Levity

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. And at the end of days, the end of all things… Open to all. .:IC:. Still there will be hope, rising swift with the dawn… Birds trilled and chirped as they darted from treetop to treetop overhead, playing about the pools and eddies of rich golden light in the forest canopy. The sun was high and the air hot, but among the stand of trees, the air was a few precious degrees cooler. The air was spiced with redwood, though decidedly still amongst the ancient columns of trees. Through the spangled shadows moved a wolf. She was female, and through the dim light her coat could be perceived – it was a mixture of stormy greys, coals, and whites. She was strongly built, though she walked a slender legs, it was apparent that she was lean and muscular. Though the dimness, blue-green eyes flashed. Carter was tired of traveling. Damn tired of it. It’d been almost two months since her old pack had turned on itself and the former captain had left her homeland behind. Since then, she’d been a wanderer, finding meals and shelter where she could get them and never staying in one place for too long. At first, she’d hardly been able to sleep – each time she closed her eyes, she’d been greeted by the sight of her friends and siblings tearing out one another’s throats, her own colleagues turning on one another in bitter hatred. But, gradually, the night terrors had lessened. Time, the true healer, had gone to work. Of course, Carter still grieved for them. But it was no longer as if someone had driven a fang though her heart. The blow had gone from fiery and malicious to dull and hollow. Two months of hard travel and scant food had also transformed Carter – if she had been in shape before, she was twice as fit now. Her already well-used muscles had grown firm and sinewy under her coat, and any ounce of fat on her body had since been converted into energy. She was a tad on the lean side due to her reluctance to hunt lest she be caught trespassing accidentally. As the female moved, a certain gleam sparked in her seafoam eyes. It was hope, yes; but moreover it was determination. Carter wanted a new life. It was time to stop simply existing. Living alone as a shadow to the rest of the world had been cathartic to a point, but it was hollow. She wanted her life to have meaning again. She longed to belong to a pack once more. Of course, she hadn’t been expecting her wish to be granted this abruptly. Carter stopped short as she scented old but tell-tale scent markings. She’d stumbled into packlands. She turned, trotting back the direction she had come, nose to the ground. Backtracking through the woods, she managed to re-trace her steps to the border. It was no wonder she hadn’t noticed it, lost in thought as she was – the faint traces of odor were all but washed away by time and the elements. It had probably been well over a year, at least, since anyone had marked the borders, probably more. Carter turned and gazed back into the stand of redwoods, narrowing her eyes in the sun’s glare. All was still. The trunks stood as silent guards, telling no tales. She wondered what could have happened to the pack. Did they remain, simply having changed their borders a bit? Had the disbanded or been wiped out by disease or famine? Was this some kind of trap? The female trotted back into the trees. Her interest had been piqued, and as long as she was cautious, she was confident that could handle what danger came her way from stepping into these lands, whatever they were. Her eyes lifted to the treetops as she walked. Birds still danced among them, singing to one another, oblivious of everything but the branches and the golden, drenching light that seeped in among them here and there. All seemed calm, as it had before… but Carter's eyes were sharp now, piercing each shadow, her ears turning to capture each muffled sound. Was it a false calm? Perhaps she was being overly cautious, but one never could tell. And, really, it was better to be careful now than to regret it later... Table Code and Image by Twaggeh

[Tsukers]

