Word Count :: 662 :: Please allow for X'yrin, Titania, Jace, and Noah to reply first (in no particular order) and then others may reply. I would like that each member reply at least once. If there is a substantial reason why you're character can't be present, shoot me a PM. This is dated for February 2nd, late morning.
It was with a heavy heart that this moment had come. He had tried to avoid it as long as he could but it was of no use, what had to be done must be done. As if the mood of this occasion was reflected in the sky, the heavens were overcast and dark, threatening snow or rain but holding back for now. The ebony Alpha brooded as he sat upon the mound outside the communal hollow, his head low and eyes piercing through the air into the darkness of the den beyond. He was waiting now, biding his time as Titania returned from the border with X’yrin. The envoy of Ichika had made her wish to be present clear, and it was out of good faith that he had agreed that it was best. This way, there would be no doubt that the punishment had been duly given.
A heavy sigh was released from his chest then, and he stood, anxiety building. He continued to live in his bipedal form, though he wasn’t sure it could be still called such with how much he had been using it in a four-legged fashion. His pose then was stiff, uncomfortable, as four paws touched the cold ground. It was a reflection of his continence, for he was so dreading what had to occur this day, and he wanted nothing more than to abstain from doing his duties. He had decided that the punishment of Noah would be swift and harsh, making a strong point to the others that they were not to follow in his foolish footsteps, unless they suffer the consequences as well.
Then, the colors of silver and cinnamon reached his eyes and he glanced over to see Titania arrive with X’yrin and another female hybrid wolf at her side. Once they were close to him he nodded in greeting but said nothing, instead turning away and letting out a loud yet short howl. He knew most of New Dawn’s residents were in the den, or not far off, so there was no need to call for long. He needed them to be present to see what would transpire.
Then, like a hulking bull, hackles raised and muscles bulging, Zalen swiftly bounded from the mound and into the mouth of the den. Others had already begun gathering, but the perpetrator had yet to appear. But he found him quickly, the maimed dark gray male. Zalen’s gaze met Noah’s, and it was both fierce yet apologetic. Swiftly, Zalen grabbed the smaller male by the scruff and drug him out of the den into the dull light of day. Then, pushing him to the ground, the Alpha grabbed the Omega by the muzzle, black jaws enclosing over gray and gave him a harsh shake. He straddled the male, and a vicious sound exited his throat, one that could only be created by a Luperci. With bared teeth he then looked at the others gathered, his visage that of a dark demon, Noah has trespassed onto Ichika lands with no permission. No respect! His jaws snapped at the male’s ruff, He is a fool! And his mistake put us all in danger. We are lucky to be under Ichika’s good graces, otherwise his could have been an act of war. He placed a large paw on Noah’s face, pushing his head deeper into the dirt.
Zalen hated this, but it had to be done. His ears flicked back against his head in sadness but his face did not falter, He is to be shunned for a time. He will not be allowed to leave New Dawn lands, not be allowed to eat with us, not be allowed to sleep amongst us. All of you must help to ensure it is so. Finally though, Zalen stepped away from Noah, his shadowy form no longer hovered above him. His eyes never left the Omega though, What do you have to say for yourself? Zalen asked gruffly.
The male had gone to the old pack lands; his meaning was not that of war. War was not something that Noah did not like, nor did he wish it upon anyone. The silver male did not act with hate or malice, nor did he ever think that his actions would ever hold them. The silver male wanted nothing more to live in a word where peace and happiness was something that was what he wanted. For the packs more so them him-self, his heart wanted to feel love, he wanted to be in love again and have that feeling returned. Selfish but that was something he wanted.
Seeing he black male come rushing into the pack den, the silver male lowered him-self down, he knew he had be busted going to see Rendall, the mission that got side tracked badly. He had not done any harm, he ended up spending the day playing with one of the pack pups, one that had been Jace and Temo’s. The silver male leaned against the wall of the pack den, hoping and praying that he would just pass over him. His request was not given as the male grabbed him by the scruff dragging him out to the middle of the pack, pushing his muzzle into the ground the silver male knew better then to fight the black monster.
Noah had very little contact with the black male, ever time though it was never anything that the silver Sawtooth came out looking any better, or even caring for the pack and more. The male felt the cold, damp mud being pushed further and further into his coat. The silver male wanted to shake his head; he wanted to pull his head out from under the black male. He knew by doing this he risked exile, and that was something he couldn’t happen right now. The live of the Omega was low, food was slimmer then it was when he first joined the pack.
