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 Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:12 pm
Quickening sighed to herself as she walked through the tall spring grasses, thinking about pack life. She missed her family, sure. But living out in the wild was where she was meant to be. She just couldn't figure out her place in the pack itself..
Nexus had Mist, a lovely female whom he'd most likely end up taking as his mate and having lots of babies with..
Then of course there was Tay who was now looking into the healing arts. She was constantly piecing herself back together as it was; why not put that skill into use for the pack?
"And that leaves me," the sand colored female murmured to herself, then smiled when Fitz chirruped. "Yes, I know you're here for me. But what good am I to the pack?"
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 3:16 pm
The pack alpha sauntered around the outskirts of her territory, having dispatched her oldest pack members on a patrol to make sure no Koru members trespassed. If they did, they were to be driven out by any means necessary.
Long ears flicked and perked as the large female heard speech from ahead. Recognizing the voice, a small smile drifted across her features before she drew on her usual distant expression. It was only appropriate for the alpha.
While she was large built, her dainty paws hardly made a noise in the grass as she treaded towards Quickening, spotting the sandy beige and white female and her pixie up ahead. With her ears resting back relaxedly, she folded her wings to her sides and approached, stopping a respective distance away from the other. While she generally had any and all right to come as close as she wanted, she preferred to treat her pack members with respect.
"Good evening, young Miss Quickening," she called out, though refrained from bowing her head before she had been greeted accordingly.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:25 pm
Quickening jumped at the sound of her pack leader's voice and let out an undignified squeak. Blushing furiously, the younger wild straightened her posture and gave Nuiks a formal bow.
"Good evening, Miss Nuikuru!" she called back, both pleased to see the alpha and embarrassed at being caught talking to herself, not doing anything productive..
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:52 pm
"Chill evening, is it not?" Nuikuru smiled in a motherly way, giving a formal nod of her head in return as she approached Quick'. "Perfect for idle loitering," the alpha added with a small playful glint in her duo-colored eyes, ears flicking to and fro at the sound of crickets. It was evident the younger female was caught off guard. Understandable, though, the alpha was entitled to be the stealthiest member of her pack.
Stopping beside the smaller female, Nuikuru sat.
"Don't have any tasks assigned to you, Quickening?"
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:00 pm
"Er, I suppose so," Quickening responded to the first question then quailed at the 'idle loitering' remark.
"I..I hadn't noticed," she added, looking down at her paws. She would've kept her gaze there if it didn't seem rude not to meet the alpha's eyes. Steeling herself for a talking-to, Quickening watched as Nuiks came closer and finally sat by her side.
"I do have tasks assigned to me. I was just taking a break to think. I'm sorry, I'll get back to them right now, if it pleases you Pack Leader," she said, contrite.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:46 pm
Nuikuru had set about looking over to the horizon-- the little there was to see anyway, a small smile flickering about her features. As Quickening trailed off, she slowly shifted her gaze to her, a soft chuckle emitting from her.
"No need to be quite so formal, child," she scolded with an amused tone, though felt a little proud that the young female had taken on proper pack manners in such a short time. "There is no hurry."
Now keeping her eyes fixed on the smaller Quick, she remained quiet for a moment before looking over the grass again. She had overseen her pack, and all was fine and well, there was no rush. "Something's troubling you," Nuikuru murmured, long ears settling back comfortably. Her speech was calm, more so a statement than a question. Yet, it left an opening for her to either answer, or not.
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Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:11 pm
"I apologize, Pack Le--- Iiii'm doing it again, aren't I?" she asked, blushing prettily while she gave Nuikuru an embarrassed smile. She couldn't help herself, really; Miss Nuiks was the alpha. If nothing else, Quick was good at showing the older female the respect she deserved.
Caught up in thinking again, she was surprised by Nuiks' prompt and it took her a moment to answer.
"Oh, it's nothing really," she assured Nuikuru, laughing lightly and reaching up with a forepaw to scratch her muzzle. "I guess I just haven't found my niche yet."
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 5:30 am
Nuikuru smiled silently as Quickening stumbled over her words. She had a lot of settling down and finding her inner serenity to do. But young blood was restless, it was only understandable. Standing, the alpha stretched out casually, like any other pack member.
"Well," she started lingeringly, turning to look at Quickening. "Should we go and try to find it?"
She gave another of her motherly smiles. To her, all her younger pack members were family.
"Ever been to the Stone Circle before, Quickening? It's a great spot for meditation," she added in her usual cryptic manner.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 11:26 am
Calming some at the motherly smile the older female gave her, Quickening gave a smile of her own.