.OOC Come gather 'round people, Wherever you roam… And admit that the waters around you have grown, Since no one was posting on either of our topics, I just moved mine and altered the ending. =] .IC And accept it soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone, for the times, they are a changin’… He breathed in the fresh, crisp, new air that rushed through his lungs with satisfaction. He felt anew, regenerated. It had been quite a long time since he had seen this place, and he could do nothing but admire the land. It was beautiful, a sore sight to his eyes. If he had been human, his expression of how he felt would have been to kiss and ground as blessing. Oh how he had missed his homeland... The wolf stood, staring out across the acres upon acres, memories rushing back to him. Some of them good, some not so pleasant, but all of them cherished. He was fond of his past, it's true, and of his heritage. It didn't happen to many wolves, and he was grateful to have something on them. He remembered the day when his father and sister were pronounced missing. How his mother had been broken... The day he and Kadder had fought so terribly that it seemed they would never get over it for those ten minutes they despised eachother.... Arey- his unrelated brother... The adventures the three of them had accomplished... That pack meeting of the new generation... He was Tylos. That little ball of wreckless rage in his younger age. He could have taken on anyone without a thought. But as he stared across the land, so familiar, yet changed, he felt apart from himself. He was captivated by it's beauty, its glory. He was in awe, his eyes nearly filled with tears of joy. He was home, and it was a shore of relief. Home... He thought over and over, each time it pulsed into his mind he felt even more elated. He wanted to run in jubilee, cry out in sheer happiness, but his body couldn't move. He was rooted. The only movement he was able to excercise was excessive wagging of his tassle and the exciting shimmer of his golden eyes as they darted about, welcoming every blade of grass, every tree, every bug, and grain of dirt. The day was bright, but there was a light breeze to batter away the heat. His paws flexed upon the ground, and he looked downwards. The ground was the same: firm, warm, and comfortable between his toes. The air smelled as woodlands should. Trees of all varieties wafted through his nostrils. His home sounded as it always had. There were birds rushing through the sky, twittering as if none of the wilderness mattered to them. But, he realised, they had been there their whole life. They had come and gone as they pleased. They had been born here, made homes, families, and died. They had never gone to think they would never return, like him... Tylos blinked and raised his head. He was relatively unchanged. He was still the mimick of his father; a clone. But in gratefulness to his brother there was a symbol of difference between them; a scar. It was noticeable, unable to be hidden, for it was drawn across his eye. He wasn't angered by his wound. Of course not. It added to his mysteriousness, a quality he reliquished with generosity upon the world. But this was only in appearance. His personality had changed however. He spoke more often, and would occasionaly treat his company with a smile. His mind was ever proving itself and dissapointing him. He had thoughts and ideas, but he couldn't pack them all together into one simple plan, and not that it mattered now anyways. He was on his own. He had heard tales that the wolves were going to meet in their homeland, but as far as he knew, there was no one here. It seemed desolate. There were no fresh scents of anyone. None of his siblings, friends, or anyone for that matter. No other pack had attempted to take over the Vales, which he found amazing. Why would no one sieze the area? It was unprotected. No dangers- except for wild cat attacks. But he had seen neither hair nor track of any such creature. It was safe, for now. It was home. It was where he belonged. But as he stood, he wondered about the other wolves. He was sure he had heard they were coming. It wasn't entirely impossible that he was the first to arrive, but it was doubtful. He couldn't be the only wolf around... There was a lightning bolt of fear installed in him. He had made it on his own before, this was no different, but he liked company. He needed companionship. He was accustomed to having Arey and Kadder at his side, he wasn't assured he could survive long without someone. And they had been the only ones he could ever really connect to... They understood him... They knew him. He wondered if they were coming, or if they had already come and gone. Maybe he was too late. At this thought, his tail drooped. His ears slumped over the back of his head and all past feelings of how much he had missed this place vanished. After several silent moments to himself, Tylos slunk down into a sitting position. It tooks several more minutes for him to be convinced that he should stay for a while. After all, it was his home. He should look around into it... If no one else showed- perhaps he could eventually begin his own pack. That was definate new outlook. He perked up a bit at that thought. He had always wanted to be alpha. It had been his duty if his mother and father both had passed away, but that was before Tsuki and Tarakai had agreed to become one pack again. Tylos looked around. The scenery wasn't as bright as before, but there was still a peaceful and pleasant glow about it, and the more he looked, the better it felt to be here, even if he was on his own. Then, as if it was an asnwer to his thoughts, a wind picked up, and with it came the scent of a wolf. And she was nearby. His nostrils flared instantly, trying to gather as much information about this wolf as possible, maybe she was from the pack? Alas, no. He did not detect even a hint of familiarity amongst her aroma. He was slightly disappointed at this, but he was too curious to have his sorrow lingure. Tylos stood and began to traipse in her direction. .Table code and image by Twaggeh.