Seeing the silver and crimson hooded female the half blind male couldn’t help but to let out a whimper, as he pushed his ears into the back of his head. Then his eyes went to Jace, had she turned back onto him, could she have no longer felt that bond that they once had since he left the pack lands. Then to the golden leader, a female the male was not able to say that he knew of.
Finally once the leader had taken a step off him, the male picked his head up only enough so that the mud was no longer in his only good eye, stinging. The silver male was asked to say something, but what could be said. The punishment had started, and had started with the black leader. The male wanted to rise his head up, puff up his chest and nip at the black male showing him that he was not nearly as weak as he thought, but really that would be a fight for another day, now the male just knew to keep his head down and tail tucked and not to fight over it. So the Sawtooth male shook his head, nothing. He had nothing to say about this matter. Maybe it was his own way of telling the leader that he would submit to the pack life that pushed him away from all that he knew and loved. He would give the pack members that love he had for all of the Ichika’s members…
burning the ground, I break from the crowd I'm on the hunt I'm after you
strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
AND I'M HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF
Word Count :: 700+ Someone is not happy about losing her Omega.
Horror... horror is what she felt when she first learned of Noah's trespass into Ichika. Horror, and then anger. At first she did not want to believe that her sweet, docile Omega would have committed such an offense, but X'yrin affirmed upon her honor that it was true. Titania dipped her head a moment in thought, then nodded her acceptance. Of course Noah was guilty; but she knew that he couldn't have meant to do it to harm. Still, why he did it didn't matter at all, and she was not one to claim that a crime deserved a lesser punishment just because of the intention behind it. Pack law had been broken, and Noah must face the consequences. When he was ready, Zalen disappeared for a time, but later she heard the sounds of his demanding call and came to him. Now at X'yrin's side to show the strength of their packs' alliance, she padded through the brush. She knew Zalen would be in Optime, though walking on all fours in that rare way that he did, but she chose to witness Noah's sentence in Lupus. He was a criminal, but he deserved that much.
As Zalen dragged the disgraced Omega from the den her visage became a mask of indifference. She merely watched with interested eyes as the gray male was shoved into the dirt. A brief moment spared to glance at the Ichikans, but her thoughts remained to herself. It wasn't right that they witnessed this. If New Dawn took their word on Noah's crime, then Ichika no Ho-en could take their word on punishment served. But never should a New Dawn pack brother be subjected to humiliation in front of anyone but his own people. Unfortunately, these thoughts hadn't occurred to her until she watched Noah laying there helplessly beneath Zalen, face pressed into the mud.
Still, she couldn't show compassion. His punishment must be carried out, and she fully believed that the verdict they had agreed upon was a fitting penalty for his crime. He would be ostracized. He would be a lone wolf within a pack. He would learn from this mistake.
Titania stood tall and proud upon delicate paws in her place next to the Ichikans. Her posturing was perfect for her station, not wanting to create a casual air around them as she typically did unless doing business with her own pack. Ears pert and forward, tail curled high, she watched as Noah was shamed before his family. He didn't even say anything in his defense. At least he had enough honor to keep from begging.
And then her expression finally did change when Zalen spoke his sentence. She knew it had been coming, she agreed that it was fit for his crime... but... Her eyes narrowed and her lip curled back. A small growl rumbled in her throat as she moved forward mechanically. At first it almost seemed like she wanted to stop Zalen, but instead she turned her ire upon Noah himself.
A fierce snarl came from the Alphess as she bit his ear, the very place she loved to lick and nuzzle before. “Why did you do it? Do you think of no one but yourself?” she demanded. “This is your fault. Now you must live with it. But your pack has to live with it too.” She sneered at the male, her eyes molten. They were to shun him, and she would. She would shun her beloved Omega. She would not get any of his comforts. The only thing that would comfort her now would be snapping at him if he came too close, but a small reminder of how he angered her. It wasn't the trespass that she was so angry at, but the fact that his lackadaisical nature had forced his pack to have to be without him. And despite what all thought of the Omega, the Alphess the most knew how important he was to the pack.
“Arrgh!” She growled as she briskly walked away from him, turning a circle around him and coming up to her mate's side. She said nothing else, just searched for the understanding and obedience in their eyes.
image from dawnthieves; code template by kitty; table by raze
Anger was an emotion she understood intimately, betrayal as well was something she was overly familiar with. She was prepared to feel them in spades for her brother who was now shamed, now shunned by the people that he called pack. But what she did not expect was the complete lack of these two emotions that flowed through her as she crossed the free lands that separated the two territories. Discussion between herself and X'yrin was hardly present and any conversation was short and quickly silenced. She had few words for anyone, least of all the person that had brought Noah's trespassing to light. She wasn't upset with X'yrin but just didn't feel like talking to her. Her stoic demeanor was up and her face a blank mask of indifference.