"I'd like that very much, Miss Nuiks," she said, reverting back to the title she'd used to refer to the alpha wild when she was a kit. "And if by 'Stone Circle' you mean the Circle of Gaia; yeah I've been there. But I'm prolly wrong and you mean some other site entirely," she continued easily, comfortable with Nuikuru's cryptic manner. It had never bothered her.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:13 pm
"Good, you know the place," Nuikuru smiled, flexing her wings once before heading into the tall spring grass. She treaded towards the circle steadily, walking slow enough to make sure Quickening kept up with her long strides.
"I'm sure we can resolve your purpose once we give it a good bit of thought."
She smiled inwardly. They most likely didn't have to think of it at all, the stones knew the power sleeping within each individual. Why wouldn't they, they were as old as the time itself, formed from the very core material of the Gaia in the begining, coming all the long way to the surface in a matter of millions of years. Stones most likely knew everything. They were just very silent.
The eldest of the Wilds had been in tune with the timeless stones, they could hear them speak and speak back to them. It was an ethereal tune that has been long lost. The elders are long gone, as is the memory of the secrets the stones would tell.
Now they lay silent.
Contemplating these thoughts, Nuikuru felt herself quite insignificant. She was the eldest of the Wilds in her pack, but she was not in tune with the nature. She couldn't hear it speak.
The closest the Wilds came to hearing the secrets was at the Circle of Gaia.
"We'll be there soon."
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:25 pm
Given a goal to work toward, Quick brightened considerably, confident in her pack leader's judgment. If Miss Nuiks said she could find her purpose through meditation, well, who was she to argue?
Clamping a tight lid on her eagerness, Quickening restrained herself, loping to catch up to Nuikuru and then slowing to match the elder female's pace.
"Thanks Miss Nuiks. Talking to you always makes me feel better."
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:03 pm
"I'm glad to hear," Nuikuru smiled, peering over the grass rather than looking at Quick'. Despite getting along fabulously, she always kept herself distant in a way or another. It was only expected, a true leader needed worthy allies, but let your allies too close and you might end up with troublesome enemies.
The stones came into view after a short walk and Nuikuru spread her wings. She could never know what the stones were saying, but she was dead certain the stones spoke among themselves. They weren't your usual stones.
Magic, some call it.
Nature, the Wilds preferred.
"Come now, young Miss Quickening. Best begin our meditation before dark. Settle down in the middle of the ring and concentrate. Sharpen your senses and grasp tight onto anything you can feel."
While the instructions possibly seemed to make no sense for now, the younger female would surely understand. The stones rarely let anyone down.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:13 pm
Quick smiled then looked out over the grass as well, mimicking her senior, walking in companionable silence. When she spotted the stones, she felt excitement sizzle over her. But she knew Nuikuru would disapprove of any outbursts so she kept a tight rein on herself, forcing down the urge to speed up. Instead she moved calmly, giving off an air of casualness.
"Yes Miss Nuiks," she said crisply, bowing slightly then moving to obey the alpha's command. Taking a deep breath, she settled in the middle of the stones and closed her eyes, trying to attune herself to her surroundings.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:39 pm
The alpha sat a few feet away from the circle, allowing the younger female settle down embraced by the stones. A good few minutes passed without anything happening except a calm evening wind rustling the grass and an idle cricket chirping in the distance.
More time passed in silence and the alpha smiled to herself.
So the stones let one to wait. Very well.
"Move closer to a stone. Any stone, one you feel like approaching."
If only she knew what nature was talking about all around them. It'd been far easier to begin coaxing one's sleeping talent if the stones would simply say what they wanted to be done.
The air felt a little tense, almost electric. The stones were contemplating, speaking their silent language to one another. Perhaps picking a stone would make it easier for Mother Gaia to bless Quickening with a skill.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 2:15 pm
Trying to concentrate, Quickening felt the breeze stir her forelock and smiled slightly, letting the cool breath relax her. Somewhere inside, a tiny impatient voice railed against the quiet and the lack of something, anything at all, happening.
Doing what she could to ignore it, Quick almost missed what Nuikuru had to tell her. But the alpha's voice reached her as if from far off.
Nodding her head once to show she'd understood, Quickening kept her eyes closed and tried to feel out which stone to approach. Normally, she would probably have gone to the stone right in front of her but something made her turn, facing the stone behind her to the left.
Opening one gold eye to peer at the boulder, she shifted, getting to her feet and padding over to the large stone. Once close enough, she sat back on her haunches and reached out with her forepaws to touch the rock's cool surface.
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