False Pretense

[Gerbil™]

.ooc. all welcome. :3 .ic. The ash grey male sloshed through the bog, all four limbs sinking deep into the mud, fur becoming stained a dark brown to chest height. The noon sun was high and the temperature almost unbearable for the think furred Styx, he continued wadding deeper into the basin area, seeking the perfect place to lie in the cool mud and relive his quickly overheating body. His pink tongue lolled out as he panted heavily. The emptying river continued in a small stream that ran along the edge of the bog, Styx trudged his way to the peaceful sounds of the running water. Here it was clean enough for him to lower his head and lap greedily at the small flow of liquid. His thirst soon dulled the moderate sized male turned back towards the boggy area and soon found a half decent place where he could lie in the wonderfully cool mud and not manage to drown himself in his favorite substance. He lowered his body slowly until he was lying propped on his side, supported by one of the few and evidently dead trees of the area. The effect was instantly relieving of heat, drawing a sigh from the male as he leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree. He continued to pant but without the urgency with which he'd had previously. He had plenty to think about. His parents were both long dead and he'd not seen his siblings or any other wolf of the pack in months. He didn't even know if Dinalli was alive to lead the pack. Lex was also absent making him feel all the more lonely. He'd come back to the original Vales a few weeks back in an attempt to find the pack again but was unsuccessful and was currently living on his on, managing to feed himself with plentiful rabbits and other small game. But he found that even with a full stomach and a rested body he was always on edge. He couldn't settle without the presence of a pack and he was well aware that he would have a hard time surviving winter alone. But what could he do? He was resigned to stay and wait. He might be waiting for only a few days. He could be waiting for weeks, months...or forever. Styx wondered if the pack had moved on without him and forgotten he'd ever existed. It was a distinct possibility, for he /was/ poor forgotten Styx.

styx // 4 years // profile // male // no love

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. Stop pretending. DONE! Yayness. .:IC:. It's stupid. And, moreover, it's annoying. Solitude. It was something Lex cherished – time alone with one’s thoughts. More importantly, it meant time away from others, which was a definite bonus in Lex’s book. He had little patience for other wolves and their drama. In fact, Lex liked solitude more than most wolves. And by that, he meant that he liked being alone more than most wolves liked being alone, and also that he liked being alone more than he liked being around most wolves. That said, though, there is a point where one has had too much of a good thing. And even when you are as witty and as sharp of intellect as Lexington was, there comes a point where one simply cannot stand another moment of their own company without going insane. And Lex was damned near reaching this point. At the moment, Lex was traveling aimlessly through a brushy area, searching the area for signs of prey such as rabbits or voles. The three-legged wolf was able to hunt smaller prey animals without a problem, but that was where it stopped. As a result, his flanks had grown a bit gaunt. His ribs were very slightly visible, and it was apparent to anyone who had known him before that he’d lost a bit of weight living on his own. Nonetheless, his coat was still immaculately groomed, and his gem-bright green eyes still glimmered with the savage wit and intelligence he’d been infamous for (or, at least he liked to think that. Hey, a bit of ego never hurt anyone.) Lex had survived off of the occasional rabbit or hare since the pack had disbanded. It had been an odd thing – one minute they’d been thriving, looking toward the future. Then, it was as if they’d faded away to noting, at least to Lex, who had observed from the sidelines. Dinalli, Tak’s daughter and the new alpha, had all but disappeared from the face of the pack. Some of the others, like Firestar and his mate, had died. Lex wasn’t entirely sure why he stuck around. Of course, he’d hardly be lucky enough to find another pack to take in a handicapped wolf such as himself, much less an aging one like he had become. Lexington found himself sentenced to the life of a lone wolf for the second time in his life. Well, at least this wasn’t as bad as the first time… but why stay here? Why keep returning, to haunt around the packlands? Why not leave the Vales? The ability to travel was one of the few luxuries a lone wolf could boast, and he hadn’t taken up on it. The answers were something Lex would be loathe to admit to. They were ridiculous and repulsingly sentimental. And yet, they were the reasons he remained. He was fond of the place, and the memories of what it had been. He also held onto the long-dead hope that the pack would return and exist once more. Presently, the wolf, lost in thought, struck upon a familiar scent. It wound it’s way to him in the breeze from the direction of Ridge Creek. Surely not… though Lexington. My mind’s playing tricks… too much thinking about the past will do that to a wolf… But no, the scent was real. It was Styx. Lex set off towards the creek. It was reasonable that wolves might return once and a while to the old lands, much the same as Lex himself did. But to reunite with his old friend was almost too good to be true. Perhaps it /was/ just his mind playing tricks. The three-legger stopped, scenting the breeze again. The sun was hot, but here the air currents moved slightly, and Lex could still smell the other wolf on the traces of breeze. Well, there was one way to know for sure… Lexington tipped back his head and let out a single, ringing bark across the landscape. If Styx were really here, he would hear it and reply. Table Code and Image by Twaggeh

