` limbo [ banks/rita + open ]

[Banks]

It took a moment for the small female to respond, but it didn’t bother Banks at all. When she replied with the forest, Banks wagged her tail cheerfully, happy at least to know that they were headed towards a place almost guaranteed to be cooler. As Rita nudged her shoulder and trotted off towards their destination, the Timber female smiled and trotted off after her, her gait long and slow, but ground covering. She was painfully aware of the Ethiopian’s slight limp, but resolved to give it no notice—if Rita had wanted to talk about it, Banks had the sense that she would have.

They padded along quietly, the only noises being the gentle shuffling of sand under their paws. The farther north they travelled, the more noticeably cool it became, and the loose earth turned to a mixture of packed dirt and marshland before evening out into the beginnings of a forest floor. At first, small trees softly peppered the landscape, but it soon became evident that there had been a fire. A big one, Banks said, her eyes widening as the hair along her spine rose instinctively. Jagged boulders loomed over them like giants, the trees whispering at the two females and beckoning with woody fingers. The deeper they went, the more it seemed that the forest was both dead and alive, suspended in a foggy limbo.

It was then that Banks’ nose twitched and she slowed to a crawling walk. It smells like... “Rita,” she spoke quietly, but with urgency. “Wait. Stop.”

The female rose her nose to the air, sniffing deeply before dropping it to the ground and walking cautiously to the bases of the trees. The scent made her heart sink. “This territory is marked.” A small whine threatened to escape at the back of her throat, and she swallowed hard. The two would be trespassing if they went much deeper into the wood.

The concept was slightly strange to Banks, but she had learned enough at her father’s side to know when boundaries ended. On her island, the pack territory ran a ring around the entire surface, leaving only the low-lying beaches and rocky shore as unclaimed land. Rast never personally dealt with any intrusions—it was always a matter left to the keepers.

The keepers would have been warriors, had hers not been the only ruling family on the island. There was little space, and thus limited room for outsider tolerance. Wolves either came waving a white flag, or were killed—and more often than not, they were killed anyway. Banks never saw her father as a murderous ruler, and he had always explained the practice as a way to take care of his own. She could practically hear his voice echoing in her mind. Why would I allow others to come into my rule and take what belongs to my own? Then what will me and mine have? It made sense, but it began to wear on her slowly.

It hadn’t occurred to her until meeting Rita that all wolves who weren’t of the typical Grey body type were more than likely killed on sight. It made her sick to her stomach.

It was only in times of plenty or a lackluster birthing season when newcomers would be welcomed, but Banks loved to talk to them. It was only from them that she learned of the workings of other packs beyond her own. It wasn’t ruled that way everywhere. She could only hope that this pack that they had stumbled upon would not have such draconian ways.

With anxiety churning in her stomach, she turned to Rita as the sun began to sink lower in the sky. “We should let them know we’re here.” The Timber Grey took a deep breath to calm and steady herself, thankful for the other female’s presence.

Banks wasn’t sure how things were done in this land, but she had heard many types of calls—from a plain howl to intricate songs. A lover of music, her father had always preferred the latter. Banks wasn’t sure it mattered, but opted for it anyway. She opened her throat and slowly lifted her muzzle to the sky as she sang, her silken voice carrying over the fog and making the entire forest feel a little lighter. Her heartbeat slowed and she opened an eye at Rita, the corners of her mouth tugging into a shy smile as she howled, distorting the sound for a moment before she closed them again.

It wouldn’t last forever, but Banks was calm for now. The oppression of the atmosphere would only stay away for so long.

At least it’s not a desert.

