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 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:58 pm
 Irons quietly surveyed his territory, watching every new thing that moves in and out of it from the mounds of bones that surrounded it. He had lived there for so long that he could find his way without even watching where he was going. Few but Szalka would remove a Bone from its stationed position... or perhaps her two apprentice priests, his own son, Reks, and the other male, Loir. Yet it still stung him to know that he still lacked the spiritual strength that the Bones Pack had once possessed. Not only were the other males worried about the idea of only having three females in the pack, one of whom Irons had already temporarily taken as his own mate, but without Priestesses to match the priests and keep the balance... the pack was sure to fall into spirital nullification.
Sometimes he hated being in charge.
Still, he let out a small sigh and stood up, moving among the piles of bones towards the outskirts of his territory. Partly to avoid his other son, Valin, and partly because with only two guards, neither of whom he could possibly entitle as nobles, even he had to work to keep the Pack going. And make sure no pathetic weaklings entered the territory of the Bones Pack. At least with work to do, he had time to not think about his other problems.
At least the issue of finding an heir had been fixed.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:28 pm
 It appeared to be quite the desolute area, and for good reason. The piles of bones seemed to go on forever, and the reek of death was prominent. It would probably scare of those with a weak stomach or found the territory to be ill-fated, but to those with more of an adventerous spirit, it appeared to be a gold mine. What kind of things could be found amongst the piles/ Of course, she wouldn't touch them; it was highly unholy and inconsiderate to move the bones of the deceased. She paced a little about the outskirts of the territory, emerald eyes peering in carefully. She had heard that a small pack resided in this territory. Her care-giver, Felicie, spoke very vaguely about how the pack was one that worshipped death and was of ill size. It was what sparked the girl's ambition to head out to this pack and it's territory and look around. It was an interesting ideal to worship, death. It was the rebirth of the soul, so she believed. But there were those who enjoyed killing over the actual beauty of death, and those were the ones she decided to avoid avidly unless they challanged her. Mali stepped carefully and quietly past the first pile of bones, vigilant in looking for mmbers of the pack. She kept low to the ground, almost stalking. The stench of decay and bones was easy to dismiss after a few minutes, but the scenerey sent chills down her spine. Amongst the piles could be potential enemies or potential friends. It was just so easy to walk by the wrong pile and be ambushed. Confrontation didn't necessarily scare her, however, as long as it wasn't with the pack leader. She was basically an intruder, and intruders aren't always welcome.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:37 pm
Irons saw Mali enter the graveyard instantly. He knew everything that moved in and out, down to the mice. He watched her, stalking through, but Irons' own scent of life was over-come by the over-whelming smell of death. She was interesting enough, even as he looked at her move through.
Young, he supposed, the age of his own sons. Still, he could see the interest in her eyes as she looked around the bones. And that amused him, to say the least. Enough so that he didn't march up to her and drive her off. So while she stalked around the pack's grounds, he stalked after her. He was a little bit curious, about what she was doing.
But she wasn't afraid. That was something unto itself... these piles of death, the stink of dead animals, wolves included, hadn't driven her off. Perhaps she had heard the stories about the Bones Pack... and perhaps she was merely curious.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:34 pm
Though her nose was overpowered the wth smell of the deceased, her ears picked up on the vague sound of paws behind her. She paused in her sneaking around, still keeping low to the ground. She suspected as much, that somebody of this supposed pack would be around. Standing taller, she craned her neck to look behind her, but found no one. Of course they'd be hiding. She rolled her eyes and sighe dquietly, before lowering herself once more and wlaking deeper into the territory.
Some piles of bones looked fresher than others, as there werre bits of flesh still clinging to them. She grimaced a little at the sight, but was not scared off. At least that poor soul was now in a better place. She walked around that particular pile, sniffing the air lightly as if to give the image she was just sniffing the bones. But no. She was trying to pick up on the scent of the one tailing her.
It was very faint, and it was not of anyone she knew. A threat? She'd find out soon enough. "Would it be wrong to inquire that you show yourself?" Her voice was quiet, but with the area so desolute it carried well.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:40 pm
That drew a chuckle from Irons. The girl was something, and that did amuse him. He walked out of the shadows from behind a pile of bones, showing himself, "Well now... aren't you a clever little thing?" He mentioned, tilting his head to the side slightly, "But it does lead an Alpha to wonder... what you're doing wandering about so deep in my territory? I've been watching you since you came in."