[Gerbil™]

.ooc. all welcome. :3 .ic. Styx lay perfectly still in his bed of mud for a long time, closing his eyes and letting everything slip away until the only movement from him was the rise and fall of his sides as he took shallow breaths. There were few other creatures that cared to venture into the bog and for the moment Styx was completely alone. A few gnats dared bother him, flitting around his face, but he easily ignored them. But soon there came a noise truly impossible for the mud drenched male to shut out. A single deep bark made his ears push forward and he open fist one eye, then the other, slowly realizing the impact of what he'd just heard. Another wolf...and he was quite sure that said wolf sounded just like Lex. Styx was quickly on his feet, coated from his shoulders down with the brown paste he loved. Excitement coursed trough his veins and filled him with a new found energy in the horrid heat. With his new found enthusiasm Styx trudged his way out of the worst of the bog, eager to feel solid ground under his paws. When he did he stopped and let out a deep throated back of his own. He was unsure Lex would even recognize him if it weren't for the whole covered in mud part, Styx had grown into a fine adult and would hardly be seen as the pathetic lanky runt he'd been before. As his call faded into the distance the male pushed his large ears forward in eager anticipation and his eyes searched the land laid out before him for the form of his three legged friend.

styx // 4 years // profile // male // no love

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. Stop pretending. Tralala... .:IC:. It's stupid. And, moreover, it's annoying. Lex sat down after he’d barked. It was simply too hot to expend any extra energy when it wasn’t required. A faint breeze played around him, but it was a hot, cloying breeze and did nothing to cool the male. The think coat didn’t help, either. Lex had arctic wolf someplace in his bloodlines, and as a result his coat was fuller than most – he went to great pains to keep his rather shaggy fur clean and well-kempt, but on days like today he’d much rather have a thinner pelt. His pink tongue slipped from between his jaws as he began to pant, ears still alert for any reply. And then it came. The voice sounded like Styx, though somehow deeper. It struck Lex that his ragamuffin friend had probably done a lot of growing up in the past two years. A faint grin haunted Lex’s maw as he rose to his feet again and begin to move – in his odd, lilting gait – toward the source of the sound, which, surprisingly enough, seemed to have emanated from the boggy area around Ridge Creek. Styx in a swamp. Well, that figured. At least some things didn’t seem to have changed at all. The thought made Lex’s smile widen by a few degrees. The older male gave another bark in reply and picked up his pace a bit. The sound of his call echoing in the stifling air sounded strange to him, though it was unclear whether it truly was so, or if he was simply unused to the sound of his own voice. Moving at any degree of speed on a day as hot as this was a bit uncomfortable, but Lex managed to keep a good pace to the creek. The prospect of seeing his old friend was heartening. As he crested a small hillock, the form of the other wolf came into clear view. Lex stopped for a moment. Changed, indeed. Styx was covered in mud, yes, but it was easy to see that the gangly runt had filled out and grown up. Still though, it was the same wolf Lex had seen go through the rough periods of his parent’s deaths and whom Lex had appointed as his apprentice. Styx! Called out Lex as he began to trot down the small hill. Normally eloquent, this was all he said. His tail wagged as he neared his old friend. Sometimes, one word said more than many. Table Code and Image by Twaggeh