The hybrid woman stood in her optime form with her ceremonial knives as always tied at her thighs and the necklace around her throat swaying gently with her motion. The woman's cascade of brown curls had not been braided but had instead been allowed to fall free down her back partially obscuring the long scars that traveled horizontally down her spine, inflicted upon herself by Noah's very own father the day he had raped and impregnated her. They were greeted at the borders by the now grown pup that Orin had brought with her to Phoenix Valley along with her sister Juliet. Jace idly wondered if she remembered Jace or not, she gave no indication that she did but then this was not a jovial visit, this was serious.
She returned to nod given to her by the black male, the Alpha of this pack that Noah had moved to. He called his pack to him and then charged into their sleeping place to roughly drag Noah out by his scruff. She wanted to react, she wanted to leap forwards and kick the dark male off of her brother and take him by the scruff and shake him roughly for daring to treat Noah in such a fashion. But she did not, she could not for this was not her pack to control and she was not his Alpha, not his dominant anymore, she could no longer protect him than she could protect the winter from fading into summer. In her mind she was discontent and raging, what kind of monsters beat a poor male who was already disfigured, half deaf and half blind, it made her so angry inside. She shifted an ashen paw in the snow, claws digging into the crystal white.
Her amber and blue eyes swung across the crown that had assembled to watch one of their own members being kicked into the dirt and then flicked back to Noah, none of them were important, none of them mattered at all. They could all drop dead at this second and she wouldn't spare any of them a passing thought. Not one of them knew her though and could not even begin to guess at her emotions for all she looked on with was a expression lacking of anything, not even a flicker of retribution that she may have shown, being a member of the offended pack. For a second their eyes met during his punishment and only he would have been able to see the raging fire within her, the burning desire to take him away from these people back to his real home which was with her and her children, they needed their uncle more than these people.
Then that second was over and back was the blandness, back was the mask, the impenetrable armor. She wanted to leave, she honestly didn't know why she had come in the first place, maybe perhaps to make sure they didn't kill him or something equally as horrible. As far as things were going Noah wasn't going to be physically harmed beyond the show being made of him, the example being set to the others of this pack. She didn't even know its name or anything about it apart from that they were racist against coyotes and dogs and lived their lives ignoring the gift of being luperci. She wondered idly if X'yrin would want to set off back straight away or if she would wait around and converse with this people, what the sub-leader did did not affect her plans though, she would be taking her leave straight away, she had children to care for back home.
Once there was a female who called herself docile and kind. She was raised by a loving group that called themselves the Nomads and taught her how to respect and cherish life. But among the multitude of faces, of the separate families that made its whole, she was made to flourish among a sect called the Exultare, fierce warriors of impressive stature that held both strength and honor in high regard. And each day, she was taught the importance of their family, of family as a whole. What it meant to care for the other and ensure their well-being… and of course, what it meant if their actions ever invoked harm. This woman learned through painful experience that the actions of one could affect a family, its members, its structure, its safety. And she felt the consequences of those actions, and watched others as they were punished as well. But from the pain, from the hurt, she saw the result, the changes that took place for bringing a wrong to light and she learned to be glad for it… even though it left a scar upon both body and heart.
And what this woman learned from those experiences as a youth, she carried with her as she travelled now to witness the correction of a wrong done by kin. She walked alongside the silver coated female with heavy paws falling soundly in place of the words that were not spoken. And beside her golden stature walked the Yakuso of Ichika, brooding in silence. The Nomad knew the lady was not pleased with her decision to punish the boy familiar to her, but her decision was made not in earnest but in great thought. She recalled upon her own actions and felt the change that transpired by her reprimand. She needed vocalize her defense for her actions to know in her heart that it was for the best. She needed voice it to anyone but would rather let the actions speak for themselves. The woman was content to play the villain if it meant the ‘hero’ would learn something from this.
Her walk into the Dawn lands lacked the pomp of a ranked wolf or its air. Though her form was marked impressive by its height, she display no more than her had to make her presences acknowledgeable. The circumstance deemed her to be a spectator and nothing more, to ensure the punishment was carried out as specified. Her eyes were placid pools of liquid amber as they greeting the emerald sights of the Alpha briefly, then fell upon the convicted under paw. Her posture was not stiff, but relaxed even as the boy was harshly kicked in reprimand and venomous words were spouted in his direction. They were not in hate, but in disappointment, an emotion she could not refute.