` words ; 793
` tags ; @rita (+ Ryker, Vorilye, or another Descai member!)
` muse / ooc ; Fairly good. c:

[Deleted]

text / speech / thought

Her walk remained slow, and almost painful, but that did not stop her from moving forward. There was nothing that would keep her from reaching some sort of shelter before dark, and she was determined not to embarrass herself any further if darkness were to catch them unprepared. She had not always been terrified of the dark, but as the lingering symptoms of the disease that had crippled her and her life grew, her eyesight and limp were getting worse. She had reached the point where she was basically blind in the darkness, and on top of having no idea where she was, she was vulnerable to anything and everything. Of course, this frightened her, and she had a tendency to panic when the darkness hit. This fact only hurried her limping steps towards the forest, though it was clearly obvious that the other female was checking her own movement in order to avoid leaving the damaged red female behind.

It thankfully only took a short while for them to reach the trees, but even as they crossed from sand to soil, there was a powerful energy about the place. She had no choice but to pause slightly, her eyes widening as she looked around at the desolate forest around them before realizing she had stopped moving. She quickly scurried to Bank's side, hoping to find at least some shelter and security within her presence. There was little she could do on her own if some strange and foreign beast were to leap out of the ashes at them, and though she preferred to let her imagination wander, it often terrified her further when it did. Carefully keeping close to the larger wolf, she continued her leaping steps forward until Banks spoke, nearly making her leap out of her skin in surprise. She froze instantly, however, even shaking visibly as she shrank down towards the ground slightly and looked up at her friend in confusion.

The anxiety was obvious in Bank's face, which only made the terror in hers grow. The sun was nearing the horizon and already her vision was becoming temperamental, the trees slowly becoming blurry shadows and - thankfully - Bank's form still fairly clear. She kept close, nodding mutely as the other female spoke of alerting the residing pack that they were here, and kept her head low and towards the ground. She could not help but flinch at the female's howl, though her ears perked curiously at the sound as it hung over the trees around them. Now all they could do was wait. She inhaled slowly, exhaling deeply and closing her eyes for a moment in an attempt to calm herself.

Although she did not regret the choice of the forest because of its ease of travel, she did regret the decision to enter into pack claimed territory. Sure, neither of them had known of the pack until they had gotten to this point, but the appearance of at least some confidence in the larger female was the only thing keeping her from turning around and trying her luck in the desert for the night. Sure, it was a horrible idea, so instead of moving she crouched down lower and lower until she was laying down in the dirt, which also helped to silence her trembling while they waited for a response to Banks' call.

Words: 563
Tags: Banks
Notes: I'm sorry this is so horrible, I couldn't think of much more to write

[Jaienyx]

It was the first noise of a mammal that she had heard since departing Xisyn, but it wasn’t her own. Curious, the she-wolf’s steps were appropriated as to lead her in the general direction of the noise’s owner, certain that she was now much closer to Descai, and thus to Ryker, than she had previously believed. She knew very little of the male, and of his power as an Alpha, but it had been clear to her, if not from Athena’s cautious words alone, that there was something about him worthwhile seeing with her own two eyes - something worthwhile forming her own opinion of, regardless of how negative it might be. Her reasoning for being on his border would likely be much different from what he’d be expecting. Jaienyx had no intention of affiliating herself with his kind; bending to the authority of a male was a waste of her sheer talent, especially now that she knew a pack was on the rise, consisting of a much more appealing set of values. Despite having finalized her decision, however, she remained curious enough of the other packs to venture astray from where her future alignment needed her to otherwise go. Valyn wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, of this she was assured, so she had as much time as she needed to learn more about this foreign world that she had found herself upon.

Pausing afar, she observed through a pair of slits for eyes, able to spot two shapes in the near distance. Inhaling, she was certain that their gender was preferable, satisfied enough with the knowledge that she had gathered to approach. Her steps were never once accented, maneuvering with the fluidity of a ghost. It was like she had walked this very terrain a thousand times prior, having memorized where all of the noisy contraptions lay in wait of reckless paws. Her grace was something that she held in high regard, believing it to be the foundation of her immense beauty. A pretty face, after all, could compete endlessly among its peers, but it became a force to be reckoned with when its movements became just as pretty. She carried herself with exceptional delicacy, head held high above her shoulders as she neared the pair of unfamiliar wolves. Although she didn’t necessarily wish to convey dominance to either of the two females, her self-confidence was often a bit . . . much to take in upon first encounters. The look that she spared in the direction of each female was fleeting, a curt tip of her head the most obvious sign that she had noticed them at all; this utter disregard contrasted rather peculiarly with the friendly smile hanging on the corner of her amber hued lip.

