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SaevusVeritas Vice Captain
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 Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:05 pm
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×x M A L E V O L E N Tx×xx clouds broiled in the skies, blacks and grays twining with dark blues and purples above the Eroxxus Wastelands. Thunder boomed, shaking the ground, and lightening flashed every few minutes, the white-hot jagged arcs kicking up clods of earth with each land-bound strike. Wind whipped the Alpha's hair around his face, so strong it threatened to rip his mask off, and he hunched his shoulders, ducking his head to avoid the onslaught of debris being kicked around. Dammit. No way we can outrun this. Nekros and I might have a chance to ride the storm's front, but Zaice, Pan, and Kal would be left behind. The male clenched his scarred jaw. Fat ******** chance. If history had taught him anything, it was that the Pack was sacred, a bond of trust, and betrayal of any form was abhorrent. And leaving them behind is simply out of the question
Dreznir turned his head to look behind him at his small Pack, wondering how this had even happened. First it had been just Zaice and I, and somewhere along the way we collected this ragtag bunch of stragglers. Despite the impending threat of violence rumbling overhead, the male smiled. I suppose I'm glad for it. They certainly make life...interesting. The Night Angel pressed his wings tightly against his flanks as small pebbles hurtled through the air. "We need shelter!" He lifted his lilting tenor to be heard above the screaming winds. "I doubt our Hunt will end in anything other than misery at this point."
They'd been tailing a small herd of red elk, the biggest game the Wastelands had to offer and were closing in when the storm made itself known. As yet, the clouds above hadn't dropped rain or hail down on their heads, but Drez knew it was only a matter of time. And not much, at that. He turned around, facing his four Packmates, slitted turquoise eyes lingering on each of them for a moment too long. He couldn't lose them. Even though they'd only been together a short while, he felt...not indebted, but as if he had a responsibility to see them safely through whatever the Ancients could throw at them. He pressed his ears flat to his broad skull. "Did any of you see a place we could weather the storm?"
Drez lifted his nose to the air, scenting the wind. Damn. We maybe have fifteen minutes before the skies open up around us, and I doubt this is going to be a gentle squall. He peered upwards, narrowing his eyes against the strong, bitterly cold and biting wind. The skies were seething, crazed, and enraged. Never before had the Alpha seen such a sight, and it filled his breast with dread. Something is seriously wrong here...this doesn't seem like a natural storm by any means. He gave his tail a flick before tucking it back between his legs to keep it from flopping and streaming out behind him, captive to the errant wind.
"It looks as if this is going to be a bad one, guys. We desperately need somewhere to crash for the night; I doubt this'll pass in a matter of hours." He felt his guts clench and twist as a thought niggled at his mind, and he risked a glance at the front of Khezid; the prodigious, gaping black maw of its cavern stood open, and from the dim light of the storm, the rocks surrounding it looked like gargantuan fangs. "Might even be a couple of days, with the way things are looking." As they were in the shadow of Mount Khezid, near the foothills, Dreznir had to crane his neck to look up at the sky. "...Does anyone else have a feeling of unease and trepidation about this?" He shifted his weight, a frown marring his brow beneath his mask. With only partial sight in his right eye, he couldn't see how far the black clouds extended off to the east. Let's just pray I'm over-reacting here...and that one of these idiots has a better idea of where to wait this storm out than I do.
[ [ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ: ] ]
Heeeeeeeeeeee♥
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:22 pm
Feelings of dread and unease fills his bones as the winds picks up. Pulling his wings close his glowing red eyes looks to the dark depths of the clouds. A nagging voice in his head chanting. Danger.. seek safety.. seek shelter. His eyes turn to Drez as he watches the others response. If it was just the alpha and himself they could get away with their wings.. But the small group of wolves that make the pack. They are family and no matter what. They can't be left behind. He pulls his wings tighter to his body and pushes forward." Dreznir, Alpha.. This storm does not bode well.. Shelter must be sought and we are too far from the Rift.. If we are to make it to any location we must act now. Despite my uneasiness about it.. The Mountain might be the best bet on finding shelter.. But we must be cautious.." His satchel thumps against his chest as the wind pulls at it. He is thankful that he had made sure to have a strong cord to hook around the antler that keeps it closed. His tail and hair moves erratically as he has no binds to hold it together. " I know it is not my place on what we do.. but I implore you to choose quickly for the sake of everyone in the pack.. I don't think there is much time before the skies open with rain to pound the earth.. and I doubt it is going to be a light rain either." Looking at the skies again. The collective mass of dark clouds looming over them is daunting. He knows they need to act quickly. Though he trusts his alpha to make the best choice for the pack in such situations. He can only hope the other considers his words. It may not be the most ideal choice, but with every second their chances of getting to shelter safely is dwindling down.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:33 pm
 A crack of thunder caused the female to jump and her fur to stand on end. She clenched her jaw and dug her claws in the ground, hoping no one would call her out on her jumpiness. Storms never boded well for her nerves. She turned to look at her alpha, and listened to him carefully, her ears flicking as Nekros added his own voice to the conversation. "Oh yes... Heading straight into that mountain seems like a brilliant idea. Might as well throw ourselves into the Rift!" Her tail flicked lightly, but she tucked it between her legs and flicked her ears as tightly against her head as she could. Lightning lit up the sky once more and she jerked to the side. "On second thought... Heading into the unknown interior seems a far better idea than having the Ancestors yell at us in the open..." She gulped out. 'I second what Nekros said... can we just get out of here please?" The omega struggled to keep the whine out of her voice, digging her claws down into the dirt once more, as if the act itself would ground her and keep her from jumping again. She looked at her packmates, wondering if her fear was filling their nostrils like it was her. She did her best to stifle it down. "Hours, days, weeks... I don't care so long as we get away from the lights in the sky. I'm good with just about anything at this point, lets just get going, yeah?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:40 pm
Zaice snarled lowly, not liking the prickling the sky was making his fur do. Sure, it wasn't and oddity of the storm, but it was odd for how quickly it rolled in on them.