[Ava]

Searing. The heat was overwhelming to the fetale as she battled her way under brush and through bryars. It was by far the hottest day of the season and that alone was enough to bring Aleyah to the cool waters of the basin. Cool wet mud and then the strolling breeze that was pushed through the valley-like area. It was amazing at times. Before, she'd come here for privacy and peace from others. Now, find others had become the problem. It took a year or so but the elders died off one after one. This group included her mother. Though she bid her farewell she missed her, deeply. The only one whom she ever, really, held conversation with. Aleyah was a very talkative female, don't misjudge her, but her mother seemed to know everything she wanted to know and she didn't really encourage her pup to engage in conversation too awful much. Avalanche had seemed awful depressed those last few months before she passed.. Aleyah Shook her blackened muzzle. No use in thinking of the past! No point at all! She huffed at herself, mimicking an angered mother at a michevious pup, The moments passed and then she thought she had found it. The perfect area to lie down. Paws stretched farrr out infront of her in a deep stretch. Jaws parted ways and grew into a massive yawn like of a giant that had worked hard all day. Auds folded back and tail curled over in a delightful puppy way. This was, however, routine. Ofcourse. She dropped upon her rear haunches rather lazily and let her front slide from underneath her. She met the cold ground with flourishing happiness and was tempted to roll around. Had she not thought voices were tracing along the winds she probably would have. Although instead, auds perked, head ajar from her paws and she'd pushed up to a sitting position all at once. Names. someone must be having a reunion. Why in such an awful place? Aleyahs curiousity pushed her on, and she scurried, once more, through the brush and undergrowth of the mud hole. Before her, there was a three legged one and then a pup whom she'd mutually known as styx. A pup of her mothers friend. Not that him and Aleyah were friends, themsevles--she barely knew the male but, as others, he knew of her mothers massive toned body and stunning blue eyes. Just like her own...they sparkled even during the dullest moments of her life. They were glowing lamps that were never put out. She didn't bother hiding herself. She decided that if they were to find her, they would find it pretty creepy that she was watching them from a hiding spot. Black coat reflected the suns rays, not making her any less hot and steamed by the weather but a bit more noticeable than a dull coated wolf. She trotted down the hill, finding the other male, the three legged one, to be doing the same. He, also she recognized, but did not know. Lex...if she remembered correctly. She thought, for the longest time, that her mother had had a thing for him and even questioned him being her father but never pushed the matter. It didn't seem all that likely and Lex hadn't expressed any more interest in her, than he had to any other wolf. Lovely day, wouldn't you say, boys?" Maybe she shouldn't interupt their little diggitydoo reunion. However, she figured neither would care SO much as to punt her out of the conversation or even ignore her. Well, maybe the second option was a little likely but hopefully, they'd not go that route.

Aleyah // 3 years // profile // female // no love

[Gerbil™]

.ooc. all welcome. :3 .ic. Another bark came and Styx stood alert and somewhat tense as he waited for his friend and mentor to appear. When the older male did come into view Styx was overjoyed and promptly began to slosh forward to meet him half was, and keep him from having to traverse into mud that was hard for a wolf with four legs to move through. He wasn't about to make struggle through it with only three. "Lex!" He barked in his deep tones, bushy plume wagging behind him as he stepped forward to sniff at Lex intently. Styx's eyes shifted to look past his friend. Approaching was an unfamiliar female. The gray male let his tail give a friendly wag as she spoke but didn't reply. He studied her, trying to fit her into a proper place in his memory. Dazzling blue eyes, black coat, large build. She was remarkably like someone he had one known, a female who had been a close friend of his mother's and the aunt of Takarai's children. But that wasn't right. That wolf had never had children. She'd never even had a mate. So this couldn't be her daughter. "Who are you?" It would have been a perfectly normal question coming from anyone else but somehow Styx managed to make it sound ominous and daunting. He simply had that effect.

styx // 4 years // profile // male // no love