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 Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:32 pm
Alas closed her eyes for a moment taking a deep breath before focusing on the words of the Omnus, despite the fact that they came from within the mind and not on his lips. As he came closer she almost held her breath, closer, closer, she could feel the warmth of his breath against her muzzle and she might have stepped back had she not spent so long struggling forward.
Brace yourself...and she was greatful he had given her the warning, her legs locked, and then the pain struck. Pain like none she had ever known, worse then the birth of her pups, worse then any inner ache. She might have cried out but her jaw was locked in agony as her spine arched slightly. Finally after what felt like an eternity of burning horror her body soothed itself, numbed itself and she gasped softly.
She forced her blue gaze around to the others trying to ensure she was still alive, still okay. Her body slowly relaxed and her breathing evened out once more, her eyes closed briefly trying to understand the change within.
Her eyes opened then and she gazed at the pup, for a moment she wanted to get in the way, to protect the pup from pain. She held herself back, her motherly instinct had often caused her to poke her nose where it didn't belong. Still she couldn't help but give the pup a soft reassuring smile, he would be okay, if this was his destiny.
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:10 am
So it was not to be. Inadequate. The feeling spidered through his veins. Inadequate.
No.
His eyes wavered over the three who had come with him and to the two who had been 'blessed' or perhaps burdened by what had gone between them and Newanti. He felt a closeness to them - especially the pink female, the pup. There was something about the other, the grey female, which felt ephemeral to him.
Not inadequate. Just... not ready - as these two had been - perhaps not yet strong enough.
He could see the pain that grasped Alas and he moved to her side, as if to help her. He didn't want to touch or disturb her, but he wanted to help her, if he could. When she seemed ok, he followed her eyes to the pup, feeling a twinge of concern himself for the tiny body. He knew he'd protect either of them, if they needed it, help them in any way he could - for they had been a part of this thing with him and he felt an odd sort of bond...
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:25 pm
What did he know of destiny anwyay? Was it by mere chance that the pink one had been chosen first among them? What did God have to do with magic? Mother taught that magic was bad, blasphemous and work of the devil. Shamans and seers alike were freaks of nature, scorned by the creator in their pursuit of things unearthly. That was what she said, but . . . it didn't feel right.
When he had met Romulus, the seer had been nothing like the descriptions Mother had told them. He had been kind, understandable, even humbled by his own power. Romulus had suffered for his gift, just like the pup had survived his own terrible encounters. But was suffering the measure power was given by? Looking upon the shivering form of the adult when she had been blessed, the pain it seemed she had been put through - he couldn't help but gulp as another reached out to her in sympathy.
But the righteous anger was still there, a small candle in his heart awaiting to be seen. He had not found himself here by chance, no, he had to believe that. If he could survive a fire, then . . . then this wouldn't be much, right? Nothing should suffer, he responded after a moment, but if that's what it takes, sir, I'll do it. If only so that maybe, I can help stop others that suffer too, when I'm older. A simple answer, but behind it a whirlwind of questions and thoughts. The sympathetic one, the one hardest to see save for his eyes, he seemed to have had his own fire dampened. And the pink one's goa lto save her family . . . With both efforts, he wanted to help as much as he did Kalama's. He looked to them both, hoping they could read it in his dark eyes, before turning his gaze back to Newanti with a nod.
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Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:30 pm
Very well.
The same type of pain, only a degree less severe, fell upon the young pup. Newanti allowed himself to extend a bit of his own energies to dampen the blow since this one was so young, but the pain would still be remarkable.
As the ache removed itself from the pup, the glowing eye beneath the patch faded and Newanti was left standing in the center of the circle, suddenly looking more aged than previously though. Transparent almost.
"None of you are inadequate," he finally spoke, using his natural voice. "If you make the trek back to me two full moons from now, you will be more prepared than anyone new who comes along. "You all have the potential...it will just take more time."
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Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:57 pm
Alas watched the pup concern in her blue eyes for the younger wolf, still so small and untried, hopefully things would be better now for him if not a tad more complicated. She turned then to the aged wolf who had unlocked something new inside of her, something foreign and powerful. It was strange, the feeling was knotted tightly as if still waiting to be fully unleashed, waiting for a trigger.
She thought of the long trek back home, of the loved ones who waited for her. Warmth flooded her chest and she slowly relaxed, she would be going back soon, but right now she needed a few more answers. Looking at the tired wolf she wasn't certain if she should impose to stay any longer, but how could she be let loose into the world uncertain of what she could do.
"Will this new knowledge come from within?" She finally murmured deciding it would be best if Newanti himself decided if she should go out and learn alone or remain and take his training.