"Big cave. Right there. Go in now. Shut up. We can hop craigs later. " he barked, not wanting to get caught out in the dredging that would happen. And who knows what would happen in the foot of the mountain. He didn't want to know. Sure, he snapped at his Alpha, but the time for puckish games was over. He was trying to keep them safe...that was all.
"Drez! No choice, mate. Gotta hide in that cave ahead.... " He quietly thought to himself about hoping for the best, but hoping never got him anywhere. Zaice just gritted is teeth and ran forward towards it. Bugger all.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:05 pm
 The wind had forced Pan to carry his hat of feathers in his mouth, or else have it blown away. His words came out muffled and slurred. "Eyee don trust thee trees we past. Theyre are no boulder outcrops. Eye don tink we have mush choice."Pan nodded back towards the way they had come, and a small stand of scraggly trees already bent half over. Especially poor shelter with the lighting strikes nearby. In a lighter storm he would have offered to be a lighting rod-and draw all the fury to himself jokingly. He didn't want to die so soon though, and standing taller than he was would probably mean just that. Pan looked to Dreznir, catching his eyes. "Owee can see what it dere when owe get dere." With the headband in his mouth he was hardly in a position to be more eloquent with any advice, but to him, the foremost was to leave the storm. If nothing else they could see farther in near safety to find a better refuge from the mouth of the cave. As it was the win was starting to feel slightly damp. He moved closer to the other Omega hearing her whine, trying to reassure her a bit with the simple warmth of another standing near to increase their combined ability to stand in the wind. The lean turned into a shove as the pack's Beta took off towards the cave. "Gho!" He began to trot after the Beta, slow to stay near the back of the pack, and make sure everyone was moving.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:49 pm
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×x D R E Z N I Rx×xx grunted in response to the Healer's words. He couldn't imagine setting foot inside of the Mountain again, not after he and Zaice had the first time. It seems as if Nekros had the same idea as I did, though, and perhaps it's our only option. Dread tugging at him, the male flicked his gaze towards the foreboding cavern. Damn. When he and his Beta had crossed into the mouth of the Mountain, they'd immediately felt...something inside. Something violent, hungry, malevolent, evil...Something that worried even Dreznir. And he certainly didn't fear much.
I should get everyone's opinions, though I don't normally. But a decision this big must be thought through... Normally, Dreznir called the shots, and Riftclaw followed. He hardly ever gave them an explanation for his decisions, nor did they ask unless it was something completely outlandish or ridiculous. A loud crash of thunder exploded above their heads, and he saw Kalliope startle, flinching and gazing upwards in fright. But this... He saw the way the wind picked and plucked at his Packmates, and clenching his jaw, he set his shoulders, turning towards the female Omega.
"And you, Kal?" He saw the way she clung so desperately to the earth, as if by mere will alone she could keep the fierce, whipping winds from sending her tumbling. She agreed with Nekros, and Dreznir's heart dropped further. This cannot be our only option, can it?
Frantically, he looked around, searching for anything, anything that could shelter them. A small outcropping of rock a few hundred yards off, but that would barely hold two of them, let alone all five. And in a storm like this, they needed to stick together, for once the heavens opened and spilled, the wolves wouldn't be able to see three feet in front of them. He heard Zaice let out a low growl at the threatening storm, and Dreznir inhaled sharply. Surely, Zaice will be against it...he guesses as well as I what might lie within Khezid's depths. Grinding his teeth, Drez turned and met his trusted Beta's bright neon eyes, drawing strength from the trust he saw within them. Zaice was surprisingly serious as he turned and made for the Mountain, and that alone was enough to make Dreznir's heart quicken. The Beta agreed; into Khezid was their only option.
