|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:59 pm
 The old male pulled himself out of his den, it was a little ways off of all the others. One-Winged Angel was one who liked his privacy. Bright orange pawpads to blue legs with the flaming wings on his back legs strode out to a small soft grassy spot in the sun where the male laid down on his side, the large flaming wing on his one side facing the bright, warm light of the sun that shown down and warmed his dark fur.
Shaking his head the red cord tied around his neck swung around and cyan blue eyes looked around. OWA laid his head upon his paws and stretched himself out, his old joints popping as his did so. There was no pain to the movement, but rather a release of tension that would build in the stiff old joints.
He still struggled with the idea that his old pack was back together again, after being disbanded and broken so many years ago and here it was again, all of them together and he served under his great Alpha Ultima. A flame dipped tail lifted and fell to the ground lightly as he looked on his mind drifting over various thoughts that crossed his mind as he let them come in go. Closing his bright eyes he lay their paying attention as he breathed in and out, settling himself in a meditation, allowing him to sense everything around him, including himself as he felt free of his body, but still completely aware of it.
Everything felt at peace even as memories of the war drifted over his mind as he considered the last time the pack had been together like this. So many had been so young, so many were so much older now like himself. And so many others were long gone, likely having passed on to the next world. But now back together, eventually, there would be more, many more as time went by. Though he had no family of his own he had long left the thoughts or hopes of a family belonging to him behind.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:19 pm
 Not everything was peacable in The Realm of Light, however. Yes, it was considered "joyous" that members were slowly returning after the massive coincidence by the river several months before, but frankly Spellbinder was on the one-track mindset about her treasured possession, and dammit no amount of wolves coming back would fix that hole, that persistent lack of presence it had in her den that so quickly put her mind at ease. Spell was loathe to admit that she believed in good luck charms, and Kingdom Hearts help the wolf who dared accuse her of such so blatantly. It was a memento of her old mentor's! Out of sheer respect, she simply had to retrieve it back, that was all!
The problem was, where was that damnable, dusty tome? Light help the wretched creatures who beheld it now, be it human or wolf so some other curse-brained fool; Spellbinder was not one to cross nor steal from.
Even now she was incapable of letting go of that bitterness, brooding as she walked along to stretch her aging legs. She was not as old as some of the members, but the beta was slowly getting there. But as if something like mere time was going to stop her from sniffing out her tome! Now if only she could recall what that young boy had said . . . "Saw no green cloak, no, no, no," she muttered aloud to herself. "Must've missed it because of - rrrrrrrrgh!"
Fairy Harp!! Why couldn't he have had the decency to just die? Spellbinder seethed as she recalled her last visit with the bothersome omega, her pawsteps growing heavier in her disturbed temper. "That's it," she told herself louder. "Enough nonsense. Must search at source! The source holds answers."
It was an easy lesson she was relearning: If you wanted something done, do it yourself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:54 pm
The peaceful calm that had spread over OWA was suddenly disturbed as a glowing red of anger floateed through his consciousness, the glow coming from the muttering that came from Spell as she passed by. Peaking open a cyan colored eye Owa caught the sight of the old girl as she stalked by. Raising his maw and perking his ear forward as he listened to her words.
"It's not good to talk to yourself like that Spell." he chuckled "Others will start to believe you're becoming as batty as Pumpkinhead!" he cackled and wagged his tail. Normally the old male wasn't one to make jokes, but he was in a better mood than usual which was rare and he felt more lively being around even if it was for the mast part at a distance other wolves, wolves he knew. At first he had been largely uncomfortable and still often did, but he was slowly readjusting to the feeling of being a part of a pack again, a part of something bigger than just himself. He had a larger purpose even if he wasn't as young as he used to be.
Carefully pushing his old bones off of the soft spot in the grass he sat up and watched the blue femme with a smirk over his blue maw, bright flame colored ears pressed as far forward as possible in a puppy-like manner. Spell might have had a tick in her a**, but he wasn't going to let it ruin his day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:23 pm
"Rrrrrrg! I know that voice, that petulance," growled the healer as she whipped about to face him, hackles raised - or rather, she was in her normal posture, as some joked. It was easy to tick Spellbinder off, like some sort of untended flame was always bruning within her, ready to howl at the nearest wolf or other creature that happened to, in some way, shape, or form, be not of her liking. "Bah! Not ribbon loner," she grumbled, eyes narrowed at Owa. "Lying down and moping again? Don't let me be of bothering to you, more important business to do than the dealing with useless fur."
At the least one thing could be said: even Spell, angry as she seemed all the time, wasn't a sadist. She turned her head again to return to brooding, loud thinking. "The source, the source . . . would she have it? Нет . . . Я не знаю." She growled again, this time softer, more frustrated with herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:54 am
Snorting in laughter Owa pushing himself to stand, he wasn't going to let her ruin one of his good days, maybe he'd turn her little games on her for once, see how she liked it, being bothered, but yet, everything bothered Spell now that he thought of it. "Oh no, found myself the fountain of youth on Destiny Island!" he called out wagging his tail with laughter.
