M. broken halo

Titania Moonsong · 05-30-2012, 11:45 AM

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The broken cry that rang weakly through New Dawn sent a chill down Titania’s spine, and she knew at once these last few halcyon days had come to an end. Something was about to shake up their world, and Titania needed to know what. It was hard to pinpoint where the weakened howl originated from, it’s notes were scratchy at best and got lost in the trees, not reverberating as a normal howl would. The Alphess started one way, and then changed her mind and doubled back before stopping again. For a moment she stood, unsure of what to do, and then she took a deep breath to try to calm the adrenaline that coursed within her. Think, Titania, the young Alphess urged herself. Her youth and inexperience had gotten her all turned around, she needed to collect herself to be the leader that she was. Closing her eyes, she stopped looking at things and saw. Sounds came from far off… shuffling, hurrying, heavy breathing… and she sensed a smell she hadn’t taken note of before. The scent was metallic, coppery, and she knew at once it was the smell of blood permeating through New Dawn. She was so close to the path Palaydrian had hobbled down earlier, and had she kept going the trail would have hit her in the face.

Her eyes flew open. She knew who had called and where they had gone. Turning again but following yet another path from before, she raced through the trees. She knew this wasn’t right, the air reeked of Luperci blood with that sweet scent of wounds that had gone uncleansed for a time, and she thanked the moon for the shape she had already taken that day. She couldn’t run as fast in her Optime body, not like Zalen could down on all fours, but she was still lithe and athletic. Still she did not know where Palaydrian had gone, only where she had been, so she followed the trail.

At one point she came upon a spot of grass and the scent of her pack was strong here. Kneeling down she inspected the soil and grass, finding small clots of blood that had seeped from the wounds. Inhaling deeply she discovered two names… “Palaydrian… Jiva…” She could not tell which one was hurt, but judging by the set of foot prints that led away from the scene she suspected it was only one of them. Leaping back to her feet, the Alphess followed the trail back to the den.

She didn’t slow down even as she drew near the cave. The moment she burst from the trees and could see the threshold she began shouting, “Jiva! Palaydrian! Jiva!” As she sprinted across the clearing and over the gathering mound she let out a howl of her own. It was a call to arms, the pack needed their defenses on the rise. Something bad had happened and Titania knew it wasn’t as simple as a hunting accident. There was no questioning, the Alphess wanted her pack here, now. A sentry needed to be ordered to guard the den, and if something had happened inside New Dawn a patrol needed to set out immediately. The young Alphess wasn’t fooling around anymore.

Her strides grew longer and slower as she neared the den, and she stopped just inside the mouth of the cave, her eyes adjusting to the light change as she looked around. The smell of blood was strong here, the wounded one was here. Her golden eyes fixed upon a form that stood… “Jiva!” she breathed, panting from the exertion. She was relieved that he was okay, but knowing he was alright also told her who it was who had been hurt. “Where is… Palaydrian?” Her eyes went to the woman on the ground. She was carefully laid out by Jiva’s hands, and several red-black splotches marred her usually vivid, downy coat.

“What happened to her?” she demanded of Jiva as she rushed over to her pack sister, dropping to her knees and taking her head into her lap, cradling her gently. Often the presence of the alpha could calm the pack’s spirits, as she hoped her closeness to Palaydrian would do now, because she would be useless when it came to the healing arts.

Image courtesy of mourner@Flickr; table by the Mentors!

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