Still, she hadn't been afraid, even when she saw the Bones Pack's more... grisley, newer projects. Some old bones were falling apart, which meant newer kills had to be brought further inwards, to keep everything together. It was a grim business, but death was their worship, and the Bones had to be kept sacred, by any means nessesary... though sometimes even the Alpha found the smell a little excessive.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:57 pm
When her stalker showed himself, she immediatly had a feeling he held a higher position in the pack due to his stature. He didn't look scrawny, and his build was impressive. She smiled softly at his words, but it was quick to turn back into a nonchalant one as he mentioned his status in the pack and questioning her being there. She glanced towards the pile she had been circling for a moment, before clicking her tail and taking a very light step towards him.
"I'd be lying if I said I was lost and just happened upon your graveyard," she casted a sidelong glance towards another pile, before turning her gaze back upon the larger wolf, "I'm just taking a peek around. I believed this place to be desolute, that there was no pack among these old bones. I see I'm pleasantly wrong, however." Though she tried to keep her tone more serious as she was playful by nature and didn't want to fofend the Alpha. However, her tone was naturally a little "peppier", if not teasing. "At first I flattered myself that somebody would watch me, but I appear to just be an intruder. Though, you seem to be the only one who has happened upon me, however. I'm not surprised. I've heard your number is down by certain means, and I'm sure the chance to raise your number doesn't sound interesting to you?" Mali rose her brows while she sat down on her haunches, waiting to see if he pciked up on her meaning.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:10 pm
"Now... if you thought this place would be empty, how would you be hearing rumors about our numbers being down?" Irons asked, raising an eyebrow as he chuckled to himself and absently began to circle her, carfeully stepping over any bones to avoid hurting them as he went, "You came here for a reason. Why...? Well, you're brave, and you might as well have just asked me for a position here... but if you've been hearing rumors, you should know we don't take in just anyone."
The girl had spunk. That was fine. But he had to be careful with wolves who had... too much spunk. Or they ended up like his current so-called Shaman mistress. If he ever lived her down, it would be quite the miracle. After all, he had two young wolves running around to prove it.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:22 pm
"Do you believe everything you hear? I don't, so I was in every right to think this place as empty as the graves these bones belong in." She followed him with her eyes, taking in every little movement as to ensure her safety. But if he intended to attack, he would have done so already. She couldn't help her muscle twitching into a smile, her eyes lighting up at the challenge. "I think it's obvious why I'm here. I'm interested in your pack now that it's just not a rumor. And not easy to get in? I think you'll find that I don't fret at challanges." She stood up, stepping abruptly infront of him but not without grace.
She lowered her head, gazing up at him, "So what will you have me do to prove that I'm worthy? I'm not afraid, just so you know. I know I'm young, but I can compensate for that easily." Felicie had told her her age would be off-putting to pack leaders if they were unimpressed by her lively personality. Mali had never asked to why her foster mother knew so much about packs, but she took whatever information in.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:32 pm
Irons grinned in his odd... slightly sadistic way as he looked at the girl. A teenager, he might have known the encounter would be a little like this. Still, she was amusing enough. "You would be right, in thinking that you will have to prove yourself to me before I will allow you enterance to my pack... so I must ask, how much do you know about us, in all your rumor-gathering?"
Really, the answer to that question had a lot more impact than Irons was willing to let on. He didn't expect her to know everything... but he was far more interested in knowing how the outside world viewed the Bones Pack of late. Being crippled by a civil war would. of course, wreck their reputation somewhat... but he needed to know that the Bones Pack was still feared by outsiders. And that it was known that it was not so easy to join in their ranks.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:44 pm
His grin made the girl swallow a little, a light chill running down her spine. Well, that certainly was a little creepy. She raised her brows at him and instead of letting him circle her she moved out of his way and mimiced the action, slowly walking around him casually. So he was interested in what the outside world knew of them? Well, she was a knowledge seeker, and though with rumors it was hard to pick fact from fiction, she stored it all anyway.
"Well, it's kind of hard not to know about how your pack members massacred eachother, but for what reason I can only fahom is for power. What a crippling ideal," she rolled her eyes, before continuing on, "From what I've heard however, since your slaughter your numbers are down. Apparently you all worship death... Or take pride in your kills," she motioned with one of her tails towards a few bones. "... Which gives you all quite the unwelcoming image. I've been warned that you're all just a bunch of psychopaths, though, and that's why your bone piles are extravagant." She shook her head, glancing to him, curious.