Though his statement was false he believed being around a pack again was breathing some life back into his aging bones. Maybe even with time he would move himself closer to the others, be social, as if he had ever truly been social to begin with. "Who you callin' useless fur?" he called out raising his head. "Have you forgotten what I did for this pack so long ago, proving myself to even Ultima. I didn't put my life on the line in that war just to save my won tail. And don't you forget it!" he stamped a foot and let out a long howl.
Cyan eyes came back down baring a piercing stare at SpellBinder. Shaking himself off he trotted forward to her, tail raised high. He didn't expect respect from many, if any at all, but he wasn't going to allow himself to be looked at as 'useless fur'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:11 pm
Oh, but this display only further made her sprun him, snorting wrly. How she hated sarcasm when it wasn't her own! "If your only hold to this is one petty war, then honor is cheap," Spellbinder retorted, "and your howling nothing, nothing! Like wounded bird that crows and crows when wing is injured, sound not heals but reveals pain." And again she snorted at him for emphasis. Owa wanted a fight, did he? Ah, she would answer it very, very willingly - there was quite a bit of pent up energy reserved in the beta still, and if even a fellow packmember was the one to incur her wrath, so be it: it simply wouldn't do to lose any respect simply because of lost years!
Thus, Spellbinder crouched at tad in preparation, tail twitching. "You are not one-wolf army. Has ego cultivated in your mind these years?" she posed with raised, unimpressed brows. "Others fight too. Or have you forgotten that with time?" Just one wrong movement, one slip of the tongue that set her off, that would be all . . . Perhaps letting out some steam would mean the stolen tome woulnd't bother her as much.
Oh, who was she kidding? But it'd be a very nice and entertaining distraction to have a scrabble for no particular reason.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:36 am
A snarl spread over his lips and he continued forward. So bitter was this old femme that she must take her frustrations on anything that moved around her. How was it that Ultima put up with her sometimes he wondered. He knew all too well he was not always the easiest to be around, being a loner for so long her had lost much of his sociability, but he was getting better; albeit slowly.
"And where is your honor Spell?" he growled. "I hold my honor in that fact that I fought for those that I barely knew, but I fought for their safety, setting aside my own for the greater good of a pack I knew little about." he snapped. He had known little of the other back then, and in a way he still didn't know much about many of them. But he had fought for Ultima with pride, proving that he was trustworthy, and a loyal wolf to them in the end. "I hold back no pains, to show one emotions, compassion, fear, guilt, those are true strength. Anyone can hide behind a mask of self pity and snap at every living thing that passed them with a smile on their face. THAT is weakness to not be able to let go of the past and move on with ones life." he snarl and flickered her flaming tail, matching ears laying back against his head teeth bared and bright eyes narrowed angrily.
So much for his good mood, he could never truly understand what made Spell so damned bitter. He was not spring hen, hoping about and happy, but at least he didn't take his frustrations out on everyone that happened to cross his path. "I remember all to well the many who I fought alongside, the many who triumphed and the many who lost their lives; and those who lost theirs at my tooth and nail" he finally snapped, eyes lighting with a fire that had long been absent from him. He hated remembering those terrible memories. He had been so much younger then, it was a thrill to be in war; almost.
As the fatalities had piled up, he watched other he had formed friendships with fall, never to see the light of another day, another full moon rise into the sky and light the land in pale light. And then there were those whom he'd had to kill, fighting was one thing, but to end another wolf's life in ones jaws, it changed you forever, and there was no looking back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:43 pm
Aaah, and so the fire was being stoked! Perhaps a dangerous affair, yes, but she liked this so. It was true that little was known about the Spellbinder's past before she had joined the pack; a healer was not so bitter most of the time, and certainly not a secretive blood-luster like she was. It was that sort of cutting irony that Spell liked most of all: the healer that knew too many battles to ever remain peaceful again and the one-winged bird who sang his heart out despite being clipped of flight!
Owa was the picture of aggression, white fangs against blue maw, the flames of his ears and tai flat and bristling, the eyes sparking.
She found herself grinning almost maniacally in response, her eyes revealing if for a moment that very longing to fight.
Everyone had saw the war as a deep abyss in their past. She had seen it as a rather fun early-morning sport. A bath in blood, a morning meal of fresh meat. The forest had not been quite so green in her wake that day.
Spell was no seeker in the realm of psychology like some of her brethren who chased after humans and studied them like the animals they were. She did not know why there was such a cause to be upset over death when death was bound to happen regardless. This silly rule of three, this inanity to believe in such things as "destiny" and "fate" and "Kingdom Hearts" - balderdash. But most of all, she did not care for Owa's words of valor, for she did not believe such a concept had room in the nasty business of war and strife.