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:08 pm
Quin's lips quirked in a wan smile at Newanti. Of course he had heard his thoughts... but to hear it said was at least slightly comforting. As the words came to him he knew he would come back.
Quin's concern for the pup mirrored Alas', and he wondered how such a young body would cope with what had seemed to bring such pain to Alas. He couldn't imagine Newanti wanting to hurt this child but it seemed the little ones destiny was a strong one - for him to be so strongly developed at such a young age.
His eyes flicked to Alas as he heard her murmer and he gave a look which tried to convey 'speak to me after this is done'.
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:50 pm
It was like a headache, only all over his body - and twice as bad. No, wait, three times . . . maybe close to four; something seemed to dampen the blow for a moment. He gasped without sound and cringed from the intensity nonetheless, reliving the fire from the past without a single disturbance beyond his body. Such a queer sensation . . . When at last it subsided, Adam panted as if he had run a marathon stright through, ears drooped and muscles loose after the minute of severe tension.
He could feel sympathetic eyes fall upon him once the blur around his mind began to sharpen back into clarity. Sore as he was, the pup felt his usual indignation and, putting up a characteristic tought front, he forced himself to sit up straight and took in a deep breath to puff out his chest - yikes for the effort, though. He felt like lying down and napping for the rest of a whole day might be very, very nice right about now.
Still, something inside remained after the throbbing, he noted, like embers from the fire previous. He would investigate this with time, but right now, he felt ready to just sit and listen and toy with the new smoldering presence within. Adam attempted to try and poke it, prod, it, something, but at most he felt tingly all over. The pink one spoke again asking this strange tree-dweller about their gifts, and he decided not to overexert himself just yet after the ordeal.
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 5:13 pm
"You are responsible for your development of this newly formed magic. It will not reach it's full potential unless you hone your abilities and learn about yourself now. I only aligned your energies into a more powerful, condensed form. It is up to you both to decide what you'll do with it." Newanti shifted slightly as he went to move forward, his steps careful as it was clear he had a visible balancing issue. He looked unconcerned about it though and and instead looked at the sky.
"For you both, I suggest you take a deep, hard look at what scares you most and find a way to work through that fear. Or fears, if it's several. Work through it, not eliminate." He dropped his head down to look at the group again, letting his haunches drop so he could sit and rest. "Fear is healthy. It keeps you from doing something stupid...but it can also inhibit your mind."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:04 pm
Alas nodded softly in response to the words of the older male, this would take work, that much she had anticipated. It was his words about fear that made her nervous, she knew what she feared and running had always been the best solution. Yet now with the threats coming to her pack, her family she knew running wasn't an option. She would have to learn, have to work through those things that frightened her like Newanti had said.
Fear was so very much like pain, and pain was something that Alas knew plenty about, she would have to try and take that approach. Just as pain warned when something needed rest or help, fear warned when to be careful or prepared, when to bolster ones courage.
"Thank You, for allowing us this chance, and for your words of wisdom." She finally murmured and slowly relaxed. The path ahead was clear now and though she knew there would be obstacles, she was confident.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:46 pm
Fear . . . He didn't like fear. Pups shouldn't have to live life with loss and danger to the degree he knew, and he knew was not the only one who knew. But what did he fear most? Fire? Humans? This would take soul-searching . . . and energy he didn't have at the moment. Adam feared he might soon fall asleep while sitting up if he didn't hurry back to Kalama; thankfully, hopefully, she was still asleep through all this. He didn't need her to go thinking she'd been abandoned for no reason in the middle of the night.
But first! He stood up and stretched a tad, maw spreading into a silent yawn as he fixated his dark eyes upon each of the wolves, despite his growing tiredness finding it easier to place their positions. Then with purposeful steps he approached the pink one, dipped his nose close to her fur without asking permission (as if he could!), and took a deep sniff. This in turn was done to the male he felt dejection clouded over and the femme who had spoken not a word but seemed in pain, and finally to the tree-dweller himself. All memorized, all taken into account. His games as a younger pup with his siblings, all those guessing flowers by their scents only - coupled with his blindness that already heightened his other senses - made for a powerful nose.
Another small yawn. He looked to the male's clear eyes and, not knowing why he did, mouthed distinctly, "WILL. VISIT. SOON." An impulse, yes, but with meaning behind it that his fuzzy mind could not discern for the time being. Finally, Adam turned to the mysteriously powerful wolf and bowed his head until his nose touched the ground, tail close to his legs. Hardly a good way to thank this wolf for giving him a chance to circumvent his secondary disability, but it would do for now.
After a moment the pup straightened and recalled Kalama's scent and within seconds turned to the brush form which he had appeared minutes (hours?) before. Nodding his head slightly over his shoulder to the toehrs as his way of saying goodbye, Adam began to make his way back, not expecting to be followed. There would be plenty to contemplate and then push off till tomorrow to ponder on the journey.
