[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Winter was a harsh mistress, one you could not supplicate for mercy. Phoenix was one a hardy stock built to survive the winter; and as such he had always preferred it to the summers that were cruel on wolves with dark, thick coats. But never before had he known just how dangerous winter and snow could be. He certainly hadn’t expected an entire wall of snow to engulf part of his home and almost take his daughter’s life. It served as a reminder that nobody was ever safe from anything, not even something as seemingly harmless as flakes of frozen water.
Nothing had changed, really, expected Phoenix’s perception of the world around him. But once the shock had abated, everything seemed to settle down into a sense of normalcy, at least in his mind. It was just one more danger in a life full of hardships, and now he was aware of it—even better. So, the massive male did what he normally did when the odds stacked against him: he grew more determined, more resolute, more stubborn in his fight for survival. He had a family to support and protect now; the stakes were higher. But Phoenix remained optimistic as usual.
Besides, it was an interesting experience, sharing one cave with the rest of the pack. It would either bring them all closer together or drive them further apart in the end, but seeing as how they had come through during the tragedy and worked together to save one of their number, Phoenix expected the former to happen, not the latter. He and his children claimed a spot near the exit of the cave, where he could remain vigilant should any other members of the pack require him. For now, though, he had a rare moment all to himself. And as he usually used his free time, he was hunting, searching for food to nourish his four children and nay other pack member who needed it.
Yes, despite the tragedy, Phoenix remained optimistic for the future. The avalanche, rather than destroying Storm, seemed to have galvanized his pack to come closer together. For perhaps the first time since become alpha, Phoenix was proud to lead such a fine group of wolves. | [/html]
[html] Shattering, snow and strain had brought one of the packs of Bleeding Souls closer than they ever were. From the perspective of at least one of their number, however, this was not neccessarily saying a great deal, given that they were so close-knit to begin with. It was a tribute to his connection with Storm that Tamerlane had swiftly collected such information. Most of the Lehrlings were the brood of Phoenix, whose children also included the grown-up Moon Phoenix and Dierdre Rhiannon, the latter of whom was mated to Pilot Haddon. They were very much a family, which made the lone Tamerlane more of an outsider than ever. It did not get to him, though; he nevertheless found the Storm wolves pleasant and, as far as he was aware, they found him pleasant too. They were all mutual friends, and that was all Tamerlane needed from them. He, in return, gave them loyalty — indeed, he had been recently promoted to Jager, apparently supposed to work under the Jager Fuhrer, which was a little odd given that the pack currently had no Jager Fuhrer at all.
Nevertheless, the fact that their sleeping quarters were now one until the end of the season seemed to imply that they should all be spending more time with one another. Tamerlane, however, was not always in the Storm territory, and slept even less. His pack mates saw about as little of him as they had before — and, as always, when they did bump into him, it was out and about rather than hunched in the shadowy corner of their collective dwelling. Despite being occasionally sociable and certainly warm, Tamerlane was often a recluse, that spoke nothing of his past and nothing of his future.
He did, however, walk through the snowy Moaning Woods on the way back to Storm, where he would converse with those nearest to him. On the way, however, the tall Luperci spotted the notoriously strapping form of his own Alpha, whose swimming emerald eyes searched the ground. Normally not one to initiate conversation, it was a mark of respect that Tamerlane approached him with his long, cold hands tucked into his pockets, and said quietly: might I observe that in a country seemingly prone to parents and children at odds with one another, it's all the more impressive to see such an attentive father.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Tamerlane’s absence from the impromptu sleeping arrangements had not gone unnoticed by Phoenix. He couldn’t deny that he was slightly disappointed by this, as he had been looking forward to seeing the entire pack come closer together and getting to better know the members who were not already part of his immediate family. Phoenix honestly believed that a pack should be a close extended family, as he’d told Nocht before accepting her into the pack. Also, Tamerlane was another warm body that could help the rest stave off the cold of winter. But Phoenix would not force him to stay in the same den as the rest of the pack, and he had a feeling he couldn’t even if he tried. Even if Phoenix believed it was for the best himself, he respected the other’s wish for privacy.