It was quite fortunate that someone else had beaten her to the borders of Descai, for she was no longer required to summon a pack wolf. She wasn’t genuinely interested in joining Ryker’s pack, standing upon his border for strictly informative purposes. It was a shame, really, that these two females found themselves inclined to join his kind - there was something much better for them out there, something that they likely didn’t even know about at this time. She gave the duo her undivided attention in the seconds after they crossed her mind, taking a moment to truly familiarize with each of their faces. The first one that she looked to was pretty in her own way, but Jaienyx, quite bitterly, believed her lesser in comparison to none other than herself. Next, her eyes averted to the she-wolf’s paws where a female of bright red colouration lay sprawled in the dirt. Immediately she felt pity for the creature, wondering what in this world could possibly be enough to cause her to position herself in a matter so lacking in poise. Subconsciously her spine stiffened, then straightened, her smile nonetheless warm but a touch more judgmental, flicking a golden ear in the hopes of dismissing her repulsion. “I assume that you two seek Ryker.” It wasn’t a question, for having found themselves upon his border, howling for an audience as they had, left only one option for Jaienyx to consider. The sound of the Alpha’s name on her tongue felt strange, unwelcome, for no piece of her genuinely believed him an Alpha - certainly not her Alpha. Even more strange than this, however, was speaking of him in a manner that suggested familiarity when she had not once prior engaged in conversation with him. Athena had given her a minimal amount of information to go off of, but nonetheless she felt strongly enough about him, about his gender, to make assumptions - rather, accusations - without having the pleasure of his company.

Batting gentle eyes, golden tail sweeping lightly across the floor to rest against the side of her leg, she returned her attention to the vast expanse of claimed territories situated in front of them. “I hope you don’t mind my intruding, for I seek him as well.” His second in command would work just as nicely, though she knew of nobody in Descai aside from the Alpha himself, such being why she spoke of him and him alone. She was quite looking forward to seeing how Descai presented itself, and even how the two females at her side presented themselves to the pack if they planned on joining as she believed them to be planning. She wasn’t here to plead her case, or her worth to his pack, but rather here to see the way that Descai could plead for her - could make itself out to be the best choice out of all of the potential packs. None of their kind had any way of knowing that she had already decided upon Valyn, so, to them, she’d be nothing but another vagabond in search of a suitable home. If everything worked out in her favour, as it so often did, she’d get all of the information that she sought, and she’d be told everything and anything that she wanted to be told, without any of them realizing that her interest in them was impure.

---
Word Count: 1017.
Tags: Banks , @rita
OOC: Nile and I have been planning to plot our characters for a while now, so I decided to toss Jaienyx into this thread since she planned on going off in search of Descai anyways. Thanks for the invitation to join it, Nile! I hope you all enjoy my post. ^^

[Banks]

As she waited with Rita, attempting to hold together all the patience she could muster, Banks wondered what this pack would be like with a sense of impending doom. What pack would ever keep a territory so gloomy? she thought ominously, hope slowly trickling out of her with every exhale. She shot glances at the Ethiopian female occasionally, who had positioned herself low to the ground and seemed as anxious as she felt. Banks smiled at her, though her reassurance may have felt hollow inside her.

The smell of another female struck her nose before she appeared in the flesh. The wolf was slightly larger than she was, and certainly built differently. Though she didn’t seem particularly old, there was an air about her that spoke of maturity and a kind of polish that Banks immediately respected. The way she moved and spoke evoked a kind of envy inside her, though not a destructive kind. The aura of the white-gold female was something that Banks wanted to achieve.

