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 Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:10 pm
This roleplay takes place on the Spirit River Delta, beside Lake Lux.
At the time of this roleplay, no wolf has yet explored this area, nor knows how to reach it.
If you would like to join, please PM Discordancy with the wolf you would like to join with and why.
Current wolves in play: A'cuil, Alley, Clio, Loki, and Sjunheal
 The river was peaceful as ever it was. Birds tittered in crystal air, took fast flight in and out of the forest to the west and east. In their midst rushed the river, incorrigible and unstoppable; as it always had been. The foam-capped waves it tossed up in its flight sprinkled the air with mist. Insects, jeweled and iridescent in all shapes and sizes took to the air, quick-winged dragonflies competing with the lazy paths of happily fat beetles. And at the apex of the Spirit's relentless path, the rapids and fierce current crashed itself out on a small, sandy shore.
This arrow-shaped peak of sand and silt had a coast all it's own, quite unlike that of the forests adjacent. The trees that rose beyond the coast were not as thick as those on either side, maintaining an emerald dappling light beneath instead of the inky color of the forest. It was... beach-like, in a way. Serene.
And it was in this serenity that the Spirit had dropped an unconscious wolf.
The indent of his body was still there, dragged heavily in the side. Endless ebb and flow of the river had, instead of wearing it away with the moons, filled it with water. It sat high enough off the line of the river that it stayed placid and cool. Petals of various water fronds lay on its surface.
Farther back, the wolf that had made this pool rested in the shadow of soft trees. A bed made of these same fronds supported his substantial weight. His fur, rough earthen tones patterned not unlike that of a snake, blew soft and well-kept in wayward breeze. A nose the color of turned clay nestled itself in the
bushy fetlock of an upturned paw, and snuffled in time with the winds drifting about him.
A'cuil, once of the Sure-Claw, lived. He gently snored through the morning sun.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:50 am
 Not far from the male, never far from him, laid a canine quite unlike those that inhabited the forests that ran along both sides of the river that had brought her charge to her. Short dense coat, a square head and floppy ears adorned this canine, and dark black fur solid everywhere save for a spot on her chest where lied a diamond of white. A Labrador, not at all like a wolf, had some how escaped the darkness in it's travels of destruction. She'd been travelling for a long time, after while she'd lost track of just how long it had been. She'd stopped a couple weeks back to rest for awhile and had been surprised to find the large snake skin colored wolf drifting among the fronds of the River... She had made quick work of getting to him and removing him from the water and made sure he still lived. When she found he was she was relieved and set about to cleaning his wounds and making a comfortable place for him to rest. It had been a week and a half now, almost two and he seemed to be doing well. His fur coat looked health and his gaze seemed clear and he breathed easy when he slept. This brought her joy as she watched him sleep. She curled into a ball and rested her chin on her paws and observed her charge a while longer before closing her eyes to rest awhile herself.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:06 pm
The loam-colored nose snuffled a little faster at Alley's approach, but saw no reason to warn its master of the familiar scent. A'cuil slept on. And though he slept gently, deeply; he did not sleep dreamlessly. The warrior might have liked to dream of his idyllic surrounds, but he was not so lucky.
Instead, A'cuil's dreams were heavy. He dreamt of a russet adolescent with bright flowers in her fur, and swimming through a river black as night. He dreamt of tumbling across the pelts of wolves of all colors: crackling blue-on-black, aflame and strange, muddy black-and-brown and violet spots on rolling bronze fields.
He dreamt of the snapping face of a Shadow that dissipated into vapor beneath his jaws; and from that vapor leapt a wolf that simmered with heat, and another that was barely there at all, and they leapt at him. The Sure-Claw could not move his paws - they were held beneath him by darkness. And the wolves' teeth met together in his throat just before a rush of cold, dark water crashed over his head.
A'cuil snarled at he started awake, jerking his head out of reverie. Bright red eyes stared at the black, soft head before him - they relaxed only marginally when he recognized the sight and smell of the helpful nonwolf. His very life was owed to Alley, the one who pulled him out of the river's grasp. She was the only presence he had known for the last several moons. Fully awake, A'cuil audibly sighed.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:45 pm
Alley's umber eyes snapped open and she gazed at him in concern. He registered her appearance and once she was certain he recognized her she stood slowly and snuffled his cheek lightly and asked him, "Nightmares again A'Cuil?" her long tail hung behind her as she observed him a moment more before she wagged a little. "Are you hungry?" she looked around. "I smelled rabbits earlier." she said, pointing her nose in the direction the scent had come from. She was a good hunter, she'd been trained well when she was young, as it was, labs had webbed toes which made them strong swimmers, keen eyes so they could see prey from long distances, and sharp noses that caught every little scent in the shifting winds. She also had sensitive ears and every sound had her floppy ears twitching and swiveling about. Alley sat and looked at her companion and wondered how he was feeling. So long he'd been without his pack. She figured he must have been lonely and probably missed them. She knew he'd be ready to leave soon... she was concerned what would come of him if he was separated from them much longer... Of course, she was also concerned about being caught by the Black with Teeth... the darkness that had chased her before. "I've been feeling uneasy, if I may be honest with you... I think it may be getting closer." she murmured softly, looking at him with a small droop of her black lips.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:17 pm
Feeling her nose in his fur, the wolf slowly nodded. Alley had many times tried to explain to him the difference between what she was - Laboorador - and the wolven he had always known. A'cuil, admittedly, didn't understand most of it. What he did understand were the little things, those things she had unknowingly shown him only in practice: that she could hunt as well as Rouqie had, run as fast as a Flyer. And now, that her nose was just as wet as any other wolf's.
