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 Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:40 am
 I saw the sun begin to dim snd felt that winter wind blow cold;
A wolf learns who is there for him when the sunlight fades and the walls won't hold...Well; that could have gone a lot worse.
He couldn't help but let his tail sway as his heavy paws came to a stop. He'd just left his introduction to The Point with their blessing to join the pack's members.
He was broad shouldered, barrel chested, long legged, body thick with lean muscle. His fur was thick, plush, his features elongated and sharp. His paws were huge, ears tall, his teeth long, his eyes nearly glowed with the smoldering determination that kept him moving, no matter how tired or weary he might be.
He'd been trained and shaped to be a weapon for almost as long as he could remember; however, this day he had taken a vow, from the depths of his heart, to spend his remaining years living not as a weapon, but a shield.
Admittedly, PhoenixAsh was not sure where to go from here; he had not been a part of anything bigger than his family unit, and even then, he had never really "fit" into the mold among them. Here - here he knew that he would stick out. He was, after all, much larger than a majority of the pack.
He tossed his head, shaking out his fur, some of it flattened haphazardly from him lying on it when he'd stopped to rest on his trip back with the Elder's acorn. Truthfully, he was grateful to have come across Dusk Owl - he had, in his own special way, guided Ash onto a new path and changed his life immeasurably.
Protector... this place... this is my home now. This home and those in it, they are mine to protect.
Purpose.
It felt good to have purpose; to know what his function was, to know what was expected of him. He knew that in time, he would learn how to best serve in his duties. Dusk Owl had spoken of the Old Guard, the way things had once been, and it had lit a flame in the belly of the Phoenix, and he was eager to rise into his place here.
Azure eyes scanned the forest floor and he lowered his head to take in the scents of the wolves that lived here, his ears flicked forward, and swiveled side to side, listening to the birds.
From what he'd been made to understand, living with the birds here brought some benefits. They were known to warn the pack of trespassers and other impending dangers.
He was so fascinated as he took in his surroundings, moving through the foliage and weaving between the trees, that his weary body and tired mind grew absent and complacent as he headed for the stream that hemmed the eastern part of the territory.
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:40 pm
 Ghost Whisper, ever on the prowl, was not far behind.
Though she wasn't on duty - seriously, why was she so underutilized? - she had picked up a foreign scent and became a bit frantic about it. It wasn't normal, whatever it was - that strange mix of... well, she wasn't sure. But it was trespassing, that much she knew. If some new creature had come to live among their ranks, surely her father would have alerted the protectors of it.
Although, in this case, he simply hadn't the time. PhoenixAsh was fresh from his meeting with the Point, but she obviously couldn't know that. When she realized the scent she picked up was taking her directly towards the stream, she started moving faster and faster. A hulking gray mass came into view rather quickly, and Ghost nearly stopped in her tracks. Her hackles raised. Knowing the other - whatever it was; was it a wolf? - was likely now made aware of her presence, she had to act quick. Assessing the figure, they seemed to be wearied. She was a bit worried about their size, but she was spry and strong for her size and she wouldn't let this injustice happen on her turf.
"Hey! You! What is your purpose? Do you know you are on Swiftfell land?" The female drew closer, hesitantly, waiting for the other to turn around. The fur lining her spine continued to stand up, and her ears were pointed, eager for an answer. Although some of her body betrayed the fact that she was a bit intimidated, she attempted to give off an air of grand authority. {WC: 268}
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 5:07 pm
His scent...
Aha, he couldn't even really imagine what his scent must be like to them, the smaller wolves. The thought had never even crossed his mind.
Every Berserker he'd known had smelled uniquely different, but each had one thing in common; a scent that tugged at the synapses like wind over the ocean, or a breeze through the trees in autumn, the scent of wildflowers in bloom in a meadow, or in his sister's case, the scent they shared - Petrichor; the smell of the earth after a rain.
Every berserker he'd known shared that - a wilderness smell; something that spoke to the untamed nature of the "beast".
He had been through so many territories that surely by now, his scent was muddled.
He'd always had that scent of rain and earth - perhaps it was inherited from his mother. But there was a scent that under the mess of territories and weather, was distinctly him; male pheromones and the musk of testosterone aside, there was the scent of stone; mixed with what could only be described as the cooling coals left over after a wood fire, with maybe a hint of weeping willow.
Weeping Willow, Fire, Stone, Rain, Wild, Male.
These were the components of the scent that trailed in his wake.
His ears swiveled towards a voice that caught him rather off-guard. He lifted his head, tilting it just slightly before he paused in his steps and turned towards her. He lowered his head to nod in greeting.
The black pelt of the female had varying shades of shadow, from obsidian to charcoal, but the white mask across her face made the startling blue of her eyes burn brighter. She was so very small compared to his hulking form.
His tail lowered and swayed in a display of friendliness, he had to resist the urge to smile, knowing his teeth would seem threatening. He could hardly help the mane that poured from his head over powerful shoulders and down his thick back. His hackles weren't raised, but from her point of view, it would likely be easy to mistake them for being so.