Her eyes turned to the gathering wolves to assess their reaction to the boy’s exile. Their personal feelings were unaccounted by her as she searched for a more valuable glimmer in their eyes; understanding. Would they understand why the boy was being punished? Or would they look at this as nothing more than an undeserved persecution of their Omega?
Jiva had been in the den when the call came so he wasn’t far at all and his curiousity bubbled up at the call. He had no idea what the call was for, but he was sure to find out. He left the den just before Zalen had entered it. His eyes were wide and he looked to his cousin for answers, but her face was a mask that he could not read, even by close relation. The young male swallowed as he saw Zalen dragging Noah by the scruff, the other male not making a fight. Jiva watched as Zalen pushed Noah’s head into the mud, and he made a twitch before he reminded himself he must not interfere, Zalen was the leader. He listened quietly as the man spoke of Noah’s crimes. Jiva looked at Noah, his mouth part way open. He had trespassed? Wolves knew better than to trespass. The man was far older than Jiva and he knew it, so it seemed that the punishment was fitting.
Jiva sat quiet as the leaders spoke. He had nothing to say, nor needed to say; but he nodded when Zalen said they must help ensure Noah’s punishment. Jiva would do as he was told, as that was how things went in his new pack, and he had to agree; there must be a punishment if one broke pack laws. He remained quiet about his thoughts, however and watched the scene before him and stayed near the den’s mouth. He was nothing more than a witness after all and he would remain so. This wasn’t something he needed to be in the middle of.
Shandom had been relaxing in the den, enjoying a few moments of peace and perhaps a nice nap before he set out for the borders to make sure everything was as it should be. The white man took great pride in protecting his pack, and while he hadn't yet encountered any problems with outsiders it was safe to assume it would come at some point in his life here. New Dawn was in its infancy, and the members needed to be aware of that; a young pack was vulnerable to attack and deception, and Shandom did not want to see that happen to his new home. But the man wasn't a machine, and on occasion needed to take some breaks, which brought him to his little alcove in the communal den. The subordinate didn't have any posessions, but he enjoyed the little nook; there was an indentation in the ground that fit his body nicely, and some leaves to cover his body when winter became too cold for even him.
Zalen's short howl took him away from his quiet relaxation, and so the man stood, stretched, and trotted out of the den. Typically, he would have greeted the leaders in turn, as well as introducing himself to the newcomers, but this situation felt different. It was tense and electric, running with the undercurrent of punishment. The scarred man tipped his head to the side slightly, curious as to the offense and the perpetrator. However, once the pack gathered it soon became obvious that the criminal was Noah, already the lowest of the low. Hackles raised instinctually and ears flattened against his head in a brief show of anger. How could the silver man be so ignorant? His transgression could have easy caused war between the two packs. Ichika no-Hoen was certainly their closest neighbor, and the pack was not known for violence, but they would have had every right to be more furious with New Dawn than they were. Shandom saw it as almost a gift that the Ichikan leaders weren't being more harsh. Zalen was acting appropriately; in his time, the former Alpha would have done the same.
Shandom saw no problem with the ebony Alpha's treatment, though he could sense discomfort in some of his fellow onlookers. This displeased him. Punishment was part of the natural order of things: could they not see Noah had one wrong, and deserved this? Shandom, while a gentleman and not unduly cruel, took the Omega position extremely seriously when it came to punishment. He would treat Noah as he deserved and as his Alpha instructed, and would not be kind to the silver man during this exile.
She was curled up with her mate when the call rang out. She blinked for a moment, then lifted to her feet. Even as she prepared herself to join the leader, he charged into the den. She didn't move, her body assuming a submissive position naturally as he grabbed Noah, her son, and dragged the boy out of the cave. She glanced at Soran and quickly followed. The words of the furious alpha reached her ears, and her shoulders sagged slightly, her tail curling around her legs. She watched with neutral eyes the punishment of the alpha, accepting it as his right.
She hadn't been a harsh leader, in her day, but she didn't judge Zalen for his choice of punishment. She knew, though, that her idea of seeing Tal and her grandchildren was dashed for the time being. She would speak to the male at length about it later, seeing if there was any way she could. Visiting another pack was nearly crucial for her profession of medic.