He waited until she had moved back a bit before shaking his great head. Even though he knew it was impossible, the wolf foolishly hoped the night terrors would shake themselves free. "Rest." He replied, smiling at the nonwolf fae. "It looks like you were about to, and you should. I don't know where you get your energy." The brute chuckled - he would never again take forgranted how sweet that sound was to him. "I'll bring back the rabbits."
As the male rose to his feet, it was clear to see just how good his rescuer's care had been to him. His fur did fall well, his muscles rippled. He was a bit gaunt, but that was through no fault of her own - it was A'cuil who refused to leave the Delta, and hunt the larger deer he had grown used to in the forest. He did miss select wolves - the vivid fur of dear Paden came to mind, followed by the enchanting glimpse of off-colored eyes - but he found himself in no hurry to return to the pack as a whole. There was something else pulling at the warrior's bones, something he couldn't put his paw on; but he was almost certain he would not find it being a cog in yet another machine.
"I feel it too, Alley." His voice was curt, and his eyes faraway, before he looked at her. "I agree. How will you be ready when it comes?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:22 pm
Alley nodded, smiling softly as she laid back down slowly, relaxing. "I suppose it's in my blood." she said chuckling softly, a response to his comment about her energy. As was common in her breed she tended to be rather energetic and often had to remind herself she was not a puppy and therefore it would be unfitting to act like one. She nodded and let him be, he was a big boy. She watched him rise and smiled. He looked much better than he had the day she had pulled him from the water. She smiled and watched her charge a moment before laying her head on her paws. He asked her how she would be ready and she lifted her head and looked at him through somber eyes. She averted her gaze before she sighed softly and said, "To be completely honest... I have no idea. I have been running from it for a long time A'Cuil... I don't know what one dog could do against it when it seems to insubstantial or unending... what can we do but flee it?" she asked looking at him, her usual calm, cool gaze churning with uncertainty.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:41 pm
A'cuil shook out each of his limbs one-by-one, more earnest chuckles rumbling out of his throat at Alley's answer. He knew some wolves with that kind of boundlessness - but most of them were indeed young ones. Not that it minded it from her - from a dog. It was endearing. It was also ( as he had seen during his moons of recuperation ) endlessly useful.
"You could fight." He offered, moving to meet those eyes. "There is more to life than fleeing. You have helped me a great deal - let me to the same for you. I will teach you to fight as a wolf, if you'll take it." The brush of his tail wavered slightly, as close to a wag as the hard male ever came. "You won't have to run away again - and you won't be one dog anymore."
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:16 pm
Looking into crimson eyes her umber gaze warmed and she felt her lips lift into a soft smile. She sat up and said softly, "I was a soldier once, a long time ago... maybe it's time to start again." she looked at the wolf and thought, not for the first time, "I'm glad I got here when I did." Her tail wagged and she stood, walking over to him she spoke again, "I'll take your training, A'Cuil, and when the Darkness comes, we can fight it together."
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:34 pm
A'cuil shook himself again, graciously, and smiled at Alley. Despite the leanness of his figure, the brute was doing much better than he had been when she had pulled him out of the waters. He had not yet regained his full girth, but much of the warrior's presence was still there. His paws sank into the soft earth at their feet; his claws were weighted, sharp, and strong. As he yawned, thick fangs gleamed bone-white in the sun, flashing against a carmine tongue. The Sure-Claw felt wonderful! And all of it, he owed to the nonwolf.
"I'm glad to hear it, Alley." A'cuil's smile widened a little, showing a reckless bit of fang protruding over his lower lip. "I'll make you a dog among wolves yet. And the Darkness will fly howling from our claws!" The thought of his vengeance - and suddenly more important, the thought of making those wolven he remembered safe - filled A'cuil with a warlike excitement. He wheeled again and loped off around the trees for the promised rabbits, looking playfully back to see if Alley followed.