However, the presence of the other female did make her hackles raise slightly, and with head held high, she took a step towards the female and almost in between she and Rita. There was nothing about the golden one that made her uncomfortable or uneasy, and she certainly didn’t seem threatening, but Banks had to try and curb the smile that came to her lips as she realized her affection for the small thing was becoming engrained. The result was a smirk that might have seemed cocky—Banks embraced it and let it stay for a moment. After all, cocky, almost-cold first impressions were her gig.

Amidst her quiet anxiety about the situation, the interaction brought about the alpha that her father had fostered within her. Though the other had a confidence about her, so did Banks, and she intended to make that clear.

“Ryker?” Banks asked, the name feeling foreign on her tongue. She sat back down and cocked her head slightly, subconsciously becoming more charming with every word. That flirtation thing again, she giggled at herself internally. She is beautiful, that’s for sure.

Banks halted the thought in her tracks and refocused on the conversation at hand. She wasn’t exactly sure where it was headed. There was something about her that Banks couldn’t pinpoint, but it stirred something within the Timber mix female that was almost startling.

“You’re not intruding,” she added, her voice lowering from its brazen tone to a slightly softer, warmer version. Many wouldn’t pick up on the softening, though she had a feeling that this female would. Curiosity and want for knowledge brewed within her, calming the anxiety that churned in her stomach. “Do you know of this pack?” she asked, eyes almost sparkling in the gloom. “Are you intent on joining?”

Banks certainly wasn’t. After being slowly disgusted with the way her father ran things, the last thing on Earth she wanted to do was be tangled in another pack. And in mine, I was at the top, she thought. There was no way she would be caught under someone else’s leadership that she didn’t completely agree with, and based on her observation of the territory alone, she had a hunch that this was not a pack she’d be caught dead in.

Although being caught dead was something she never intended to let happen. She flexed her nails and scrubbed the dirt reflexively.

“My name is Banks,” she offered. “This is Rita.”

` words ; 590
` tags ; @rita, Ryker, Jaienyx
` muse / ooc ; Muse is completely poopy for Banks because it's all in Zo right now. xD Oh well.

[Deleted]

The little female crouched silently beside Banks, her eyes anxiously flitting from side to side in search of some unknown creature that was about to leap from the shadows and crush her very existence. There was little that she would consider safe and friendly in this place, that is, with the exception of the female that she now found herself leaning towards. And yet, the comfort of the larger wolf was not destined to be enough for her. Within moments of her slight relaxation in the security of Banks' shadow, another presence made her tense and lower herself even further. She could see the way the new female looked down upon her, and though she forced herself to straighten up slightly, she still crouched slightly in fear. Yes, she knew Banks would try to defend her if this wolf proved to be hostile, but she was not sure of how far her companion's abilities went.

No, she would not take risks here, not now. She valued her life, what little it was, and she was not about to give it up now. She was not able to defend herself like the stronger and more capable wolves of Anikira, and because of her disabilities, she would easily be cut down should this stranger decide she did not like her. As the two other females spoke, she kept her head down, listening silently and keeping her mouth shut. Finally, as Banks introduced herself and Rita, the little female lifted her head slightly to acknowledge the light colored female that remained nearby. She offered no words, nor did she move, but she let her eyes scan lightly over the other wolf before returning to flitting about the unknown territory around them. It was slowly getting darker, and as the shadows made their slow creep along the ground, the female's anxiety only grew. Soon it would be dark enough that she would be unable to see, and as she grew more nervous, her twitch decided to show it's face once more.

