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 Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:14 am
It was summer time and a mother had brought her three pups out of the den to play and absorb the suns warmth, this time of year was to be cherished, it was a time to enjoy the plenty before the hardships of winter but it was not meant to be.
The smell of blood hung in the summer air and soon the meat from which the blood had be split would quickly become rancid in the heat. A small pink pelted female stumbled blindly about the clearing sobbing inaudible words when suddenly her fore paw hit something soft, something remotely familiar. Trembling she bent down and nuzzled the warm corpse of her mother, her nose working along her back up to her neck. Nudging her mother once, twice and then a sudden uncontrollable stream of tears coursed from her milky white eyes she cried, 'Mummy? Mummy, I cannot hear your bell. Why can I not hear your bell? Mummy?'. Tears dampened her face as she bent down once again to feel her dead mother's neck, her nose feeling around to her throat and coming away blood red.
The young pup shivered with horror and confusion, the tears rolling down and forming puddles in front of her shock rooted paws. Her small voice questioned, hoping, 'Mummy? Mummy I cannot hear your bell, I do not like this game, can we play something else?' She waited for a reply.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:06 am
Frey knew better, he really did, he knew that danger surrounded his pack and that his poor cousin Moranna was probably never coming home. He knew his mother would simply have a fit of horror and fear if she found out he was out of the pack territory. He also knew that he was full grown and it was time to take a little responsibility for himself. Twix wasn't going to tattle on him, she was quite proud of his every little whim and achievement.
He slunk along through the dangerous forest, dangerous because their new neighbors the Reign of Terror undoubtedly didn't respect their own pack territory lines, they swelled outward like a bloating monster.
The cries reach him then, they were soft pathetic sounds like those a frightened pup would make. He started to head towards them then froze, what if it was a trap? He crouched lower and proceeded with caution, there was someone in need and his parents had raised him to care for those in need.
Now the scent assaulted his nose, blood, carnage, not totally fresh but not so old either. And the cries became clearer Mummy? Mummy? Finally his eyes rested on the scene in disgust and horror. A small pure creamy pup was trying pitifully to rouse her mother, a mother that would never rise or speak. How could the pup not realize her mother was dead? The damage was so obvious? He moved closer and gently nudged the pup's side. "She's gone little one..." Perhaps not the best way to introduce himself, but watching her efforts in vain was unnerving.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:28 am
Her nose was still pointing down at her dead mother but once she felt a cold unfamiliar nose poke her in the side she coward away, crouching low to the ground her trembling exaggerated and a new round of tears streamed down her face, grief of her family was now met with fear. Her eyes did not focus upon the other wolf, but she knew he was there, she could smell him, she could hear him breathing. Her mother didn't breath, not any more, thoughts and emotions rolled about her head in a jumbled mess.
Trying in vain to get away from the other wolf she cried out to him, 'Plleeeaassssseeee doonnn'ttt huuurrrttt me.' As she attempted to back away from him she stumbled and fell, scrambling madly she tried to find her feet in vain, she wanted to run but even if she could find her feet it would be useless, she'd only stumble again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 5:18 pm
Frey realized it then close as he was he could see the milky eyes unfocused and unseeing, the pup was blind. He gently nudged her again and lowered his tone to a softer soothing sound. "Shh, I won't hurt you little one, you must be brave now...your mother wouldn't want you to cry." But of course those were Twix's words drummed into him from so young an age.
"Please stay close..." He worried for the small pup, and his ears were pricked waiting and watching cautiously. Whatever had killed this female was probably not too far off still, the pup was in danger. He knew then that he would have to take her back to the pack.
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:52 am
As she was trying to find her paws she sensed the male closing in on her and fright now took hold of her and she stopped scrabbling, laying, waiting but when she felt him nudge her once again something within her told that he meant her now harm. His voice was soft and lulling and she started to calm. She found her paws, they met with the ground beneath her and she slowly began to stand.
Her nose pointed up at the male which seemed to be offering some form of protect, her eyes unfocused, looking at something no one else could see. She stood a moment, her peachy coat tangled with dirt from her fall, her face dampened with tears and her maw splattered with her mother's blood, the sight was heart wrenching. Her frighten trembling subsided though her voice still trembled, 'I cannot see. Mummy's bell use to jingle when she walked and I followed.' she explained simply.
The part of her that was in denial before, now snapped in realisation of what she had just said; 'used to'. A new round of tears took over her and she shivered with the force of her sorrow, in between her tears she sobbed, 'Mummy's bell won't jingle any more.'