This post has been edited by Tsukers on Jul 8 2007, 04:40 AM

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. And at the end of days, the end of all things… 'Kay. Spiffing! .:IC:. Still there will be hope, rising swift with the dawn… A slight breeze wove amongst the trunks as Carter walked. The ground was padded with spiced needles, and her footfalls were hushed and quiet. Her ears turned this way and that as she traveled amongst the silent trees. Save for a few birdcalls, she heard nothing but the quiet whistle of the wind. Occasionally she stopped, raising her slim muzzle to test the air currents. She hadn’t really gone all that when something surprised her – a scent she hadn’t noticed before. She stopped, studying it. Whoever it was, they were a male and alone. The scent was coming form someplace off to her right – diagonally back through the trees, towards the clearing she come from. Carter flicked her ears back and fourth, her guard slightly increased. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. Things had been too quiet… but, surely, this couldn’t be an ambush or anything. By scent, he was alone. And the border had been so faint… She debated internally for a moment. Curiosity won her over, and she began to trot in the direction of the wolf. She was fairly confident that she could handle any possible trouble that come of this. Besides, she wanted to meet this creature… As she neared the edge of the trees, he came into her vision. He was moving steadily toward the tree line, and could probably scent her, but she doubted he could actually see her yet. She was in the deep shadow of the trees, Dappled and cool, while he was still in the blinding sunlight. He was a good sized male, around her own age. He had a curious air to him as he walked - he looked like he was in good spirits, but at the same time, as if he was carrying a lot of weight around with him. A scar drew itself across his eye. He was muscular, too. Carter stepped into the light. Her stance was not threatening, yet not submissive, either. It was the way one wanderer would greet another. After all, she had no way to know if he actually resided within the territory or was simply another traveler, like herself. The light grey female nodded. “Greetings. Fine day, no?” Diplomacy was one of Carter’s aptitudes. She didn’t want to seem rude, yet she also didn’t want to just stand there – by waiting for him to speak first, she’d have been establishing herself as under him. But, this way, she was speaking to him as an equal. She was also opening the conversation on a casual note. “I’m Carter. I’m…” she nearly announced her old rank simply by force of habit. She stopped herself, instead saying “a traveler.” She didn’t ask who he was; he could tell her if he wished. Sure, if he didn’t, her curiosity would be a bit offended, but the rest of her wouldn’t really care. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She’d been alone since her old pack had turned upon itself and massacred one another. She felt a bit homesick, but, seeing as home was no lace she could ever return to, she’d been seeking a new pack. A new home. The chance to talk to this stranger, in these lands…. It gave her a bit of hope. She wanted to belong again. To have something to stand for. Table Code and Image by Twaggeh

[Tsukers]

.OOC Come gather 'round people, Wherever you roam… And admit that the waters around you have grown, Since no one was posting on either of our topics, I just moved mine and altered the ending. =] .IC And accept it soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone, for the times, they are a changin’… Tylos, as he drew nearer, felt his heart slightly pounding. It was out of anxiety, he realised. How long had it really been since his last encounter with another wolf? He paused his movements and persued this inquirery without haste. The loner could wait. If she thought it necessary to have shelter and food, more than likely she wasn't going anywhere since the pack line still floated around. And if she thought the pack was still around, she would need the alphas permission for such. His brow wrinkled as he frowned, straining his memory. He thought for several drawn out minutes but he couldn't recollect anything. Had it really been that long ago? So long he couldn't even remember? Tylos shook his head slowly and looked at the ground. Surely not. He could remember the last time..... He again forced his mind to work, thinking hard.... Silence. Nothing but his thoughts. The breeze shifted. The female's scent rushed through his nostrils again, and this time, stronger. His previous thoughts were washed away instantly. He glanced upwards and around him, suddenly feeling her prescence but without seeing her. His sharp eyes flashed, hating to play the game of hide-and-seek. Just when he was about to growl his irritance, there was movement out of the corner of his eye from the shadows, and out stepped the wolf. Nothing struck him as she walked over. She was youthful, about his age or so. She looked like the average gray wolf; nothing peculiar. She was in fine shape, no limp, no cough, no blood. She was similar to most females in that she was shorter and smaller than himself. But her eyes, how they shined when the light struck them.. With confidence strode the other wolf. He gave her a mark for that. The last time he had approached another wolf, it had been Tarakai II, and that had not been the most pleasant encounter. She had coward, only for a moment, and then her brother had come charging out of the woods, feeling obssesively protective. That had been an... interesting, ordeal. Tylos wasn't dangerous, but he loved to pretend it. He watched her carefully, seeing how she walked gracefully and carried herself lightly. She didn't hint anything near fear he sensed it, and when she spoke, it was kindly but strong. She first presented him with the topic of the day, but he did not speak. He felt that this was just an opening for what was to come, and he was right. She continued with her name. Tylos seated himself in front of her, feeling unthreatened. "It's a pleasure to meet you Carter." He spoke. Introducing himself, he told her, "I'm Tylos." He then stopped, curiosity bounding up to him so that he wondered why she had come. The packlands were deserted as far as he knew. And if she wasn't a member of the pack before, she wouldn't know anyone was going to be here. So, he asked her, "Why are you here?" .Table code and image by Twaggeh.