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:21 pm
 It was many weeks now since his pup-hood encounter with the adults, and young Adam had fleshed out into a lanky teen. Whoever said growing up was a journey of its own wasn't kidding! When he had first stepped into the Sacred Grove, he had just been a curiously drawn pup with little purpose beyond being second stomach for Kalama to feed and another displaced youth looking for missing family members. Now he here stood, scarred and more experienced, retaining his optimism despite equal amounts of evidence both supporting and denying his opinion that the world was truly a wonderful place.
Everything is smaller than last time, he thought, and then chuckled in his head. With age came more "duh" moments apparently. Adam stepped along the very path he had trodded as a pup that had led him to the group of wolves before, wondering if the tree-dweller was still around. Was he made of magic? Certainly Adam still remembered the pain he had gone through when he had been chosen that night; it reminded him somewhat of how it had felt when some pain had leaked into his mind from Venda's when they spoke at times. Was that a regular part of seers, knowing such pain in the mind? He had yet to meet a tragic figure like Venda whose mind was covered in a veil of misery; but even this was lessened as they conversed, so perhaps not all was lost. This thought and other similar ones were what kept the adolescent moving forward.
Adam almost half-expected to see the same wolves from before, and in a way he hoped it was so: for some reason, it still felt to him as though he had slighted Quinn who had seemed so sincere in his plight . . . This was a wolf he needed to see again, maybe help him in his own quest as recompensation. After all, this wolf wanted to keep his promise to use these powers to help his kinsmen!
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:41 am
As Adam approached, he would probably see that the old grey wolf was already settled back on his haunches at the split of the tree, eyes and ears alert. Newanti had been waiting for him.
The mystical silvery shimmer of the tree was still evident, but not as strong as it had been the night that Adam's powers were manipulated into something more usable. If Adam had known the patterns of the tree, he'd know that the lack of the full moon was mostly the reason. Or, perhaps, Adam would chalk it up to having grown up; everything looked so much grander when looked at with the eyes of a child. However, whatever the reason, the impact and 'magicalness' of this meeting would appear significantly diminished. Despite this, Newanti seemed no different.
Hello Adam. I've been expecting you.
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:17 am
Caught in the minor whirl of memories of the place (how the light of the moon had bathed everyone in silver light, and yet he had seen them in shades of color regardless, how the dappled patterns on the ground seemed to shift in and out of forms as he stepped forward, how quiet most of the other gathered wolves had been save for when they were addressed, their scents, the mere idea of the tales they had brought with them, the splitting of the tree and the strange casual magnificence of the wolf who had been birthed from it . . .), it wasn't any wonder that Adam did not at first register Newanti's voice - even if it was in his mind. It practically blended into his memories, how he had asked each of them if they thought they were prepared to take on the burden of . . . magic, was it?
Of course, even a half-blind wolf could still smell, and when Adam realized that this was not part of his imagination, then he realized that the voice was not from the past but indeed set in the present as he was. Blinking, the adolescent turned almost instinctively to the mysterious tree that had brought forth the large wolf, and there he was! His tail began to wag. 'Hiya, sir!' he greeted as he padded up to meet him, stopping a polite distance to also settle on his haunches. 'Really? Not that I don't think you wouldn't have, 'cause you look really powerful and stuff.' Adam was pretty sure he was a seer of some sort, it was the most logical answer. Did that mean he'd be able to pop out of trees too, though? That'd be so awesome. Hunting would be more fun too!
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:33 pm
Newanti chuckled, finding the youth's cheerfulness and informal actions to be refreshing; usually those coming to him were somber and afraid of their own shadow.
Yes, really. I heard you coming from miles away. You project yourself very strongly, you know. His voice carried the tone of amusement, though a touch of exasperation was also evident in voice and in his expression. Not unkindly expressed but still evident. Something you need to work on, should you ever want to be more sneaky around wolves gifted like yourself.
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:31 pm
'Really?' he asked, tilting his head a bit. 'I didn't mean to, sir, really. Most of the stuff kinda happens on its own. Like sometimes I'll see through the eyes of nearby birds, and it's really awesome, sir - but I bet you've done that plenty of times, huh?' Even someone as dense as Adam did catch the subtle tone of frustration from Newanti, though, and his smile lessened a little. 'Y-Yes, sir. I'll work on it more, promise. It's just really tempting to just . . . stretch out?' It was odd how to describe when he tossed his mind out to acknowledge other creatures. 'Anyways, how are you, sir? D'you ever get lonely when wolves leave right after the ceremony thingie? 'Cause if so, I'd stick around each time long enough to chat with ya.'
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