With a loud, rumbling snarl, the Night Angel whipped around and faced Panurge, the feathers on the Omega's headdress flailing wildly in the onslaught, the accessory clamped between his teeth so it wouldn't go flying. Dreznir listened with an ear half-cocked, and he glanced behind the Pack as Pan motioned to the small copse of dead trees, which indeed were losing the fight. Pan, too, followed the Beta, and with a growl, Dreznir pushed off of the ground on powerful haunches, leaping forward. He lengthened his stride, barking out a command. "Run! Now!" He'd heard only the slightest hiss, but the moment he finished speaking, lightening streaked through the air, brightening the world in stark whites and blacks.
He waited until all of his Pack had wheeled around and bolted for the cavern before trailing them; if anyone was to be hit by the rain -- or Ancestors forbid, hail -- it would be he, so that he could give them even a second's warning. Not that it would do much good either way. Still, Dreznir raced behind his Pack as the four in front sprinted for all they were worth. The Night Angel wasn't running flat-out, as he would've overtaken them, but instead kept himself a length behind and to the right of Kal. She was their only female, and Pack Hierarchy dictated that even though she was Omega, she was to be protected so that she might bear young in the future, should one of the males choose to mate.
The distance between Riftclaw and Khezid closed quickly, and Dreznir focused his thoughts into a javelin, pointed at the front and widening along the sides. With a push of willpower, the Alpha sent a thought hurtling into his Pack's minds; they wouldn't be able to answer him, but they would glean his command as easily as if he had spoken it not an inch from their ears. :: When you enter the cavern, break right! A deep ditch bisects the entrance, and jagged rocks cover its bottom. Use the flat path on the right to slow your speed.:: The Alpha's sides rose and fell rapidly, though he wasn't yet panting from exhaustion. He narrowed his gaze, and he saw Zaice disappear into the shadowed mouth of the cavern. Then Pan, and Nekros, and finally Kal.
As Dreznir barreled through the entrance, a ground-shaking boom made the entire world shudder it seemed, and the loud clicking, crushing sounds of hail could be heard outside. His breath fogging from the chill of the storm front, the Alpha turned sharply on his hindquarters, talons gouging into the rock beneath his pads for purchase. He wheeled around to the right and fell into a lope, then trot, and finally came to a stop, his wings mantled to slow his flight quicker than the others. The darkness in the cave was permeating, but the runes etched into the Night Angel's fur glowed softly with a warm, blue-green light, illuminating the area around him for no more than a few feet. "Is everyone alright?" He breathed easier as the voices of his Pack reached him, and he tipped his nose to the air, ignoring the scent of death that lingered somewhere off in the distance. Confirming their presence, Drez sank down onto his haunches and tucked his nose under the crook of his wing. A creeping dread filled him, and he knew that something deep, deep within Khezid knew it had guests. Ancestors save us...
[ [ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ: ] ]
♥
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SaevusVeritas Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:04 pm
Sounds of agreement from the others and a few breaking off towards the mountains. He waits for the word of his alpha before moving. Sensing that there is more to the others wariness that he is letting on. Yet this is the only option in which he can see them taking. There is no other shelter suitable enough for the five of them. With the order to run given. Nekros bounds forward. Head low as he pushes against the wind.
Blood pumping, Muscles moving. The ground races under his paws as he follows their beta and Pan. Lightning momentarily blinds them in short bursts. Yet he trusts his vision and keeps going. Determined to get to the cavern. Sides aching with the slight pain of not getting enough air. He pushes through it. They have to get to the cave. Survival is a must. Reaching down he grabs his snatchel in his teeth as he bounds into the recesses of the cave.
The alphas words ringing in his mind he goes to the right. Opening his wings to try to slow down. He gradually goes into a lope into a trot before being able to stop fully. Then getting to the side so their one female and the alpha can slow down. Closing his wings he shakes his coat. What a storm this will be.. and he has the feeling that the storm might not be the only thing they have to worry about.. "Yes Dreznir.. I am fine.. Is anyone injured?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:13 pm
The female leaped forward at the command, thunder crashing behind her and electricity sizzling coursing through her veins as she ran as fast as she could, which, wasn't as fast as the three in front of her. She was thankful for her alpha's presence just beside her as they ran towards the cave. Her hackles raised and she involuntarily let out a growl as they entered the relative safety of the cave, just as the downpour started outside. Her sides heaved and she let out a shiver as she moved off to the side, her golden eyes adjusting to the change in lighting. They lingered a moment on Dreznir, watching him tuck his nose beneath his wing. She turned and licked at her side, trying to calm herself down, the adrenaline still causing her to want to run. "I'm in one piece..." The omega said softly, for once her voice bland and empty of any trace of sarcasm or mirth. She let out another shudder and lay down, tucking her tail around herself as she licked at the pads of her paws, doing anything she could to distract herself from the freaky storm and the oppressive feeling of something lurking within the shadows.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:48 pm
-------ZAICE-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beta of the Riftclaw Pack
Zaice had managed to hear the warning of the schism in the cavern before he ran and slid to a halt. Almost instantly did he pause, furthest from the entrance, ears up, and tail held still, staring into the darkness. Yes, that presence was sweltering. It was a good shelter from the storm, he admitted. Damned if he didn't like the situation.