This post has been edited by Tsukers on Jul 9 2007, 02:01 AM

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. And at the end of days, the end of all things… Out of character ramblings go here.... .:IC:. Still there will be hope, rising swift with the dawn… Up close, he was a good deal more interesting than he’d been from a distance. His features were calm and intelligent, even noble. The scar slung across his eye lent him a kind of dark magnatism... She shrugged this off – she wasn’t the type of female easily impressed, and she’d had her fare share of drama back at home. She chose to deal with situations from a rational standpoint – a born realist, it was how she’d always been. The sun danced of the foliage in the clearing, bringing out the dazzling greens and bleached golds of the grass. Bugs hummed here and there –after all, it was summer. Blinking momentarily in the light, she listened as he spoke. He greeted her and gave his own name, his voice polite. It seemed a bit detached, too, though perhaps this was simply a difference of perception. She stood calmly as he spoke, gazing back at him with an appropriate level of interest on her features. Inside, though, her mind was processing information. Tylos, as he introduced himself, hadn’t identified himself as a part of a pack. He hadn’t listed off some rank or told her the name of the alpha, or any of the million things pack wolves usually rattled off as a formality when greeting a newcomer to their lands. All of this information ruled in a favor toward her suspicion, that whatever pack had claimed these lands had left them for one another, be it that they had moved on or shifted their borders or disappeared from existence. His last words were a question. Why are you here…. it warranted a bit of thought. She had to congratulate him for being to the point, too. Why was she here? She’d been traveling for months, and this seemed like a nice enough place to linger for a while, whether or not a pack resided here. She just… needed someplace to hang up her hat, if you will. It would have been alright to find a pack which extended it’s hospitalities, yes, but privacy and freedom were their own treasures, and not easily exchanged. "I’m a traveler, I suppose." She shrugged as she said it, and it was all the explanation she really needed to give, unless he asked for more of one. She though about asking him the same question – after all, he could be just as much a loner as she. She didn’t voice these words, though. Instead she gave him a look which told him she expected pittance for her answers in the form of some from him. It wasn’t harsh, merely expectant – she was attentive, waiting for an answer. Table Code and Image by Twaggeh

[Tsukers]

.OOC Come gather 'round people, Wherever you roam… And admit that the waters around you have grown, Since no one was posting on either of our topics, I just moved mine and altered the ending. =] .IC And accept it soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone, for the times, they are a changin’… Tylos gazed back at Carter, unwilling to break eye contact. It wasn't that he was challenging her to a stare-down or anything, nor was he so entranced by her eyes he couldn't bear look away, but because it was the polite thing to do. If anyone could say anything about Tylos, it was that he held the proper respect and manners of someone who had years of practice. He had it down to the very last inch of him. But while he saw Carter, calm and quiet as he spoke, he noticed something shifted about her. Something had struck her mind and she began to think. He found this compulsive change of behavior very interesting and he too began to think of what it might be. It could be that she is trying to think of a logical reason for being here.... Or something else.... Maybe I have said something, done something out of the ordinary? He thought to himself. When thoughts like these entered his mind, Tylos usually frowned to show outwardly his expression of deep intentment. But this was different, he had to appear dignified for Carter. After all, if the pack was coming, he was a member and had to prove that it was not a scatter-brained group of wolves. He had to make a good impression, not only for himself but for everyone else. She again repeated herself as a traveler, drawing him out of the back of his wonders and curiosity only to bring him to a new situation. If she was a traveler, why? Why would anyone want to travel just because they could? He had never heard of a wolf like that. Every canine he had ever met had some deeply embedded fondness for a home and company. No wolf had ever explained themself as a traveler. Wolves don't just travel to see the sights, buy some knick-knacks and be done with it, like a vacation. They just didn't. Usually there was too much excitement going on in thier home to even think of such a leisure. Something must have happened to make her come this way... He thought, but something that kept him from dwelling too much on his ideas was the way Carter was now staring at him. She looked expectant. Like he was supposed to just let everything out, spill all. That wasn't happening. She could figure it out on her own. She was intelligent enough for the task, besides, she hadn't really asked anyways. Tylos only assumed that was what her expression meant. After a few seconds in silence, howeveer, Tylos decided he could devouge a slight history of the pack. He began with, "I myself have done some traveling recently- to return home, here." Then he stopped, contemplating how to tell the story. He wasn't that great of retelling events, so he looked at Carter with slight apology as he told her about the Vales. "The pack disbanded for a while. There was a miserable time, when I was hardly over a year old, when bobcats began to overrun the territory and pick us off one by one in competition for food. We killed several as well, but we were slowly starving to death. Our leaders, Tarakai and my mother, met and decided that it would be best to move the packs as one to a safer location." He stopped, giving her a moment to process. "But somehow, everyone just seemed to go their own ways... But there have been whispers amongst other packs and loners, going from wolf to wolf to carry the news that the pack might be returning again." He said. "That is why I have come back, in hope that the rumors are true." .Table code and image by Twaggeh.