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:21 pm
Frey tenderly nuzzled her and pulled her closer, how strange for him, now he suddenly understood his mothers need to protect and heal and save others without family. He had been so lucky, his parents and siblings, his aunts, uncles, and cousins they all lived together and loved one another. This poor pup would have no one to care for her, no one to love her...unless he took responsibility.
He slowly bent and buried his nose into the bloodied fur around the females neck to pull the bell away. The ribbon was stained with her blood, he would need to wash it off. He put his muzzle carefully through the large loop and let the ribbon slide down his fur until the bell rested against his upper chest with a soft jingle.
"I'll guide you to a safe place...you'll be okay..." He murmured reassuringly. His only grief had been when his cousin Moranna had vanished, yet this stark meeting with death made him realize that words would never really mend the tear in the pups heart, or in his uncle Musketeer's. Only love could mend those wounds not time or words or distance...only love.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:23 am
She felt the male nuzzle her this time, rather that nudging her, pulling her closer she felt somehow protected. He was a stranger to her but he had shown her warmth and charity when she needed it, she had no opinion but to trust her care to this male, for whatever length of time it was on offer for.
He left her side for a moment, her head turned, her ears following then sound of his paws padding the ground. Briefly after he had paused she heard the sound of her mothers bell, something stirred within her, an urge to call out and tell him to stop stealing her mothers bell but she held it in along with the fresh tears that wanted to erupt. He came back to her then, the bell she had followed for as long as she could remember was now worn by someone other than her mother, but she would still follow the soft jingling.
Again he spoke in a reassuring tone, beckoning her away from this place of terror, pain and sorrow. Her feet, at first, did not move, part of her did not want to turn her back on her mother and two sisters, their fates she knew also as their cries had not long followed her mothers. Why she had been spared she did not know, only a brief understanding, like a fire in the wind, flickered across her mind; because this was a greater punishment, to live, remember and to spread the story.
Turning now, a weight falling down upon her spirit, she followed the sound of the jingling bell, chiming against her protectors chest, to safety.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:16 am
Frey led her carefully watching her as she moved, at first he feared he would need to carry her...but she managed. She amazed him the way she maneuvered by sound and feeling. He slowed as they neared a small stream and moved to slip the bell off to wash it. "Come and have a drink..." He place a paw infront of the edge of the stream so she wouldn't fall in.
"Whats your name little one?" He slid the wet ribbon back around his neck giving a slight shudder at the sensation, the bell gave a wet dull jingle.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Angelina had been blind from birth and without this key sense her others had in turn heighten to make up for this. Smell, hearing and touch were the senses she relied upon heavily to get her about in the world. She followed the sound of the bell without hesitation though she travelled at a relatively slow pace as she still had to feel her way along.
Twitching her nose she caught the scent of water on the air and this was soon confirmed when her savour told her to drink. Edging slowly forward as not to risk falling in, she soon felt the males leg offering a barrier, bowing her head she lapped at the cooling water. Some of the blood that was now drying about her muzzle came off in the water yet some still remained, she herself not knowing it was there.
The male questioned as to her name and she responded with, 'Angelina.' Backing away from the waters edge she turned her head towards where she assumed the males head would be, her milky eyes unfocused. So many emotions swam about in her head and so many she could not make sense of, forcing them down she focused her attentions and returned the question, 'What's your name?'
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:25 pm
"I'm Frey..." He lightly pulled her close with a paw and bent to lick her muzzle clean frowning at the bloodstains and finally stopping when her fur was pure and clean once more. He slowly moved his paw away from her and sighed, what was he going to do? Of course he would take her to the pack, she belonged there, but she might be traumatized for...life? He wondered what she could and couldn't do being blind as she was.
"Are you hungry? Can you hunt a little? I mean...did you always rely on your mo-on the bell." He found himself unable to remind the pup again that she had lost her mother.
He couldn't hold down his curiosity though, there were things he had to know. "Do you have a father?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:36 pm
She giggled slighty as the male pulled her in close and licked her clean, the affection welcomed and when he pulled away she exclaimed, 'That tickled.' Though not long after a sombre tone came back to haunt her voice as Frey questioned her further. 'Father told mother to run when the pack was being attacked, he never came after, just the wolf that had killed my mother and sisters.' The comment was frank and too the point, she had no desire to expand further, though in truth it wasn't truly necessary.
She did not see where this questioning was going and right now she didn't need it. She needed comfort and warmth. Understanding would hopefully come in time, if at all but acceptance would indeed come with time. She was young and had lived a relatively sheltered life, the pack loving and supporting and therefore she was still rather naive, she had a lot of maturing yet to do.