A bright ear moved to listen to the skittering paws behind him. The Beta taking great note that there were as many as there should be, and none more. Still, something watched. If he had been alone, on by hell would he jump right into the deeper sucking darkness and find out what lay at the heart of this mountain. But priorities...
Seizing inner calm, Zaice quietly padded back to the cave entrance, giving the visibly upset Kalliope a nuzzle of comfort. Sure, she was Omega, but this place was terrifying. It was enough to give just a little comfort to know he was keeping an eye on her. It was his duty as Beta and Guardian, after all. Zaice took it rather seriously...when he wasn't picking mock fights.
One, two wingy dingys...aaand one two omega...plus him... oh good "All accounted." Zaice said, his hushed voice echoing in the heavy air. He didn't like it, but it would do. "Don't wander out of sight of the light." He had to say that. Something about this place told his guts that it was wiser to stick to the entrance of the cave.
It was a stupid and dumb thing to say, but a verbal reminder was needed, at least to soothe his nerves. His ears were moving wildly and he kept his nose open for any strange scents outside of the mountain's death and those of his pack. He envied the way Drez could just curl up like that and act calm. Zaice had to settle for sitting down where he could see everyone and wrapping his tail around his paws while fighting back nervous yawns.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 1:16 pm
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×x H E A V I N E S Sx×xx pressed in around him, and the hackles on his neck rose as Dreznir glanced around, eyes flicking into the depths of the darkness at the back of the cavern. The Alpha rose to his feet, ears cocked forward as he peered into the darkness. Something about this place felt wrong, in a way he couldn't quite put his paw on. It's as if the Mountain breathes, watches. For indeed, he could hear a steady swell and fall of air if he strained his ears to their limits, and though all of his Pack were clearly nervous, Dreznir felt a tug, a pull to go deeper in, to seek out whatever it was that called Khezid it's home.
Almost as if... The Alpha took a few steps towards the back of the cave, stopping when he reached the edge of the light from outside. Zaice is likely right, but still... If he were alone, he'd go cautiously forth, seeking whatever called to him. But a glance over his shoulder showed his Pack, wet, anxious, and miserable, and reluctantly the Alpha turned around, casting one last glance back at the hungry shadows. Another time, then. The male padded forward, pressing his muzzle to each of his charge's shoulders in reassurance, making his way forward.
"I agree with Zaice. Something is sentient within the depths of Khezid, and it's best to stay in the light." The Alpha flicked his tail and shuddered. Now that he was in the weak daylight, he felt a thrill of fear race through him. What had made me want to go deeper, to seek out that malevolence I felt? It had been almost like he'd been in a trance, and thunder boomed outside, shaking a few pebbles loose from the cave's interior. Dreznir flicked a glance at Zaice. The two had been in here once before, and the same thing had happened back then. When we were in the light from the entrance, we were terrified. But as soon as we went a little deeper into the darkness, something had pulled at us, begging us to go in further. If we hadn't been together that day...
The Alpha shook his head, pushing the memory from his thoughts. Whatever called Khezid home, Drez didn't want to find out right now. Some other time, maybe, but his Pack came first. "I imagine we'll be stuck here for a time, so we should sleep in shifts, if we can sleep at all." He didn't mention the way he'd been seduced by the shadows, but the Alpha figured it would only worry them more. "If anyone feels something's wrong, give a sharp bark of warning. Perhaps the rain will let up sooner than expecte-" He snapped his mouth shut, ears catching a soft sound, barely audible: the skittering of claws on stone; faint, far away, but there nonetheless. Drez felt his heart increase its throbbing, pumping adrenaline into his veins.
Something else is in here. Dreznir trotted to where the light was dimmest, slitted eyes looking outwards into the darkness. He forced his muscles to relax, not wanting to give away his panic and stress the rest of the Pack. "Zaice," he called softly, summoning his Beta. To the rest, he said, "Zaice and I will take first watch. You guys sleep if you can, and if you can't, then at least rest your bodies. Once the rains let up, we travel to the Rift, to see if the elk have come early this year." Dreznir heard the sounds of his Pack settling in, and the clicking of claws as his Beta stood up from where he sat. I cannot let them stray.
[ [ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ: ] ]
♥
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SaevusVeritas Vice Captain
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