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:27 pm
Rest forgotten a bright smile found the female's narrow muzzle and her tail wagged furiously as she sprang into action, running after the dappled male, black coat shimmering blue in the freckles of sun that broke through the clouds and the canopy of the trees around them. Muscles clenched and released in a rippling wave beneath her skin as she moved, her tongue hung from her maw as she ran and with her head held high she leaped over fallen trees and rocks that lie in the path. She ran along side the snake skin patterned male and grinned at him. "Maybe we should look for something bigger than rabbits A'Cuil..." suggested the dark fae. "I think you could use a bigger meal than rodents."
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:32 pm
A'cuil enjoyed the run beside the dark dog. His own pelt slipping so neatly in and out of light and dark that for a moment, it might well be believed that his coat slithered just like its unfortunate namesake. He laughed, taking the moment to pant as she did - only, with considerably less tongue involved. But even this oddity, the Sure-Claw liked about her. Her pawsteps crashed beside his flowing silence, but that wasn't such a bad thing. After all, they were all alone on this isle.
It was with this in mind that he turned to Alley as she spoke. Surprise made itself plain all over his broad muzzle. "Bigger prey? You haven't mentioned anything larger around." He would be interested in hearing about greater kills, of course. But he did not know what had transpired in the forests beyond this pretty piece of land the Delta had become to him. He wasn't yet entirely sure he cared to go beyond it.
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:48 pm
After the three of them had finally reached the Spirit River's edge, they had decided to move upwards towards Lake Lux. Clio was entirely focused on the task at hand, whatever conversation she had carried previously had left completely. Her blue-orange eyes stared hard towards the large shimmer of a lake that lay ahead. Between she and there, Clio assumed, would they find that snakeskin brute. The water flowed from the waterfall, into the lake and then through the river, so if A'cuil lay ahead, then hopefully some of his scent would carry this far.
Clio's brown nose twitched in the air as she lifted her head. She turned a little towards the water, hoping to catch at whatever smells the river carried. "There's something up there." The white-brown fae said in a hushed voice, not looking at her companions. Nostrils whistled as she took a sharp intake of breath, checking the scent. "I-I don't recognize this smell, it seems to be canine, but it's not a wolf. At least, I don't think it is." Once more she took a whiff of the air. The alien smell was mixed with something else. It was at the edge of her mind, something screamed at her but she couldn't put her claw on it. Suddenly, she remembered. Tangled with the other smell was the dusty rocks of the north and the familiar scent she had known since youth.
Her expression changed in an instant. "I've found him." Clio said, snapping her head towards Sjunheal. Her off-coloured eyes shone at him as hope began to fill her. There was no doubt to who she was referring to. Clio couldn't hide her grin as she begun to walk faster towards the source. The scent had been faint, but she had known it for most of her life; of course she'd never forget it.
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:48 am
When he turned she stopped and stood before him. "Well, to be honest, I've picked up the scent of a doe or two not too far out, the scent is usually warm." she admitted. "I've been worried about your endurance and your stamina and I didn't want to leave you too defenseless so I've been hunting the smaller game closer to where we were staying until you were feeling like yourself again." her admittance was sheepish and suddenly the wind shifted and something besides rabbit and does caught her attention. She lifted her wet black nose to the air and sniffed. She sat and scratched her ear. "There's a scent that's new to me... a scent similar to yours... I think it's a wolf... it's getting closer... there's more than one actually..." she said with a shake of her head.
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:59 pm
 The pup tilted her head at the expression on the white and brown she-wolf's features. At her response she perked her ears and inhaled deeply. She could smell their scents and the distant scent of another canine. Loki's tail wagged a bit as she quickly hurried after her larger fem. Mr. Bear-claw's words hung in the back of her mind. I will learn. I will stick by pack always! she thought to herself. Her tiny paws picked up to where she was almost running as she rose her head high, her nose catching the faint canine scent again as she perked her ears, tongue lolling.
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 12:08 am
 A single chuckle rolled across the bearwolf's throat as he noted Clio's sudden shift into action, but no more. He would not be the one who called the fierce fae's determination into question, nor fault it in any way: he had long suspected that she held something other than the pack bond for his stubborn, patterned pupil. Just as he suspected that poor A'cuil was woefully oblivious.
Sjun caught up to their puppy guest within moments, watching her run off at Clio's heels; and he whuffed softly to gain her attention. "We're on th' move now, little sunset! Stay close t' me, and watch my paws. If ye can, your learnin' starts early." If she could figure out how to move as he moved - on the go, no less - it would be a good sign. Sjunheal loved good signs in his prospective students.
To Clio, he nodded seriously. His ears swiveled forward in recognition of the hunter. "Then lead on, gel! You're runnin' point on this hunt, and don' fail us!" His lips twitched proudly.
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