[Twaggeh!]

.:OOC:. And at the end of days, the end of all things… Blech, sorry about the wait – My muse decided to abandon me ^^; .:IC:. Still there will be hope, rising swift with the dawn… Carter watched him once she’d finished speaking. She could see wheels turning. He was probably thinking about what she’d said – after all, she hadn’t said much. No, she hadn’t really said much at all. It wasn’t that she had inhibitions about sharing her motives for becoming a wanderer. Rather, she chose not to tell him what he didn’t ask because some wolves weren’t interested in the tragic pasts of others… she thought this last bit with a touch of irony. Before, she’d always been amazed at the fact that nearly every wolf who joined their ranks had some sort of darkness in their past But the truth? Only darkness had the power to drive wolves fro their families, their homes, whether it was within them or caused by others. But one thing was for certain – once darkness touched a wolf, a small part of it became a part of them. Forever. And now she had become one of those wolves – wolves who, for one reason or another, gave up everything. But she bore her scars with her head held high. Lady Fortune might have been cruel, but Carter wasn’t about to let Fate win yet. Now she was here, in this strange land, face to face with a wolf she’d never met before. In so far, they were equals, but… what if there was a pack here? Carter was a pack wolf, and the last few months had been hell, or nearly, on her. Sure, she was in top physical condition, but she ached desperately for a home once more. A real home. Was she willing to give up freedom and to step under the authority of another? She had been relatively high ranking back in Abiqua. Part of her was used to the freedom such authority granted. But Carter was also loyal and hardworking – if need be, she could work her way up in a pack. At this point, it was better than the alternative, if the alternative was remaining a loner for Gods only knew how long. She found herself blinking slightly in the sun’s vivid glare. A silence seemed to have fallen over both wolves as they were consumed in thought. Then he spoke. She digested his words – a pack, reforming, here? Even if it was only a rumor, it was a surprisingly promising rumor. Sighing, Carter nodded. He had told her his story, now the least she owed him was her own tale. “I used to be a captain, back in my old pack. We were militaristic, really, not organized like a normal pack, but we were loyal, a family. The pack turned on itself, though. Part of the pack – my part – allied itself with our enemy and turned on the rest of the pack. I was sworn to loyalty to my alphas, and loyalty to my brethren. I couldn’t keep both vows, so I tried to avert disaster by warning the alphas. I wasn’t even allowed to speak with them. My pack slaughtered one another, and then our enemy slaughtered those who had turned the tide for them. I refused to fight against my pack. When I saw that everyone was gone, I left.” Finished, she felt subdued – recounting the events that had haunted her nightmares had brought them freshly to her memory, but it had also lightened a weight from her shoulders – a weight she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying. Her features were not so easily read, but if one paid close attention, they might have noticed a slight, nearly imperceptible light in the she-wolf’s eyes. Table Code and Image by Twaggeh