Ah, yes, I was aware of this. In fact - I was heading to the stream for a drink, and perhaps a nap. I just left from meeting with The Point, his voice was low, it was in fact so deep that it rumbled in his chest. His ears laid back as he looked away from the female, certain his sharp gaze must be intimidating.
Her voice projected courage, and confidence, but her body betrayed her only minutely. He was a hulking beast, after all, he could not fault her for her uneasiness.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 8:42 am
The other wolf standing before her - a large (much larger than she) male, she now understood, seemed to have his hackles raised. But his voice - booming and resonant - seemed calm and sure. That was when she realized his fur was simply thick and crowding over his shoulders and neck - he bore no ill will, from what she could tell.
A meeting with the Point? Curious. She hadn't heard anything from Thrush, Dusk Owl, or her father. But the fact that this wolf knew what Swiftfell's leadership was called was significant. That betrayed some level of inside knowledge, but Ghost Whisper still wasn't certain.
The fur along the ridge of her spine began to lay flat, but she was still on high alert. "Oh? And just what did the Point say? You, ah..." "You don't look like you belong here" is what she almost blurted out, but she realized last-minute that it was rude and unnecessary. "You're different from us. From me." Ghost motioned her strikingly-colored face toward him, still sizing him up as she took a step forward. Her posture was all confidence, especially considering this male seemed to have no malintent, but she was still concerned. If he did have a malicious bone in his body, regardless of how good she thought herself to be at her job, Ghost recognized that this wolf could crush her if he wanted to. {WC: 231}
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:03 am
Ash was aware of her eyes scanning over him, taking in his appearance, learning his form. His movements. His posture. He lowered his head to her, head canted to the side, offering her access to his throat, knowing this was something that had comforted a few other of the smaller wolves he had encountered in his travels and proved he was no threat.
"I traveled to the land from whence your pack came - I returned with an acorn born by a tree planted by your Elder's ancestors. I did this so that your pack might see that tradition continue and see a piece of home grow with the generations that follow. In doing this; I have proven my dedication at seeing the pack thrive... The Point have... deemed my presence allowed. Once I have had a chance to learn from the elder more about the wolves here, and the history of the wolves who came before - I may be allowed a position as Protector."
He watched as she moved closer; her confidence seemed to grow, and his eyes took in her markings as she spoke. Her words were true - after all. He was different. From her, from the other members of the pack. Her words had faltered for a moment and he suspected she'd intended to say something else first, but seemed conscientious of the message she was communicating to him.
He stretched, hind legs extending behind him, his hips popped from the action, and as he leaned back, rump raised to bend his spine and stretch his forelegs in front of him, he winced when something pulled, but felt better. He shook his fur out, and he sat, before lowering his stomach and chest to the ground, crossing one foreleg over the other. He was on her eye level now, and had put himself in a position of disadvantage so she could approach comfortably.
"Forgive my neglect - my name. It's Phoenix Ash... your scent; it bears familiarity. I suspect you must be the daughter of the pack's Beta?" He was still learning names, but was making an effort to engage - he had never been particularly good at outside socialization.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:58 am
Ghost listened, rapt by the words of the eloquent PhoenixAsh. He had a pretty way of speaking, and a deep, grumbling voice like something emerging from the depths of a volcano. Nodding in response, she watched as the PhoenixAsh took a moment to stretch himself out, clearly taking pleasure in the action (don't we all?) before settling his belly on the ground and looking back at her purposefully.
The story he told - it definitely sounded like something Dusk Owl would cook up. So, she figured, she could trust him. His body language was that of deference - it was impossible, Ghost was sure, for him to look submissive, but this was likely as close as he got.
Stepping forward, Ghost moved to just before him and sat her own butt down on the forest floor. "PhoenixAsh." She repeated his name, committing it to memory. After all, he was one of her new pack mates and to be a protector, at that - she'd end up quite close to him, she was sure, even with the pack expanding as rapidly as it seemed to be doing. "I am Ghost Whisper, and you would be correct, Willow Bark is my father. You'll find that, ah... half the pack wears a scent like mine. He's quite the busy one." A smile made its way across her face for the first time in their brief interaction.
"What made you choose Swiftfell? It sounds like you went through quite the journey to find your place here." Ghost wrapped her tail around herself and set blue eyes on his own, awaiting an answer. {WC: 265}
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 5:46 pm
As she moved in closer and came to rest beside him, his ears swiveled towards her to take in her voice. It was pleasant to him - it didn't have the same growl most berserker voices held. The sound of her voice saying his name made his ears perk forward and his eyes lock on her.
"Ghost Whisper." There was something about the way he said her name, a little growl in the "G", the "S"s like a whisper, and the "R" it ended in rumbled like a Puma's purr. His tail swayed a brief moment - he was pleased to be meeting someone already, honestly, and he found that she held his interest.
As she explained that a large portion of the pack were of the Beta's blood, he was indifferent - but it was good to know.
That so many share his bloodline just reinforces that they are all to be protected.
Despite being indifferent to the fact that he'd had so many offspring, the way she phrased it, made the berserker chuckle a little, the sound was reserved but held a note of sincere amusement.