Granted, the lack of privacy could get a little annoying at times, but it was something Phoenix was used to by now. He hadn’t lived by himself since the day he brought Sun and Moon home from the city ruins. He certainly didn’t mind sleeping with everybody else, but he did worry about Dierdre and Pilot. He knew they were considering having children of their own, but that wasn’t going to happen so long as they didn’t have any time to themselves. Oh well, perhaps it was all for the best, since he wasn’t sure the pack could support any more puppies with part of their hunting lands gone. And besides, Phoenix was only three; he still felt too young to be a grandfather, as selfish as that sounded.
The lack of any prey was beginning to irritate the normally patient wolf. He was hungry, as he had been dividing up most of his catches to four hungry mouths back home. The scent of prey was around but something had scared them away, and that something soon revealed itself to be his Jager—the wolf that was supposed to help him find food, not make it harder. Nevertheless, Tamerlane’s interruption probably hadn’t been intentional, so the alpha took it in stride. “After my parents disappeared,” Phoenix said, looking up, “I swore that if I ever had a family a’my own I would never abandon ‘em or let ‘em go hungry as long as I could help it.” | [/html]
[html] Stealthy and far from blundering, Tamerlane had not been the one to scare away any prey, but if it was what Phoenix believed, he was not about to berate him for it. Placing the blame of his failing on an innocent soul, however, was not a healthy way to think of one he had recently promoted to Jager. Tamerlane was unaware that his Alpha’s opinion of him was rather… off. He did not avoid the den because he simply wanted privacy; he did not sit back in the shadows because he felt he was useless. He did not notice that his Alpha was hunting and then stagger along stupidly to scare away the creatures he was hunting. He considered Phoenix a friend as well as an Alpha (it was a tribute to the strapping wolf that he could be both leader and friend to others), but not one that in any way understood him. If their relationship was to progress based on Phoenix’s misunderstandings, it would likely progress in an unpleasant direction.
Phoenix took the compliment and ran with it. No conversation came out of this (how could it?) so Tamerlane simply nodded respectfully and was on his way.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">No matter how stealthy one was, the winds were always willing to betray a wolf. Despite the song that his father had taught him as a youth, Phoenix did not consider the wind his ally. It could change its whims at any moment and reveal the presence of predator to prey. The large wolf tried to remain upwind of any prey but Tamerlane was traveling in the opposite direction and the winds carried warning of a wolf to the smaller creatures between them. It was nobody’s fault, since the traveler most hadn’t been hunting himself or could be expected to be aware that a member of his pack had ventured out of their territory to do so.
The jager said nothing in reply and began to move on. Cocking an eyebrow, the alpha watched him begin to leave and wondered what that was all about. Tamerlane’s compliment seemed like a wish for conversation so Phoenix had replied. He was certainly different from most other wolves that lived in the valley (not that that was a bad thing, considering most of the wackjobs, druggies and weirdoes that were here) and so Phoenix often had a hard time deciphering his moods. “Hey, hold up,” he woofed, turning around and taking a few steps to face the other’s backside. “Y’wanna help me catch somethin’? There’s a herd a’deer I been trackin’. Th’wwhole pack could use somethin’ that big right ‘bout now.” Yes another offer to join in and be a hero. Tamerlane had a right to do whatever he wanted for the minor things, but with big important events he had thus far not failed to do his duty towards Storm. | [/html]
[html] Tamerlane felt his Alpha’s eyes on him, but did not halt to muse on what the other male could be thinking. As they were unacquainted in ways that really mattered, it would be imprudent to imagine that anyone’s opinions were really on track — for instance it was surely evident by now that Tamerlane did not tend to dive into conversations whenever he felt like it.
