Word Count :: 380 Marie said she would reply to this, but if either Kitty or James finds the time to reply they may also join. The post order is open here, because of Rosie’s situation, she need not reply if she can’t.
He had not slept, but had pretended to so, watching restlessly as the others settled down or headed out for the night. It was not until all things were calm, that he removed himself from Titania’s side. He noted the flick in his now pregnant mate’s ear as he moved, and he knew she knew he was going. Without hesitating, Zalen moved over to the small hovel in which Shandom slept and nudged his Gamma briskly with his snout. He said nothing, but the look in his eyes and the stance in his body said it all; they were leaving.
The ebony and ivory pair exited the den quickly, making sure not to disturb anyone, though it was almost certain that their exit did not go unnoticed by some. The two moved rapidly and silently into the still of the forest, their paws turned in a beeline towards the borders. It was not until they were almost outside of New Dawn that Zalen spoke, We head to Anathema.
The Alpha then wondered what must be going through his Gamma’s mind at this revelation; Zalen knew very well that Shandom often frequented Anathema’s borders, and it was for that precise reason Zalen had chosen him over Tharin for this mission. Zalen was hoping that whatever good relationships the Qi’Vaex male had forged with the pack would aid them, for Zalen was going to speak on difficult matters.
The trek to Anathema was long, but not too difficult, but by the time the duo came within scent range of its borders, the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon, bathing the world in a golden and eerie light. Zalen slowed as the invisible barrier came closer, and he lifted his maw to the sky and called out a demand for a leader. Then, after his song had drifted away in the wind, the Alpha moved and stretched and twisted into his Optime form. He did not ever do this in front of others, unless completely necessary, but Shandom was a trusted friend and so the Alpha did not feel shame. As soon as he stood erect, the male reached back to quickly tie his tresses into a long braid; when a leader did appear, he would look them in the eye.
Word Count → 911 :: i'm going to reply so Shandom is an active participant in the thread, but stick with the natural flow of posts and don't wait for me if i'm taking too long! Also... sorry this is so long. Most of it doesn't matter. Shandom's just having a midlife crisis.
To be quite frank, this whole situation absolutely sucked.
There was a mountain of worries on the Gamma's plate, most of which he'd internalized and chosen to keep private. Perhaps the most important was the arrival of his daughter Zeneca; this was most distressing to the alabaster man, and he absolutely did not know what to do with himself. Shandom loved the girl blindly, more than he thought he would after their years of separation, but he could not help but realize she was something... darker. More sinister, perhaps. Something that caused shivers to run down his spine and hackles to raise and more time spent patrolling the New Dawn borders, a silent ghost against the inky sky when sleep eluded him. He could not place a paw on why he got this feeling from her, and it plagued his already weary mind. For some reason, he felt that New Dawn was not safe with Zeneca around. He wished he understood why. He wished she would talk to him.
Then, of course, there was the more trivial - and perhaps more private - issue of his lady friend, Naniko D'Angelo. After their last (rather catastrophic, in Shandom's opinion) meeting, the Gamma had yet to return to Anathema's borders to try and make things right with the Angela. He hadn't meant to be so forward and demanding, and he understood that it was just a man's cravings getting the better of him that day, but Shandom worried Naniko would no longer be interested in seeing him. Shandom cared for the woman, more than he cared for anyone else besides his newly emerged daughter and estranged sister. She was precious to him, and she frequented his dreams. The Qi'Vaex man found that he missed her beautiful jade eyes when he wasn't around her, and he wondered if she felt the same about him anymore.
Probably not, if he were being honest. She'd hate him more now, anyway.
Shandom, despite his quiet and reclusive nature in the pack, could not escape the whispering of the blonde dog named Amy Sunders attacking his packmates. The Gamma was utterly disgusted by this - Fayne and Kiara were beautiful young women who did not deserve such cruelty. Though he understood the need for learning self defense, he found it reprehensible that the women had felt the need to seek the help of Casa - humanizing themselves to defend against a clearly deranged trader was not Shandom's idea of traditionalism. No, this woman would have to be killed for her transgressions. Unfortunately, this was made worse by the sudden knowledge that Amy Sunders was, or had once been, a member of Anathema.
If there was one thing Shandom knew, though, it was that Naniko was not at fault for this. Nothing would convince the Gamma to place blame on the beautiful Angela, though this was not something he expressed to anyone. A leader, he knew, was not able to control the actions of all their pack. Sometimes there were those who escaped the rule of law, ducking underneath the inherent trust a leader must place in his (or, in this case, her) pack. Shandom did not fault Zalen for seeking answers, and the Gamma too wanted to see Amy's blood spilled upon the ground in rightful punishment. But he would hear the words of Anathema's leadership, and give them fair council; the Angelo and Angela did not hold court over a dictatorship. Rather, as Naniko had once told him, it was a live and let live place, for those who sought refuge and friendship despite their transgressions. Of all creatures, Shandom could understand the desire for that.