Such thought processes always came when given the opportunity to fight; Spellbinder was quite succeptible to bloodlust that clouded judgement and tainted the mind and generally made a fool of a wolf.
"Enough talk," she hissed, half in and out of her smirk and frown, in and out of sense and instinct, in and out of a past self and a present one. "Fight or flight, one-winged one? I tire of hearing excuses."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:38 am
Snapping his jaws at Spell he could help but want to bite her, but as a pack member it was wrong to attempt to tear another apart. He wasn't afraid for himself, oh no, that was never his way. He was fearless in that sense, but could he really lower himself to her level of stupidity and attempt a fight with a fellow pack mate.
It seemed to matter not to her as she bared her own teeth, taunting him, claiming he spoke excuses, calling upon their instincts of fight or flight. He battles with those feelings now, both raging at each other to win over the other. His hackles raising, bristling to the fullest extent as her drew himself up. He wasn't a small wolf, though at times he could seem smaller than he actually was.
"Are you so blind with fury that you would lower yourself to fight with a pack mate?" he snapped, stamping his paw, her pelt bristling, making the large flaming wing on his side seem to come alive and shimmer into fiery life. Tail raised up high, he let out a low growl. He was tired of fighting after the war and wanted nothing more to do with it. But Spell looked as though she were going to give him no choice. Once when he was young he wouldn't have given so much as a second thought before leaping upon Spell and attempting to tear her apart, but now, oh how he dislike the idea of fighting unless is was necessary.
"You're heart is bitter SpellBinder, for one reason or another your judgment and mind are clouded with fury and hatred over a matter that happened so long ago. Though I may be blind to what stirs such a fire in your heart." the low growl echoed and vibrated strong and deep in his throat. Spell would have to make the first move. He had his pride, but she was a female and it would be wrong for him to take the first snap at her. She was younger than him, though not by too much. If it was a fight she wanted, he'd give it to her, but he was not going to be held at fault if Ultima was to become upset over it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:25 pm
Fury? Hatred? She snickered at his use of words, for neither were correct! Neither were correct! Stupid, ignorant loner, speaking of what he did not know! Bitter, yes, but hatred? Spellbinder snapped at the air before him, smirking, unaffected. "He babbles! Come, let us -" "- calm down and see sense?" finished another softer voice. Spellbinder growled as the pale figure of the shaman seemed to glide towards them on soft paws, blue eyes filled with concern. "Why must there be more fighting between friends?" Oathkeeper asked, looking between them. "We have only just settled here; surely this could be worked out through words, not fangs." She knew some of Spell's past not on purpose, and it was this that had led to their friendship in the first place. The shaman had a strange affinity with tragic or melancholic figures, their pasts appeasing her need to play psychiatrist and help them ease into the present away from such memories. Under this same clause she had a bond with Owa as well, though she more careful around him.
Spellbinder growled at her. "None of business!"
Oath sighed quietly. "I cannot stand by and let you cause senseless fights, Spell. Please, calm down." There was no extra force behind this in tone, but the femmes locked eyes; at length Spellbinder broke off the gaze and clicked her tongue dismissively, seeming to no longer be in as much a bloodlust as she had been. Oathkeeper looked to Owa. "What happened?" she asked, not accusingly but curiously.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:16 pm
The old male looked over with a snap and lowered her head but never truly taking his eyes off of Spell, that was a quick way to be overtaken and he wasn't about to make that fool of a mistake around her. He stepped back as the shaman stepped forward. if there was anyone else he held respect for it was OathKeeper. He watched her calm the bloodlust that blinded SpellBinder and sat back on his haunches as he was addressed.
He had no point in lying to the she wolf, no, what good would it do, he had always been an advocate of truth. "I heard Spell muttering to herself while I laid under the tree behind us." he nodded back hind him to the old drooping willow that hung in beautiful bloom. "I spoke out making a joke and was retorted as being called 'Useless Fur' if I recall correctly." he said carefully, the words sharp on his tongue.
Still feeling the sting of the comment he continued, being sure to keep respectful with Oath she was a gentle thing, able to talk sense into about any wolf. "I reminded Spell that I fought in the great war, that I am not some useless thing that lies about the pack. Though I will admit I am still adjusting to pack life again." he bowed his head, he normally would have adjusted better but it had all happened so quickly that he felt as though he'd been struck by lightning and blindness caused by the strike was finally beginning to fade.