It began with her eye, winking over and over in a slightly irritating manner. Then, to her dismay, her left ear began to follow suit. It twitched and flicked slightly, then jumped as she tried to pin it to her head. Within moments, of course, her head joined in on the fun. She closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to calm herself down, but as the act failed, she lowered her head and covered it in her paws shamefully. Of course, in front of a stranger, in the growing darkness, on the edge of a pack's territory. Could her body not hate her any more than this? She whined softly, backing away slowly so that she was behind Banks and hidden from the other female's view.

| She Walks. | She Talks. | She Thinks. |

Words: 466
Tags: Banks, Jaienyx
Notes: Sorry it's short and it took me so long! I promise that I'll be more active from now on!

| Made by Rita |

[Jaienyx]

When the bolder of the two wolves repeated Ryker’s name, inferring that she knew little of the Alpha male, and thus did not necessarily intend to join as Jaienyx had assumed, the golden vagabond’s attention returned to her sharply, abysmal eyes narrowing upon examination of the way she, too, arched her head proudly above her shoulders, a conceited grin on her face that made the blood inside of Jaienyx’s system boil unpleasantly. She was not particularly fond of anyone that thought better of maintaining polite conversation, attempting to overshadow someone enhanced, someone like Jaienyx, that could not be dominated without substantial, costly effort. It would be different, of course, if she had been upon the border of Valyn, for there was a part of her that already respected the female who had believed in the rise of a pack that valued feminine quality, but she was not there now, and she was not in the presence of Valeria herself, which meant she would not be tipping her head to appeal to someone that impossibly thought they could possess more vanity than her.

Her next words were softer, and Jaienyx resisted the temptation to congratulate her for making an intelligent move, the gray-and-white female slowly shifting away from being on the side of her that was none too kind. “I do not intend to join the ranks of one who tests my patience,” she paused, then, a grim expression slanting the corners of her eyes, pondering the likelihood of simply turning away from the borders of Descia, no sight of the Alpha male - no sight of anyone, for the matter - in the distant horizon. “Especially not when my allegiance has been promised elsewhere, somewhere far more . . . appealing to the likes of us.” She left it at that for the time being, curiousity alight but unseen in the dark pools of her irises as she looked into the first female’s face, wondering if within her expression she would find a trace of intrigue, before slowly looking towards her legs to find that the second female had obscured herself from view. She refrained from frowning, from openly disclosing her displeasure, uncertain of what could have possibly driven her to cower in discomfort - she was unworthy of calling herself a female.

“Nice to meet you, Banks,” she did not bother trying to catch the eye of the wolf coloured like fire, “Rita, my name is Jaienyx.” It was then that she stood to her full height, stretching her shoulder blades and her neck in a beguiling manner, a sigh of intolerance the only suggestion that she had experienced enough of the Alpha male’s negligence to last her the remainder of her lifespan. “I refuse to wait until your call is of greater significance for Ryker, or any of his pack, to answer. I plan to enlist myself in Valyn: a band of proud females that do not bend to the authority of a male.” She was a fair distance from the two females now, but not so far that talking was uncomfortable, having paused in the midst of her meticulous stride to glance over her slender shoulder, eyes flaming with invitation. “If you value yourself above the incompetent male, your company would be had most earnestly.” Although she cared not for the potential of standing alongside Rita in a pack of such richness, the offer was extended to her anyway. Perhaps it would do her well to surround herself with powerful, driven females. Together, they could become a force in Anikira to be reckoned with.

---
Word Count: 591.
Tags: Banks , @rita
OOC: Okay, Jaienyx is off to Valyn soon! Rita, I'm not sure if you plan on your character becoming a pack wolf? She's open to tag along and go to Valyn's borders with Banks and Jaienyx if you'd like for her to.

[Banks]

Banks listened to the beautiful creature, all the while aware of Rita behind her. She turned to flash a gentle smile at the smaller Ethiopian behind her. Something about her kept Banks feeling stronger, as if some maternal part of her needed to be. It was suddenly not a wonder to her why mothers were the way they always were in her homeland—a female might always be strong if she had something worth protecting.