"Does what the outside world think intrigue you? Does it matter what reputation you have, really?" She giggled softly, before quieting herself quickly enough.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:38 pm
Irons chuckled a little, "My dear... at the end of the day, all one has is their... reputation. For instance... my reputation is that I am... what was the delicate way you put it? Ah... yes, a psycopath. Maybe I am, maybe I am not, this does not matter, all that matters is how many believe I am one." He stopped walking and looked right at her, "Are you still interested, despite knowing all of what you know? You wish to worship death, and live among the Bones, of both our prey and our comrads? Will you worship death?"
It was a fair question, really. When it came down to it, the Bones Pack did have to look at death every day, and have their noses rubbed in it. If a wolf wasn't ready for that, no matter what their strengths were, they could not mentally face living in such a society. Yet somehow... this young lady did seem like a wolf who could live among them. Her lack of fear... the strength in her eyes, yes, sometimes Irons could just tell when someone belonged with them.
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:35 pm
Mali inwardly winced at how he depicted himself. Well, wasn't that calming? But it proved to be interesting, that was for sure. She kept he rgaze level with his, not willing to show any second thoughts. She nodded, and turned her gaze towards the sky for a moment, bfore back to the Alpha, "I still am not scared off, as you can see. You can take that as a yes," she grinned a little, though she still didn't quite understand worshipping death to its fullest. It would prove to be a most interesting concept, that it would be.
"So is that all I have to do? Say that I'm not scared off?" She rose her brows, emerald eyes questioning the larger male. Or was self-evaluation the kind of task set for her? That would be quite hard for those who did not know what they wanted... But she simply wanted knowledge and acceptance in some kind of form, and this was sufficient.
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:52 pm
Irons tossed back his head and laughed, "You think that I would seriously only test your mind's courage? No, no my dear I think not." He looked off into the distance, to the north, "In the north, there is a type of bear, which I am... particularily fond of. A white one. You will go north, ten days, and find such a bear. You will then kill it, skin it, and bring me it's hide."
He turned and moved back into his Bones, "Oh... and one more thing, it is believed that eating the flesh of such a bear will give you great insight, little girl. Find the bear. Kill it. Bring me it's skin as proof... and then perhaps, for one so... intelligent and brave, I will allow you to train with our Shaman... so that you might know what it means to worship death. Do you accept? For once you do, and you then return here... there will be no turning back... and then, there is always the chance that the bear might just... kill you."
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:32 pm
Insight. The word rung in her ears more so than the others, and interest flickered in her eyes. Killing a bear... Did not sound enjoyable, or easy at that. She turned her gaze away from him as she took a moment to mull over the offer. She had come in search of this pack to join it, not to simply say hello, she told herself. What was the point in just seeking it out? She wanted to become apart of the intriguing organization and find out more about it. There wasn't much to life besides knowledge and death.
Mali turned her attention back to the male, and with a small smile began to turn around, "So... Ten days? Starting now? I think I can handle it."
-----
(Time skip ahoy! 8D)
-----
It took... Much longer than she had thought or desired. She had planned to take two days to find this bear, spend a day watching it, one day to kill it and skin it, and take three days to get back to the desolate lands that belonged to that pack. Seven days, she had given herself. She was almost three days over what she had planned. Mali had expected maybe taking eight days, but not in the untimely position of racing against time.
The sky was tinged with the colors of sunset, which wasn't a good sign. The ten days weren't up, but close. She clenched her jaw shut as she tried to walk faster while carrying the heavy coat on her small back. Her pace didn't pick up until she saw the ridiculous amounts of bones littering the ground. Her ears, which were pinned to the back of her head almost, perked up as she passed what she considered the boundary.
Dumping the white coat with a heavy shake, the young female heaved for breath. Now all she needed to do was wait for this pack leader.
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:51 pm
Irons had waited for her for the entire ten days. He had work to do... but of course, he also needed more females in his pack. So many had died in the war that he really couldn't risk letting her go. Of course, if she was weak... then the entire point of having her in the pack at all was defeated. If she wasn't tough, it didn't matter that she was female, what mattered was that she was strong. The pack needed to be strong.
He watched as the sky started to turn black on the tenth day... perhaps the girl had been weaker than he had thought. Well, that was no good at all. He supposed he would have to wait until he found a female better suited than her... but then he found himself rather pleasently suprised.
He saw her on the horizen from his position on his throne made of bones. The girl was there... complete with the bear hide, as she had requested. A smile played on his mouth as his grin revealed teeth. She had made it. She was still within the ten day limit he had set for her...
He approached her slowly, letting her wait and stirr, before he moved out of the shadows and spoke, "Ah... so you are still alive. Now isn't that a pleasent suprise? And you have brought me what I requested... excellent..."
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