unfathomably dark eyes resting comfortably in the depths of Athena’s own brilliant orange. There was a chance, after all, that Athena had more to say, or a good reason for Jaienyx to stay, in which case it would be terribly rude to depart. She was nothing if not polite, though nothing wasn’t exactly the truth.

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Word Count: 971.
Tags: @athena.
OOC: I left it open at the end for you to decide whether or not Jaienyx leaves and, thus, an end to this lovely thread, or she stays put for a while longer to continue talking with Athena. She has the information about Valyn that she wanted, so when this thread comes to an end, it would be cool for another one to take place once Jaienyx is a part of Athena's pack.

[Deleted]

No feigned niceties were exchanged, no tragic tales of the girls’ pasts, and for this, Athena was grateful. She was rather curious to know more about Jaienyx, but naturally, would never be so bold as to inquire. The golden one rose to her paws, striding closer to Athena, close enough to touch. The stranger’s scent captured Athena’s attention, and her head turned just enough to watch Jaienyx as she moved with grace. ”If you seek Valeria, I am confident there is a place for someone such as you within Valyn.” It really did not matter what the female’s talents were. More females meant a stronger pack, which was a benefit to all of the females the wandered the island in search of acceptance. Many could barely imagine the idea of home. So many wolves had never had a real one before.

I am thankful that I am among the lucky few that never had to feel bonded to a male, and as a result, inferior to a male. The remark was met with dead silence. Athena was normally an expert at concealing – she would not be caught crying, and she would not be taken lying down. No one had any clue that the quiet healer had a paw in the massacre of her former “mate” – if he could even be called that. He was the warden and Athena, the prisoner. Until her escape. How could she let him live, after what he had done? How many others would have suffered beneath him, if she had simply vanished? No – justice was necessary at times, and no one else had been there to rescue Athena. She did what had to be done, and regretted nothing.

You deserve better than what they are capable of giving, just as every female does. Athena suppressed the strange emotion that threatened to steal her breath away. She looked at the other, searching for the signs of insincerity in her golden façade that should have accompanied the statement, but the clues seemed to be absent now. The words jumbled up in Athena’s brain... deserve better... deserve... Simple words, but their meaning was hard to decipher. Before, Athena would have scoffed at the idea, but now, it only muddled her thoughts and made her skin feel feverish.

”Wait.” An unconscious step forward caused another slight wince, her eyes squinting as she tried to suppress the sharp jab from inside of her impaired digit. ”You must know the way to Kal’dyne, should you decide to join Valyn. The only direction to go from here is north. Travel through the desert and looking for the crossing that leads in the direction of the setting sun.” Athena was ignorant about the names of each realm and each land formation on the island. Names were useless to a wanderer, and the silver-gray female had spent a lifetime moving around, avoiding the nameless places that some other wolf had taken as his own. Another thought occurred to Athena, a useful tidbit she had learned from personal experience that was worth noting to the lovely golden stranger. She liked her well enough to warn her of what could be waiting beyond the invisible borders further north, beyond the stench of sulfur that signified Pievunt-An. ”Beyond the smoking mountain, the lands are claimed by a wolf named Ryker. He does not allow foreigners to stray too deeply into his territories. If you cross the river close to here instead, the swim can be treacherous after the rain, but unclaimed lands lie to the east.”

Slowly, her head shook from one side to the other as she spoke of the neighboring areas, and of Ryker. He had saved her life when she could not save herself, but had treated her as if she was not worth his efforts. She had left without a word of parting, abandoning the alpha who had been her savior, to join Valyn’s ranks alongside Ryker’s own sister, Valeria. Athena felt no remorse for leaving Ryker’s lands without a goodbye and without repayment. He was the embodiment of all that Valyn stood against – and, of course, he was not the only male alpha around that Athena found distasteful.

This was undoubtedly the most conversation Athena had experienced in quite some time, and while she spoke, her face lit up along with the knowledge that she shared. Jaienyx was not utterly helpless, she assumed, but while they were not anywhere close to being friends, Athena felt some semblance of responsibility to the other. It was rare indeed to come across like-minded individuals, and there was something inexplicable about the flawless girl, her memorable gold pelt and her regal demeanor, that caught Athena’s attention, refusing to let go. ”I hope that we will meet again.” The words felt strange on her tongue, and she instantly regretted allowing them to escape. She did not really know Jaienyx, but even still... Perhaps it was just the loneliness that Athena so often disregarded. Her lips pursed tightly as she considered what to do next: say something more and waste more of the other’s time, or simply walk away. The bite of the coming winter danced with the light wind, and Athena glanced around. She would never make it back to Kal’dyne thought – she would not even get close, but the desert was generally empty of lupine life.