He ran quietly with Zalen, speaking little as they followed his now familiar path to Anathema. It took shorter than normal, as the pair traveled quickly and with purpose, but Shandom's heart could not stop thudding against his rib-cage more than normal. The Gamma did not emit any sort of air other than that of direct purpose, but that was only because he was a master of his emotions. Inside, he could not help the tumbling fear and sadness he felt at this mission. Any risk of being at odds with Anathema put his relationship with Naniko in direct danger. He did not know which one he prioritized, and that frightened him.
They reached the borders, and Zalen shifted, with Shandom following quietly in his stead. The Gamma stood several feet behind his Alpha, their differences in height slightly less noticeable this way. But it was clear who was the Alpha, and who the Gamma, in this situation; Shandom had long since abandoned his will to lead, realizing that he was not suited for power. No, this situation fit him much better - he was good to council and to temper, and nothing more. Leadership soured the long-haired man; indeed, the scar that ran across his half-ruined face was a testament to this fact. It should not be long, now, Shandom whispered, knowing that several minutes must have passed as the two shifted. His low voice echoed only to Zalen, as his words were for his Alpha only. But he kept his dark chocolate gaze trained on the horizon, and inwardly hoped it would be Aeron or the Angelo, whose name Shandom could not recall, who came to discuss matters with them. To see Naniko would be too difficult. He did not want to see her in a situation like this.
I'm alive
Take a look into my eyes
This time I'ma take you for a ride
I'm invincible tonight!
WC :: + OOC :: sorry it took me so long
Aeron had changed the time frame in which she was working. She made it so that she was spending more time around the house during the day light hours and out during the night so that there was no missing her family. She huffed as she felt the weight of shou shift on her shoulder. the sun was rising and she would be heading home to sleep an hour or so and then she would do her family things.
Aeron raised a hand to stroke the head of the crow. She was the wife of a wonderful woman now and the mother to a daughter who was acting odder day by day. Aeron looked to Shou and smiled Take one final look of this area then we head home. Shou nodded and took to flight when the wolven howl echoed out. Lifting an eyebrow she forced herself to go.
She had to admit that being a creature of the night left her tired in the morning. She had not handled many joiners or anyone else for that matter. Most others came while she was napping or spending time with Charm. Though she was working hard to find the balance for her life so that she would always be of help. Aeron gave shou a signal to head to the sound and she too headed that way. Never very far from a call it seemed though also she seemed to end her night in the same spot. She moved off to the invisible line and smiled yes in deed this was going to be a fun morning.
Good morning Alpha Zalen, Shandom Qi'vaex. She spoke as she signaled to the crow. What can I do for you this early in the morning? She asked trying to be kind but she was truly ready for some sleep. She had to admit that being a creature of the night was harder then she had expected it to be.
Believe me
You've never met another one like me
Bet you've never seen the things that I've seen
Template by Revo Modifications by Nat and Marie <3
She had been grateful that sleep had come easily to her the night before and that she'd been able to get some real rest. There was nothing more valuable to an insomniac than sleep, and Naniko walked the borders with a spring in her step on this morning. She often began her days with a trek of the border, and today was no different than any other. Her normally tied-back hair hung around her shoulders loosely as she padded along, testing the air with her well-tuned nose and huffing it back out of her mouth every few moments. The Angela's paranoia had increased tenfold after the most recent trespassers; the canine had been extremely disrespectful and had attempted to cross through the territory rather than go around it. When he'd been confronted, he had been nothing short of flippant and had disrespected her...a foolish move that had cost him and his mate their lives.
The Angela had not come out of the battle unscathed; three long, half-healed scars now marred the left side of her face below her eye. She felt foolish for not expecting the trespasser to have anyone else along with him and for allowing his dark mate to get her like that. The scars were a mark of her misjudgment, a permanent and visible reminder of what had happened that day. She ran a clawed finger over them as she made her way down the path that twined along the border, testing the skin there. They didn't pain her any longer.
A voice on the wind caught the Angela's attention, and she turned her head sharply in the direction of the call. As if he had read her mind, her companion drifted silently down from the skies to land on a nearby branch. "Go, Ta'tuq" She ordered verbally, motioning for the owl to fly ahead of her toward the group. The owl was not able to comprehend her actual words, but seemed to get the gist of hand signals and motions when she gave them. He took off from the tree, quickly climbing up into the air and heading toward the group. He would appear before her, to inform Aeron that she was on her way. She was not typically seen without Ta'Tuq, especially in the last couple of months.
The party came into view and her smile faded slightly, a more serious expression appearing on her face. After what had happened with Shandom, she hadn't been too certain of whether he would come by Anathema again. In her experience, when a male wanted that kind of thing they weren't interested in anything further after they got it. Thus, she had been unable to comply with his wishes. In her mind it had been better to deny him and keep her dignity and their friendship than give in and end up never seeing him again. This way, there was still at least some sort of a chance...though she understood that it was possible that he would never feel the same about her as she did him. She came to stand next to Aeron, waiting to introduce herself so as not to interrupt the conversation. The Angela kept her gaze fixed firmly on Zalen, not allowing her eyes to stray to Shandom.