Hey, hold up, he turned to see Phoenix walking towards him, and waited respectfully for what it was he wanted. As far as he was aware, the male’s opinion of Tamerlane was very delicate indeed — if he agreed to this request, chances were Phoenix would take it to mean something it was not; for instance, that Tamerlane was bored or wanted company; or “wanted to help” or “play the hero” (an absurd and arrogant thing to think, obviously) or anything of the sort. There was also the question as to why Phoenix asked him to begin with. In the eyes of the Alpha, he was apparently in constant danger of being misunderstood. So to easily determine the true intentions of the other, he asked: do you need the help?
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Really, it didn’t matter what Phoenix thought of Tamerlane. Whether they became best of friends or remained just casual acquaintances didn’t really matter. The wanderer was not the usual warm and cheery wolf that usually sought acceptance into Storm, but he stayed out of trouble so Phoenix didn’t press him to reveal more about himself. If the day ever came, however, that Phoenix ever discovered there was some dark secret behind the other wolf that put the rest of the pack in danger, he would expect all his questions to be answered or Tamerlane was out. For now, though, so long as the aloof wolf fulfilled his obligations to the pack, the alpha was content to live and let live.
That was, after all, the whole policy of Storm when it came to other wolves. So long as they were left alone they wouldn’t meddle in the affairs of others. It was sometimes a difficult price to pay, and it had cost Skoll dearly, but no Phoenix realized such policy protected them from the other hostile packs and clan. Live and let live. Such policy worked for other wolves, but if applied to prey creatures the pack would starve out. Phoenix was once again surprised by Tamerlane’s response. He didn’t expect the subordinate wolf to ask “How high?” when he told him to jump, but when asked to help the rest of the pack it was his obligation to comply. But Phoenix decided to pick his battles and opted not to upbraid him for such a response.
“If I wanna catch somethin’ big enough t’feed everyone, yeah,” he said. Though he had done it once before, it was usually not wise for a single wolf to charge a whole heard of deer. He’d paid the price for it afterwards, though thankfully he’d somehow managed to avoid breaking any bones. He didn’t feel like pushing his luck again today. | [/html]
[html] Given that Phoenix seemed to be going for a family-like atmosphere at Storm, hoping they could all be together and learning about one another, it would seem contradictory for the Alpha to simultaneously think "actually, it doesn't matter either way". Either he wanted the pack mates to know one another, or he didn't. Suggesting that Tamerlane was somehow not included in this was not only a contradiction, but a firm push to the outside. Given that Phoenix was the leader of the pack, it of course mattered what he thought of his members. Misunderstanding them and pre-judging them would result in inaccurate portrayals and blunt relationships; attempting to get to know them, and seeing things from their perspective was more likely to result in a very healthy pack atmosphere.
And without such an atmosphere, Storm would always just be the place he occasionally lived to Tamerlane; it was the people that made the home, and so far, despite his friends there, it wasn't the warmest place in the world. The note of surprise in Phoenix once again suggested a misunderstanding, perhaps taking Tamerlane's words to mean "I don't want to" rather than "are you doing this because you genuinely need help, or are you just trying to include me?" In answer, Tamerlane shifted fluidly into his Lupus form. It was rare for him, and he cracked his jaw and limbs painfully, but was nevertheless swift. Tamerlane as a traditional wolf was as ivory and tattooed as ever, and being long and tall was immediately recognisable. And perfect, of course, like all others in such a form, for hunting. |
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">While the site of a wolf shifting was a common enough occurrence around here, Phoenix couldn’t recall if he had ever seen Tamerlane in any state other than his optime form before. The resulting figure was basically how Phoenix anticipated it to look—very few wolves underwent radical changes during shifting, though it was not unheard of. Anticipating a hunt, Phoenix also began to shift, settling into his halfling form, which he preferred when hunting deer. The brunneous male was bulky and muscular in all forms, and a part of his mane stubbornly refused to retract when he left his own optime form, leaving a braid of hair dangling continuously from the back of his neck. A recent addition to his appearance was a tattoo of his own on his left haunch, the lightning-bolt that represented the pack he led.
