The most painful state of being
#1
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OOC / +579



Horror struck the young mother when she returned to her den to find only one puppy was waiting for her. Lucia sat whimpering in the den and Kohaku was nowhere in sight. It was Kiara's worst nightmare realizing itself once again. Her heart stopped in her chest and she howled for her son. However, unlike the last time, he had gone off by himself as opposed to another taking him away from her. Desperation took hold of the new mother and she immediately set out to find him. No longer trusting her luck and the woods to keep Lucia safe, Kiara had brought her daughter along on the frantic search for Kohaku.


The pair had followed Kohaku's scent deep into the woods, only to have it end among a strange aroma. Kiara had spent nearly twenty minutes examining the sickly stench, but she could not tell who or what had left the scent behind. When she tried to follow the scent, it too faded and she lost the trail entirely. The young mother and her daughter raised their maws to the sky and tried to call for Kohaku. Unfortunately, the world remained quiet. There was no one left to answer their desperate cries.


Kiara looked down at her two month old daughter. Sad, but trusting eyes stared back at the female and Kiara was forced to make the decision of every mother's nightmare. To protect her only remaining puppy, she would have to leave Kohaku behind. He was lost too her, but that didn't soften the blow of her choice. Kiara turned around and moved as quickly as she could back to her den. There she slithered into the den's main chamber and looked around. Kiara had only a few belongings: a single deer hide, three necklaces that had been broken, a rag doll that Lucia adored, and a beautiful blue scarf.


First, the arctic female wrapped her broken necklaces in the blue scarf; a difficult feat for the uninfected female. Then, she ripped the deer hid so that she could wrap the blue scar into the deer hide to make it easier for transportation. Lucia grabbed onto her rag doll and the two females began their journey to New Dawn. Just before the fall of Ichika, Zalen had promised Kiara protection for herself and her puppies. In her sorrow, she found herself wishing that she had gone with them. Perhaps then Kohaku wouldn't have been taken from her.


Night had fallen and the moon was high in the sky by the time Kaira and Lucia arrived at the boarders. The young puppy, although old enough to have been moved, was exhausted by their trip. She sank down to the ground and whined a little. Her toy hung loosely in her mouth and she chewed on it halfheartedly. Worried sapphire eyes watched the puppy carefully. Kiara placed her bundle on the ground and gently nudged her daughter. Lucia dropped her doll and licked her mother lightly on the cheek before she placed her head on her paws and closed her eyes.


Fear and paranoia filled the white mother's mind, but she had no choice. Lucia needed the protection of a pack. Kiara lifted her muzzle to the air and called out to those of New Dawn. The tiny female also let out a small howl, but it was overpowered by her mother's call. Kiara gave Lucia an encouraging nudge while she waited for someone to respond to their call.

Table by: Cait

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#2
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OOC Edit: I found a tableeee! =) 500+


It was the dead of night and the world seemed to hang within the comfortable embrace of a tepid Spring twilight, sleepy and dreaming with the romance of the season. Normally the night time creatures would be prowling the woods by now, but Titania saw little evidence of their activities as she pranced down a well worn path, a road that was a favorite of her pack. By now the pack's paw print had been impressed upon the land, and there were many other paths just like this. Favorite meeting spots, play places, and hunting grounds showed evidence of the pack's habits. Even though she trod alone, Titania still felt at one with her people.

She was out because the moon was, too, high in the sky and bathing her with silvery light that penetrated the canopy. Pausing in her steps, Titania turned her golden eyes to the sky and they flashed with pride when she caught a glimpse of the Luna smiling down upon her. The moon favored her pack, and tonight it seemed she would favor another small family with her blessing, too.

Titania's silvery ears perked when she heard the call cut through the night, a song that was both beauteous and somewhat sorrowful all at once. She did not recognize the voice, it was no one of New Dawn calling for her, yet calling for her – or someone of the pack – they were. Her right ear flicked once when she thought she heard a strange note following the wolfsong, but she could not pinpoint what it was beyond her imagination.

Soon she was in motion, her paws drumming their rhythm on the packed dirt as she sped toward the call. Visitors of all shapes and sizes came at all hours around here, and so she did not think it peculiar that someone summoned her now. Still as she hurried toward the stranger she wondered to herself about who it might be, and what they wanted here. Whatever she expected, it was not what she saw when she emerged from the tree trunks.

Leaping out of the foliage, the Alphess came to a jerking stop, her yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight as she looked over the ivory wolfess and the small pup at her paws. There was something else there too, a still pup? No... a toy of some sort. She focused on the mother again, keeping her distance from her and her young, though her tail was high and she held her head regally.

“Wanderer, you must be far from home, and with such a little one...” There was small chance that a lone wolf would den so close to an established pack, so she assumed at once that the mother and child had come a long way. “My name is Titania Moonsong.” She looked at the puppy for a moment, and the drive to protect the young was strong even though she was not the mother. She cocked her head and asked, “You have called to the pack, do you need help?”