In response to food though she explained, 'I do not solely depend on the bell but it does make it easier, the sound is loud and unmistakable. Mother use to play a game with me, she'd stand in front of me and toss small pebbles at the surrounding trees and I'd then have to go and touch all the trees the pebbles had hit. She played lots of games like this with me, to train me for hunting later in life.' she paused a moment and then lifted her head as if to look at him and then softly she added, 'I am not useless.'
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:47 pm
So she was a true orphan, yes then she would need the pack and they could continue to teach her to be self sufficient. He would have to convince his mother not to coddle the pup too much and he would need to think long and hard about new ways to teach her to use her other sense. It seemed however that she was already quite skilled. He moved his muzzle back against her and nodded.
"No your far from useless, your very brave. I would like to take you to my family, my pack? We could keep teaching you, helping you...and someday if you wanted you could go...or stay." Her voice was so very mature and he needed to give her the choice to follow him, she clearly wasn't some weak sniveling pup who would follow him anywhere. Twix would say she had character, of course she would also turn right around and say that she was blind and therefore useless. His aunt was oddly endearing sometimes and wretchedly cruel others, but she normally kept her cruel comments to herself only her ruby eyes or the curl of a lip showing her disapproval as when his father had named Tempeste his heir instead of Frey.
Frey had been overjoyed of course, Tempeste had only ever wanted to follow in their fathers pawsteps and she had a much better grasp for leadership then Frey himself. He would happily follow his older sister and quite enjoyed a lazy and peaceful existance, it wasn't that he didn't hunt or train or keep himself capable, but it was nice to know he didn't really have any responsibilities to anyone. He only felt mildly guilty or annoyed when his mother worried about him, but otherwise he could probably wander off and not have to worry about a thing. It was always a welcome feeling, and now he felt his stomach tighten a bit, if he took this pup back he would have to watch out for her...she might...need him?
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:30 pm
Angelina held her head, her nose pointed towards Frey, for a moment she held herself so and then blinked and relaxed, allowing her head to fall back to a more level position. The male was a lot taller than her and it was silly attempting to give the appearance of looking at him, but every once in a while she would do so, as she knew its effects, to remind others of her disability yet to stress that she was learning to deal with it.
'I will follow you.' She announced. It was foolishness to remain alone, she was a quick learner, she had to be, but she could not survive alone. She wondered as to the nature of his pack, he himself seemed caring enough to take her in, she needed compassion right now, after so much terror. She was brave, it was true, but with her disability she was already used to dealing with certain hardships.
'I am a bit hungry but I am tired.' The events had taken a lot out of her, her light hearted nature was a ghost, the fact that she was being frank was not a sign of rudeness, just how tired she was, physically and mentally.
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:36 pm
"We'll get you some dinner and you can sleep in the den... sleep is for the best right now. My mother is the alpha of Akiiki Chibale, thats the pack I'll take you too, she's a wonderful healer, you must tell her if your injured." He himself seemed to lack the skill to discern any strains or injuries the pup may have suffered. She looked alright and that would just have to do for the moment, he was more concerned for internal mental stresses then those on her small body.
Twix had never worried when he had hurt himself as a young pup, her only concern had been that he would be weakened by any incidents. When he had gotten himself in a fast flowing river his mother had tended to his cold and then his aunt had forced him to return to swimming. She wouldn't tolerate him becoming afraid of the water, after a fall from a log that had sprained his paw she forced him to climb back up and walk it over and over until his confidence was back. Frey wasn't as harsh though, he couldn't expect the pup to face her parents ends with such a stoic display, she needed love and his family had it in spades.
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:01 pm
The alpha of the pack, she wondered then at his position within the pack and as to why he was out in these lands. But she shook her head, not wanting to cloud it with further confusing thoughts. Right now she just want to reach his pack's den, to cuddle up to someone warm, eat a little food and regain her strength.
When the pack had been attacked, panic had run rife through all the wolves. She and her family had not run far but the stress had taken it's toll. She inhaled deeply and then informed Frey, 'I am not injured and I am ready to go.' She turned, and started walking in the direction they had been heading before as a sight of her eagerness.
She was grateful to Frey, more than words could express but she had so many others things in her head she wished to file and attempt to make sense of, knowing that some things she never would come to understand but still they needed a little thinking through. She hoped he'd understand.
((Perhaps a closing post and then we could set up another with Frey taking her to meet Alas.))
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