She looked to the leaders, then nodded. She was his mother, and she would offer him no comfort. She stood with the alphas. Her heart ached for having to turn her back on her son, but she knew she could not and would not disobey the leader's choices. No one had spoke but the two alphas of the pack. She stepped forward, her head down, her tail low and curled to her legs, giving her submission to both her leaders, and the visitors from the pack.
As his mother, she needed to make it clear where she stood with this. She glanced at Noah, then to her leaders in turn, then down to the ground. Her voice was soft with submission, but strong in it's conviction. "It shall be as you say. I have no son here, until you deem him fit for the pack again." She bowed her head low to the ground, her eyes remaining downcast, her graceful moves speaking volumes of her submission and dedication to upholding the alpha's words. She stepped back into the surrounding wolves, her gaze downcast yet untroubled.
With blind obedience the male followed his Alpha’s howl. He’d been on his way to the den anyways due to weather and other circumstances. The borders were more than well marked, and he deemed further inspection was no longer necessary. The threat of snowfall bothered him little, but it made the continuation of his duties difficult. He would not hunt today, and couldn’t help but ponder the urgency with which is Alpha called. Something was up. He hastened his steps, peering with yellow eyes flecked with green, sharp with curiosity.
Strange scents came to him, and he bristled instinctively, but corrected himself upon further investigation. They were scents of their neighboring and ally pack, Ichika. Also, Titania’s scent lingered with theirs as well and he relaxed. His eyes rested on every face, avoiding the eyes of his superiors, but said nothing. There was something off about this gathering, and when he glimpsed the Alpha’s bearing his suspicions were confirmed. This was not a light-hearted gathering. The form of his Alpha made him wary. He’d seen the man often in this form of late, but could never shake the feeling of how strange and beastly it made him look, especially as he walked about on all fours. He was menacing, towering over the four-leggers if he were to stand. It made the large male uneasy. He wasn’t used to seeing many others of his kind that could match his size, and had a hard time adjusting to those that could. His tail twitched his unease in those few moments, and then it started.
It was Noah. He drew in a breath, eyes following their progress as the sable male dragged the silver from the den. He was less wary now and his ears perked up. What had he done? He was sincerely curious, but altogether approving of his Alpha’s actions. Whatever the male had done, it had surely been dire. He was not one to question his Alphas and watched in silence as it all unfurled before him. Trespassed. The word hung in his mind. Now he understood. There was a reason wolves marked their borders so diligently, and guarded them by day and night. It was a sacred tradition, and one to be regarded with the utmost respect. Noah had broken that understanding. A low growl sounded in the black and white male’s throat and his eyes were all for the Omega. His ears twitched to his Alpha’s words as he beseeched them all to ensure his exile would be without incident. He nodded slowly. “I will ensure it.” He said, loud enough to be heard, but not to warrant his own turn in the conversation. It was his duty to both hunt and defend New Dawn, and it was one he took seriously. “He will take no part of my kills.”
I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name like a fool at the top of my lungs
OOC: ... || WC: 000
Insomnia had never been a member of a pack before, and hardly even a family to begin with. Sunrise was a very special time for her. She woke right as the first rays of light were flickering through the sky, sitting up and stretching her bones. A myriad of pops and crackles resonated from within her; from her knees and back to her elbows and finally with a chorus of sharp cracks coming one by one from each of her toes. She turned instinctively to face the sun, trained to find the light. Honeybees- despite their large eyes- did not have powerful enough eyesight to resolve the sun as a disc in the sky. They instead were trained to follow light from birth and respond to it no matter what- even if it meant flying into a flame. A howl shook through the trees, disturbing her morning and sending the birds around her flapping away in a flurry of static wing beats. Insomnia turned her ears to the direction of the sound. Luckily, she was closeby- on the edge of the terrain. If it had been farther, she would have been the last to arrive. She moved slowly, despite being eager to please her new pack. She set off at a slow march, her head bowed and ears pricked forward with a nose constantly twitching and snuffling to detect her path. It led straight to the den
When she arrived, she was surprised at what she found. She silently looked, however didn't see, at the group of wolves before her. One seemed to be in the center of attention. She moved to one side and settled down, lowering her head to him respectfully, then lifting it again before smiling at him serenely and waving her tail in the air to show her gratitude, although she was very worried. Why did he trespass and what did that mean for the others? She didn't talk, which was her place in meetings and sat there like stone.
sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright but it's never enough
Table by Stormie, template by revo. <3
Image courtesy of moonfairy1111@deviantart.com [/html]