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

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#3
He had been sleeping when the cry rang out. Tharin jerked up at the sound of Kiara's howl. For a moment he struggled to figure out how he'd ended up near Kiara's den before realizing that he was in the pack. That could not be good. What about Kohaku and Lucia? Breaking into a run Tharin headed for the border. His muscles strained to carry him as swiftly as they could, bounding over the land he had spent so much time memorizing. The moon lit his path, but for once it didn't cheer him. Kiara's presence at New Dawn could mean nothing good.

Arriving Tharin didn't afford anything past a cursory nod and lick to Titania's chin, affirming her place as alpha before stepping over to Kiara's side. Worriedly he sniffed at her, wondering what was wrong. Glancing down he spotted Lucia, but Kohaku was nowhere in sight. Where was the pup? What had happened to bring her to New Dawn? He whined softly, nudging at Kiara to do his best to comfort her. His form was straight and tall, protective over the smaller female. Kiara, where's Kohaku?
#4
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OOC / +332



Mother and daughter didn't have to wait long for their calls to be answered. The silver Alphess erupted from the bushes, her lupus bound body moved at a great speed and halted at the boarders. The females golden eyes studied Kiara and Lucia. Kiara's reaction was immediate. She lowered her body close to the ground and averted here own sapphire orbs so that her gaze rested on the young pup beside her. The arctic female's tale wrapped around her hind legs and she stood in almost absolute submission. Kiara could not bring herself to submit entirely, not with Lucia by her side. Wide puppy-blue eyes stared up at their mother, seeing reassurance and comfort.


The snowy mother's compact body was tense and her mind was alert. Lucia was equally tense, feeding off of her mother's energy and the sorrow of loosing her brother. Kiara listened as the alpha spoke, her heart wavering as the dominant female introduced herself and asked for Kiara's business. She was about to respond when Tharin arrived at the boarders as well. Startled, the white mother looked up. Lucia, who had grown fond of Tharin, wagged her tail and whined. The silver giant took a moment to submit to his alpha before he crossed the boarder and nudged Kiara. She quickly licked his muzzle and sorrow threatened to break her heart when he asked about Kohaku. She couldn't put the tragedy that had fallen on her tiny family into words. The alabaster female simply shook her head slowly from side to side.


Kiara bravely turned her sapphire eyes onto Titania, her eyes staring at the other's chest as opposed to her golden eyes. I am Kiara Amarok, and this is my daughter Lucia. We...we seek the protection of New Dawn and we hope to join the pack. Kiara had to work hard to keep her voice from shaking. However, Lucia was distraught enough and the new mother didn't want to add any more stress to the tiny puppy.


Table by: Cait

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#5
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Zalen was quick to arrive, for he had recognized Kiara's call. The white mother had been on his mind lately, one of the reasons he had been stressing. It was not long after he and Tharin had met with her that Ichika no Ho-en had fallen, and he had worried for her and her pups safety. The dark Alpha was glad she was here now, no matter what had happened, for it meant she was now safe.

It took the Damaichu male longer than usual to get to the borders, for he had been North of the den site. So, when he arrived, Tharin and his mate were already gathered. Good, he was sure they both would be glad to see Kiara. But then, he felt the mood of the situation as he neared, it washed over him like a dark fog. Kiara had just finished speaking, introducing her daughter and asking for New Dawn's protection. Protection? Why not just to join? And didn't the ivory wolfess have two pups. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Zalen trotted up to Kiara and gave her a soft poke on the nose with her own, and then bent down to sniff at the half-awake pup. They were exhausted, and Kiara's sorrow was palpable, "What happened?" He said, looking up at her with earnest eyes.

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#6
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OOC Small note about this post: Titania slips off to change into Optime and then returns. Conversation can pass while she's gone. She wants to carry the puppy back to the den but doesn't make a move in this post to pick her up yet. 400+


Not long after her arrival, when her words were barely spoken, Tharin burst from the shroud of the forest. A bit shocked, she looked at the wolf as he gave her a hasty yet cordial greeting and then moved over to the stranger. He said a name, Kiara, and finally she knew why this wolfess looked so familiar. They had not met but Titania had been to Ichika when the pack was buzzing with the excitement over the birth of her pups. “You are from Ichika?” Though she asked, the question was merely rhetorical, unless this was some kind of bizarre coincidence.

Her ears swiveled as Tharin asked her about Kohaku, and for a moment she wondered who he was talking about, but she drew her conclusion after the look of anguish marred Kiara’s mien as she dodged the question. The white wolfess’s eyes turned to her, meeting her below her own gaze, and she tucked herself in in all the right ways. The formality of Titania’s posture dropped then and it became obvious that she would not require the ritualistic stance from those below her anymore tonight, either. There was nothing to fear from this one. She could practically smell the grief on her, and she was friend to Tharin and the pack.