Zalen flicked an ear back at Shandom as he spoke and suddenly the Alpha wondered if it had been a wise decision or not to bring this Gamma along. But before he even had time to think on it, a dark shape flew above, followed by a light shape. A crow and an owl heralded the arrival of first Aeron, followed close behind by a stunning white wolfess. Zalen immediately noted the air about her, and knew that this must be the Alphess. But it looked like she was injured, and her body was covered in scars; Zalen held no shame staring at her, even while Aeron spoke.
After the woman he had mistook for Amy in New Dawn was finished, he spoke clearly and directly to the white woman, Amy has attacked one of my members, the same member as before, a second time. Not only that, but the bitch has stolen the pup of another of my pack sisters. He was trying very hard not to let the anger seep into his voice, but his wrath was nearly palpable, and the short hairs of his scruff were standing erect.
Speaking nearly through clenched teeth the sable Alpha continued, I was under the impression that Amy would be duly punished for her first transgressions, his olive eyes shot briefly to Aeron, but it seems whatever you might have done to her did not stick. I am here to make certain, and see with my own eyes, that she be held accountable for her actions, and that her blood be spilled for every drop of blood drawn from my member, and also, that the pup be returned. There was no need for any sort of pleasantries in this matter, and now that he had finished speaking, Zalen stood before the two Anathema wolfesses like a onyx pillar.
I'm alive
Take a look into my eyes
This time I'ma take you for a ride
I'm invincible tonight!
WC :: + OOC :: sorry it took me so long
Aeron had been busy and not liead to Zalen when she said she would deal with Amy and she had. She had yelled at the woman and her along with Naniko and Alaki had tossed her out of the pack like yesterday's trash. At least this was how Aeron felt. She had never liked the blonde dog and still did not.
I did not lie to you when I said I would see to it that she was dealt with. Aeron Said crossing her arms. She was a killer and even that didn't matter much because even she could not harm children. We removed her sometime ago from our ranks. You want her hunt her down out there. She said pointing beyond the pack lands back towards where they came from.
Zalen Who's Child was stolen. I have a few friends in your land and I myself will hunt her down if need be. aeron only glanced at Naniko for a moment. Her life was in Anathema but the killer in her saught for more then just roses and sunshine. She watched the black wolf and waited for something from him.
Believe me
You've never met another one like me
Bet you've never seen the things that I've seen
Template by Revo Modifications by Nat and Marie <3
Naniko did not know the extent to which Amy was getting involved with other packs. She was displeased to hear what Zalen had to say about her ex-pack member's current endeavors, but did not know what they could do besides offer to hand her over if they saw her again. She had thought that bringing Amy to the pack would be beneficial to them, as she would provide an opportunity to trade with other packs and already had ties around the area...but it had backfired. She was embarrassed to have ever believed that the canine could function in a pack, even one as socially permissive as Anathema.
"I didn't see her with a pup while she was here...I wonder if she did it after she was banished. Knowing that she has been exiled from our pack for her behaviors, what else would you have us do about her? I have not personally seen her in quite a while." The Angela had no reason to lie. Amy had assaulted Lillith and had been given one more chance, but had not been able to control herself when it came to offending against other canines. That had been too much for them and they'd cut her loose. "You may do what you feel necessary, Aeron, to help them find the pup or Amy." Naniko looked to Zalen now, wondering if he found this satisfactory.
Word Count :: +3 This will be my last post. Thanks for everyone's replies, feel free to do so again
Aeron decided to speak again and the white wolfess remained silent as she did so. Zalen was a little confused by this, he was so certain she was the leader and not Aeron, but perhaps there was a method to their way of speaking to him. But what Aeron had to say brought Zalen’s already simmering blood to a boil, WHAT?! He cried out, his voice laced now fully with growls. How dare they? How dare they let that bitch go without so much as a scratch? What kind of leadership would allow such a creature to live amongst them, and then instead of punishing her rightly, just send her on her way? Zalen was so enraged that he nearly did not hear Aeron’s question about whose pup had been stolen, and then the calm words of the white wolfess.
Zalen looked up at the woman with fiery eyes as she confirmed that Amy had been exiled, but that there had been no pup with her when it had happened. So Kohaku must have been stolen not shortly after she had lived in Anathema, which meant that if they hadn’t been so weak in their punishment, maybe he would have never been stolen at all. Zalen bared his teeth, Oh, we will do what is necessary, and more, without your help. And before he did anything foolish he turned away from the two of them, the hairs on his neck standing on end as he walked past Shandom.
But before he left completely, he turned back to Aeron, I don’t see why this would be any of your business, but the pup was stolen from Kiara, who had been a lone wolf mother at the time. Amy is a monster… I don’t know how you did not see that before you let her in amongst your ranks. And then without another word he began the trek back to New Dawn, giving his Gamma a small woof that made it clear he was to follow.