His eyes traced her smile and one of his own tugged at the corners of his mouth, but at her question, his ears flicked back and he pulled his eyes from her. He looked up at the sky above them - through the foliage of the tree cover he caught glimpses of wispy grey clouds dragging themselves across a sky that was slowly changing colors as the day grew longer.
"The answer to your question is not a simple one. We are still so new to each other, I fear it may come to shape how you regard me." He said admittedly; while he had consciously come to terms with his past mistakes, there was suddenly a self-consciousness that crept in at the idea of this small, dark, strikingly painted femme learning the things he had done. His eyes turned from the slowly traveling clouds, feeling her eyes on his face, azure eyes seeking out hers. "But I will tell you, if you ask it of me," he promised her.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:08 pm
Something about the way he said her name indeed. It sounded so purposeful, so right, in the strangest of ways. Ghost couldn't put a name to the feeling tugging inside her, so she decided to ignore it. For now.
She was glad to see him chuckle at his joke about her father. Truly, she thought it was amusing that he seemed so... proactive in repopulating the pack. While some others (cough, Thrush's first litter, cough) did not like seeing their parent settle down and have litters with a female they did not approve of, Ghost was just happy to see her father happy. Minnow treated him like the beta of her heart, and he did the same - which was all you could ask for, really.
At his comment, Ghost nodded, a serious look passing over her face. She could tell from the way the other wolf formed his sentences that he had some things in his past that he... well, maybe ashamed wasn't the right word, maybe not regret, but something acknowledging a personal wrongdoing seemed to lie within him.
"I trust that you'll tell me when it's time." At that, she rose to her paws once more, tail lightly wagging. "Now, didn't you mention heading to the stream? I'm quite thirsty after doing the hard work of tracking you, and I could definitely use a drink." Ghost threw a smile his way, quirking a brow - willing him to join her. His presence was welcome. More than welcome, she would come to discover. There was just something about the way he said her name... {WC: 264}
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:47 pm
Her acceptance of him; of the words he spoke, that she seemed to understand and even accept the knowledge that there was something that weighed heavy on his heart. "What of you? Were you born into this pack?" he asked, curious to know more of her, taking her proximity as a chance to breathe in the smell of her.
Her scent, while familiar like her fathers, was still unique to her own person, and still intriguing to him. He wondered about her siblings, surely there must be many. He wondered about her mother, and about her relationship with her father.
Family had always been an odd little enigma to him and he often wondered what families inside the packs were like, especially those that stayed close.
At her expression of trust, his ears swiveled towards her voice and as she rose to her feet, he stood too, tail waving. "I do believe I did." He answered, a lighthearted laugh tumbling in procession of the words.
He fell into step beside her after that quirky smile and that brow that tugged at something between his chest and stomach that he couldn't, maybe wouldn't, try to identify. His tail wagged lightly and he brushed his shoulder against hers. "It would be my delight to share a drink in your company."
A little part of him could not help but think, perhaps he would find his home here in this pack after all. In it's members, and in the place he made for himself.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 3:08 pm
"That is a great question." Most newcomers assumed she was born into the pack, considering her father was there, but that was not quite the case. "Actually, my mom's a rogue. I didn't join Swiftfell until late in my adolescence - I wanted to figure out who my father was and ended up finding a home." Ghost smiled, mostly to herself, feeling emotion that she didn't often let rise. It hurt, missing her mother and her siblings, and it was terrible not knowing what great things they went on to do (so she liked to imagine). But Swiftfell had become everything to her.
Shaking her head a bit to righten her brain, she glanced over at PhoenixAsh, setting heavy paws down beside hers as they walked. He washulking and she was into it. It wasn't often another wolf made her feel small. But damn. This was neat.
As they walked upon the stream, Ghost stepped forward and dipped her head low, making contact with the eternally cool water. She closed her eyes, and in her mind, she was far away from where her body was. But with her, still, was PhoenixAsh.
Her eyes snapped open.
And so it began. {WC: 197}
{Total WC: 1,225}
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:24 pm
He got the feeling that most didn't ask her that question - he was glad he had when he heard her response.
...Ended up finding a home... It was funny to think, but he and she, it seemed they were not very different.
"I have a sister. She's a rogue." He shared in a light tone - knowing the she was out there in the world, even though they were not together, was enough. She had told him once, no matter where the wind blew them, not matter how far apart - she loved him.
That made every day he'd spent alone a little easier to handle. Now though? Now he wasn't alone. It was an extra layer of fat on the Buffalo's back,(Wolf version of icing on the cake?)if you asked him.
The swell of emotion did not go unnoticed; he could see the change in her eyes, the shift in her scent, the way her movements shifted. She missed someone close to her. He suspected it was her mother, whom she had only just mentioned.
The sound of running water and the smell of the wet earth caught his attention and his tail waved a little higher as he trotted to the water's edge, lowered his head and drank from the chilled stream, delighting in the taste of it dancing over his tongue.
His gaze fell to her and softened as his azure orbs sank into hers, cerulean, as her eyes snapped open.
So it began, indeed.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:34 pm
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