The golden one though seemed to have the innate strength that Banks so envied, and as she spoke, her words sounded bold. As she turned her attention back to her and met her gaze, they brought a glint to Banks’ eyes and a playful snicker to her voice. It was easy to feel empowered in the situation she was in, and she could feel herself thriving. “I agree,” she said with a slow blink of her eyes and a flick of her ear. “Being ignored was not on my priority list today,” she joked, “or any day.” Always the alpha’s daughter—though she was shying away from humbling herself as she normally would. Banks was a kind soul, and certainly compassionate, but her sense of entitlement could only be kept at bay for so long. She felt almost personally insulted by the complete lack of attention they’d received, and this new female—Jaienyx, as she spoke—simply fueled the fire of her independent spirit.

“Would you tell me of this... Valyn?” she asked inquisitively, her voice carrying to meet the leaving figure. Banks turned to Rita, speaking quietly so that the golden female might not hear. “I’ll only go if you will. I won’t leave you here.” Her eyes searched the Ethiopian females for an answer, and she gestured to Jaienyx to wait.

The idea of Valyn seemed powerful enough, in the brief anecdote that Jaienyx had given. Something about the golden female made Banks want to know more, and made following her an appealing prospect. Our names even rhyme, she thought to herself with an inward giggle. She looked up to her, respected her, for reasons she couldn’t put a paw on. She had to know more. Not to mention that she’d grown restless of her father’s pack for reasons that didn’t include gender roles, but some reasons that had to deal with the tyranny of his rule. Going to Valyn packland didn’t mean that she would join on site—she wouldn’t put herself into another pack without knowing the repercussions first.

Completely rational when you’re not busy being completely irrational, she thought with a smirk as she awaited confirmation from Rita.

` words ; 448
` tags ; @rita, Jaienyx
` muse / ooc ; Museless. xD Sorry for this.

[Deleted]

Darkness fell further upon the wolves that had been waiting at the border of this pack, and though a mild curiosity at the male wolf the two spoke of gnawed at her bones, the tiny red female kept her head down and her mouth shut. She had nothing to say, nothing to add into their conversation, and definitely nothing to do. She had come here hoping for shelter from the darkness, and yet it appeared that the horrible shadow had easily overtaken her. Although she could tell where both females were because of their scents, her eyes failed her and left her staring into an unending blackness. She whined softly to herself, though she could hear the strange female that had approached them leaving their presence. And yet, there was something different than what she expected to come out of this happening. Banks leaned down to her, looking into her eyes - although Rita could not see this gesture - and telling her that she would not leave without her.

A pack? She frowned, her eyes flicking towards the other female as if she knew what she was looking at. Would the really accept her? Finally her face turned back to Banks, a small frown still hanging on her muzzle as she carefully pushed herself to her feet. "I'll go with you, but I doubt they'll want me." She said softly, her tail hanging between her legs and her ears perked for the sole reason of hearing something before it attacked her. "Banks..." She said softly, hesitating for a moment before swallowing and opening her mouth to speak once more. "I can't see." She said, standing rooted to the spot she had been crouching on only moments ago. Had she known the area, she would only have a small amount of trouble navigating her way through it. However, this place was unknown to her, and because of the darkness that surrounded them now, she was completely useless when it came to traveling.

She could hear the other female walking away, though at the same time, it was obvious that Banks remained at her side. At least her friend had not abandoned her. They had only known each other for a short while, and yet, they were both already fairly close. But would the hope of a pack tear the other wolf from her side? Yes, she had said she would not go without her, but what would happen when they arrived and the pack would not take her. What if they did not want a useless and weak wolf like herself? Would Banks enter and leave her on her own once more? She frowned, her ears lowering slightly, but twitching anxiously as she stared into the blackness that used to be clear sight. For now all she could do was hope, wait and pray that the one wolf she had come to know here would not abandon her. But why would she stay? What had Rita done to deserve such friendship and loyalty?

| She Walks. | She Talks. | She Thinks. |

Words: 501
Tags: Banks, Jaienyx
Notes: xx

| Made by Rita |