"SpellBinder was angered by my words and by all means called me delusional, as though I have let my place in the war go to my head and swell my ego. I of course could not stand to be called of suck things, I called SpellBinder out, admittedly, I may have been to harsh. Anger took me, and I could not help myself. She challenged me to a fight, I did not more than bare my teeth. I would never have taken the first strike, it would be dishonorable of me to do so." he said proudly, having held at least some aspect of his pride intact. Though he wasn't sure exactly how much was left. SpellBinder had been the one who had called him to fight, and all he had tried to do was make an innocent joke in his good mood, which was surely spoiled now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:44 pm
Oathkeeper listened to him carefully without interruption until Owa finished, at which point she nodded and turned to Spellbinder. What lied in that now blank expression she wore? Oh, Spell . . . Why? Oath asked herself, worried for her friend - even if the beta did not consider her as much. "Is this true?"
Spellbinder only grunted with a vague nod, still gathering her bearings from the strange red mist over her eyes and looking away moodily, tight-lipped. It was so very odd . . . She hadn't come here asking for a fight, yet . . . yet . . . what was it again that she had been out for? What was - ah, her tome! But why did that take some time to recall in the first place when it had been devouring her thoughts for many days? Spellbinder frowned at this anomaly, remaining silent.
Oath made to speak and chide her over her manner, but something was ponderous about Spellbinder's behavior that gave her pause. Angry or not, she was the type to voice her opinions loud and clear; to remain clammed up was not like her at all . . . "I am just glad this did not escalate. Now Spell, would you mind getting some of your herbs for Father? Some of his wounds are acting up again." She knew better than to force an apology now, not when no damage had been done beyond ill-chosen words - and not when it was Spell she was talking to, one of the most stubborn wolves within the pack.
". . . Da." A mere mumble was her response as she turned and retraced her steps back. Not a word on Owa's commentary nor what had brought her there in the first place.
The shaman watched her go, looking worried for a moment before swallowing it back down and looking to Owa. "That was close. I hope she did not bother you too much, Owa, Spell still needs to readjust to pack life herself . . ." Thouh it sounded more like an excuse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:44 pm
The old loner bowed his head in respect to Oath again. "Of course, I can truly understand. No, I am sure I can easily go back to the laziness that had consumed me since we arrived her. I find this area fairly calming." he said with a nod. There were so few in the pack he would really talk to, but for some reason since having run into OathKeeper that fateful day he had found himself able to speak with her. There was something about her gentle nature that so quickly put him at ease.
He sighed and shuffled his blue paws slightly, moving the blades of grass beneath them. A light breeze ruffled his hackles slightly the warmth coming with it, making him hold back a yawn. Spring just was a wonderful time of the year but all the same if was a strange time where the world just seemed to wake up after seeming to have died. With Spell well out of earshot Owa looked Oath with pitiful eyes. "Have you any idea what plagues her?" he asked. Even he could tell there was something wrong with the female. He wasn't exactly a perfect specimen, a model wolf for the pack, but Spell had suck outburst that even made him look innocent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:17 pm
Oath paused in thought, pondering how best to answer. As the pack's chronicler, it was her job to know unfailingly The Realm's past passed down from one generation to another, and with this came undoubtedly several . . . unsavory traces of history that she could only hope was not repeating itself. Not when The Realm was just resettling back in its old territory! Was the land repaying the blood spilt that day?
"I . . . do not know for certain," she said candidly, not wanting to lie and thus not giving away her suspicions so easily. There was little point in entertaining mere whispers from history when she had little evidence anyway. "Perhaps Spellbinder is close to heat? She has always had stranger cycles than most females. Or there are more distressing matters in her life that appeared after the war that she is merely carrying back with her home to scrutinize." But it was best to avoid the subject for now, and she gave the loner a little smile. "I have not seen you since our phenomenal gathering in the rain, Owa. How do you fare these days, Spell notwithstanding?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 6:42 am
He understood, even Oath could not know everything, though little escaped her, he nodded in acceptance of her lack of knowledge in SpellBinder's case. Something bothered her that she refused to reveal even to OathKeeper it seems and one day it would consume her, that was if she didn't do something about it. He had nearly been consumed by his own problems of holding onto the past, but he had overcome it, though almost too late.
"I understand." he said finally giving another nod. "It's possible...though I don't know a male fool enough to go within a mile of her with such things on his mind as mating with her. That is unless he wasn't to shred to pieces." he flickered his bright ears. He wouldn't consider it at the least that was for sure. He valued his life more than that. He looked back to the shaman as she asked how he was doing, a question that had never really been asked of him, except for when she had run into him, before the others had descended upon them.
"I'm adjusting as I said. But I am growing more and more comfortable every day with pack life again. It's not easy for an old wolf such as myself to just snap back into things, it takes time." he sighed and gave his tail a half-hearted wag for Oath. He was fond of the shaman, though he believed everyone was, how could one not like OathKeeper as gentle and sweet as she was. Sometimes he had a hard time remembering that she was Ultima's daughter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