As Kiara spoke, Titania moved forward, her ears bent back slightly as worry and compassion crossed her features. She stretched to bump her nose to Kiara’s, and then offered the same gesture to the pup. She save her a loving lick on the head and then turned when Zalen arrived. He spoke before she could respond to Kiara.

“My love… she needs our help,” she was only reiterating what Zalen already knew. She did not know that the Alpha had already offered Kiara entrance into the pack before. “They wish to join our family, and I won’t see this pup turned out to the wild.” Her voice was steady and matter of fact as she stated her opinion, secure that Zalen would agree with her.

Turning back to Kiara and the child, she noticed how tired the babe seemed. “I will be right back,” she said as she turned and slipped off into the trees to change, out of Tharin’s sight line but within earshot so she could hear any words that were exchanged. A few minutes later she would return in the fluid motions of her Optime body. She knew they would be walking back to the den soon and the Alphess intended to carry the pup for the rest of the journey.


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

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#7
The silence was all that passed, and he knew. Danger had swooped down on the family, despite his best efforts to protect it. Perhaps if he'd spent more time with Kiara, if he hadn't left her alone at night, if he'd been more insistent about her coming and joining New Dawn, if he had marked her borders a little more firmly. So many ways this could have gone differently, but it didn't. Tharin nodded his head, grief in his own eyes. He nudged along her, doing his best to provide her with some form of comfort. Her words of needing protection was met with a nod. Zalen arrived, and Tharin dared to briefly meet the alpha's eyes, the amber depths flickering with determination. No more harm would come to Kiara if he had a say in it.

Moving Tharin nuzzled Lucia softly, wanting to wrap her up. That wasn't his place though. He wasn't her father, and he wasn't Kiara's mate. Someone else would have to do it. The strong voice from Titania confirmed his thoughts. The pack would protect Kiara. No more harm would come to her, not in the pack. At least that was one small spark of comfort in all of this. How they would get the exhausted pair to the dens, and how to deal with Kiara's sorrow was unknown for him. He would be there with her though, and care for her the entire time.
#8
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OOC / +380



The ivory wolf noticed Zalen's approach as she was talking, but continued her speech. Both of New Dawn's alphas had arrived at the boarders to answer her call. Even though the black male had promised her protection just a month before, Kiara was still uneasy. What if they refused her? She had yet to have her first shift after being infected by Amy, but perhaps they would see her as a threat instead of a wanderer in search of help. What if they rejected her puppy? Lucia was the only one Kiara had left; she couldn't bear to loose her last daughter. Kiara's maternal instincts flared and it became increasingly harder for her to submit to the others. Habitually, her body rose as Zalen approached Lucia, if only by a fraction of an inch. Lucia, who was too tired to care, simply whined and lay there with here eyes closed.


Again, that dreadful question was thrown her way. It seemed to her as if Zalen had a habit of poking at her mental wounds, even if it was out of concern. He had asked her the same thing before and she couldn't bring herself to answer him then. However, the situation was different. If he were to become her alpha, she would have to answer his questions without fail. Thankfully, before Kiara could speak, Tatiana chimed in with her own opinion of the situation while Tharin provided the young mother with mental support through his gentle nudges.


As the Alphess spoke, Kiara lowered her head respectfully and averted her eyes from the more dominant wolves. The young mother was grateful for her conviction and generosity. Even if she were turned away, Kiara would do anything to make sure that at least her puppy was safe. When Tatiana left the group, the young mother inhaled deeply in an attempt to steady herself. Even so, she couldn't prevent her voice from shaking a little. Kohaku... my puppy... he's gone. I searched everywhere for him... but, I... Lucia let out a whine and Kiara stopped talking. She was on the verge of tears but managed to fight them off. Lucia needed her to be strong. Swallowing hard, she continued. I have lost two puppies; I wont see another one disappear from my sights.


Table by: Cait

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#9
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Rest now, traveler, for you are home.

Your brothers and sisters welcome you to New Dawn!

Congratulations! You no longer stray from the path and have returned to life as a true wolf. You do not have to face this world alone, and now may rely on the wisdom of your pack to guide you.

  • Take a moment to check out our and the Moons to see how you can start collecting rewards.
  • Remember to study your new realm by reviewing the [URL=http://nd.soulsrpg.com/territory] so you may know the land in which your family thrives. Do not be afraid to travel anywhere within the borders of New Dawn.
  • Please read about our Culture and take a moment to review our so you are best equipped to live as a true wolf.

If you have any questions or concerns you may always seek your alphas' guidance by contacting Nat (Zalen Damaichu) or Nuki (Titania Moonsong). Feel free to start posting in your new home immediately, or if you would like to plan a thread you may poke your muzzle around in Thread Requests or Open Threads!

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(Something is wrong with this code and I will fix it when I get home. ^_^ -Nuki)


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