words: 890
tag: Jaienyx
ooc: couldn't let her go just like that! ;D

[Jaienyx]

An array of emotions seemed to cloud the she-wolf’s expression, met with something different each time she said something. There was little to be taken - perhaps as a result of little being given in the first place - when she spoke lightly of her upbringing, hinting toward a past that had never had anything other than limited male involvement. She knew not what conclusions to draw from this, but nonetheless her curiousity had been piqued. The memories of a stranger were so often intriguing, and though she rather liked to depart from her visits informed of what lay beneath a wolf's face, she was content enough with Athena as an individual to respect that her privacy was, in fact, her own. It was simple enough to decipher that she was unfamiliar with the way it felt to be complimented, given that she appeared so utterly baffled when Jaienyx told her that she deserved something in her life that was better than a male. Such a thing was foreign to the golden female; she received compliments so often that thank you’s became rather tedious. It came with the territory of being beautiful, of being worthwhile admiring, and, of course, she’d be lying if she said that most of the time it was a hassle.

When it appeared that there was nothing left to be said between the duo, Jaienyx turned away and took a few steps, pausing only at the sound of Athena’s voice quickly requesting that she stay a moment longer. Golden ears swiveled, unused to the way it felt to respond to a direct command. It had been such a long time since she had answered to a higher power, and though she found herself inwardly scoffing at the idea of Athena being of grander status than she (how much she liked someone was irrelevant, for even the Alpha hardly excelled the respect that she held for herself) it remained uncanny regardless, stopping because she genuinely bothered to care about what final thoughts Athena had for her. Once more, dark eyes rested within their counterpart’s vivid orange, allowing her directions to sink in, storing them somewhere in her memory that she’d be able to recall upon a later date when she required it. The way to Valyn would be useful because, certainly, she did plan on eventually pursuing the one named Valeria. However, having spoken of Ryker as she had did nothing but make the offering of Jaienyx’s allegiance to Valyn even more distant in the future, for she was much too curious about what else Anikira had in store for her. The potential of a female leader already surpassed whatever Ryker, a male leader, would be able to give to her, so there was no reason to fret over the probability of Descai becoming Jaienyx’s new home. She was fairly certain, if not from Athena’s word alone, that Valyn was the ideal place for her. Never before had she heard of a pack that shared her values as much as Valyn did. She knew that it was at least worth looking into.

Lowering her head in the form of a curt nod, a slight smile pulled at each corner of her mouth. ”Thank you, Athena,” her words were smooth and delicate, “I appreciate your kindness more than I am able to express.” Even though she seemed somewhat regrettable over openly announcing that she hoped to meet Jaienyx again, it satisfied the she-wolf to great lengths. It was enough to assure her that she had done her part, impressing the stranger enough to have left a memorable impression. Sometimes it was inevitable, leaving someone behind with a bad taste for you in their mouth, but when possible, Jaienyx did everything in her power to be well-liked. It was generally an easy feat to accomplish, for such a plentiful amount of wolves were instantly enthralled with her looks alone, requiring nothing more than the flutter of her eyes to claim that she was likable. Her advantage, look-wise, was unfair, sure . . . it was nothing that she hadn’t already heard. Athena had every right to be jealous, though she couldn’t say whether or not jealousy was the best word for it. Perhaps it was better to say that Athena was simply in awe, or that she respected something that she saw in the eyes of the pretty female. She would be content with any of the options.

“I am certain that our paths will cross again. When I find myself within Kal’dyne, I will be sure to search for you.” She established eye-contact with the other female for a few heartbeats longer than was necessary, doing so for a variety of her own selfish reasons. They had not known each other long enough to be considered close friends, but Jaienyx wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of ensuring that she was missed. With the twitch of a feathery tail, the graceful vagabond turned on her heel and ventured in the direction of Ryker’s pack, skeptical of the male Alpha enough to risk an encounter with him on his own land. She had yet to encounter an audience of the male gender since her time in Anikira, and though it had been peaceful thus far, she knew it was only a matter of time until she had to give up the hopes of strictly speaking to females. Athena had been . . . pleasant, to say the least, and she could only hope that whomever else she met throughout her travels was as worthwhile of her time.

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Word Count: 918.
Tags: @athena.
OOC: I need the points so I figured I'd end off with Jaienyx's input. No need to respond again, since she's off to pay a visit to Descai. c; It was a great thread! Thanks for organizing the idea to plot these two together; feel free to shoot me a PM with any other ideas you have if you're interested in more threads!