Once settled into their new bodies, Phoenix sized up Tamerlane anew, attempting to estimate what his abilities might be and formulate a strategy best suited to the two wolves. Though he ha overcome his phobia a long time ago, deer hunting was still serious business to Phoenix. He had learned from experience not to ever let ones guard down dealing with the creatures, since antlers capable of scarring could just as easily impale. “Follow me,” the alpha said, a tone of authority that wasn’t always there creeping into his voice as he turned and began stalking towards the scent of the herd.
“They have deer where you come from?” he asked, more to make sure that Tamerlane actually had some experience with this. The other wolf had never said exactly where he came from, and Phoenix had once learned somewhere that different regions of the world were inhabited by different kinds of animals. Let Tamerlane hold his precious little secrets, but Phoenix had a good reason for asking what he did. | [/html]
OOC — “precious little secrets”? Hold on, there’s no need to get bitter. 
IC —
[html] | “Follow me” said the strapping Alpha, perhaps expecting that Tamerlane would sit there like a dumb puppy until commanded to move, or else have no idea what to do. The fact that he was alive after so much time without a pack was surely indication enough that he knew how to feed himself, though apparently the charge was required nonetheless. Walking along at Phoenix’s side, Tamerlane nodded breifly at the question. |
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Oftentimes Phoenix found himself feeling inadequate during a situation, berating himself constantly for not knowing the perfect thing to do. Leadership and politics were a minefield that he struggled to navigate, the high stakes only seeming to distract him and make him stumble. Hunting, however, was more art than anything else, a primal dance of lives struggling to continue themselves. In this dance Phoenix was well-versed, and the stakes only helped him to focus. If he did not overcome, he and his would go hungry. It was both complex and simple.
Phoenix froze as they came to the boundaries imposed by a line of brush. Intermingled amongst the woods were dear, thin from winter's ravages but still naturally large enough to satisfy the hunger of a pack for the night. It didn't take Phoenix long to pick out a target--an older female with a limp, obviously nearing the end of her days. Simple gestures were used to communicate with the pack member before Phoenix slunk away to the right, intending toboth flank the herd and scare them towards Tamerlane. | [/html]
[html] | Tamerlane dipped his muzzle close to the ground, his body stealthy, dark eyes rising to meet the form of the deer Phoenix had his eyes on. Given that Phoenix was the burly giant and Tamerlane looked speedier, giving himself the job of chasing and Tamerlane the job of the ambush did not seem the decision of a professional hunter. He was not to know, of course, that Phoenix was indeed not a professional hunter, but one who had had issues in the area before. It would have been an intriguing topic, but given that they were in the midst of a hunt, there were no topics at all. Tamerlane merely chose his position as required — he crouched close to the ground behind long grass, where there were bushes to the right and thickets to the left. As far as the deer was concerned, this was the best way out of the clearing. The fact that there was a predator at the "only" exit, of course, was not to be known until blood was spilt. |
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Without warning, Phoenix leapt from his cover and charged into the herd, generating pandemonium. He loved this. Soon, the Children of the Storm would have their muzzles bathed in blood, their bellies filled, or at least satisfied for a little while. Despite their living situation, the pack was getting along better than Phoenix had hoped, and spirits were always lifted after a good meal together. At this point, Phoenix couldn't help being optimistic for their future, if just a little.
Most of conscious brain shut down as he worked, switching over to a more primal "hunt mode". All thoughts and distractions dissapeared, as so might as well have the rest of the world. As for as Phoenix was concerned, it was just him and the deer in a plain white room, with his hunting partner about to join them any minute. Phoenix snapped at the heels of the targeted doe, almost catching her at one point. With one sudden burst of strength, Phoenix lept up onto her back, bringing her crashing down into the earth underneath his impressive weight. However, eh continued to struggle for life underneath him, and he found himself unable to reach her throat from his position. Fine enough, he would just leave the killing blow to Tamerlane--as he had expected things to play out anyway.
[html] | This particular style of hunting was a time-honoured classic. Tamerlane remained still and poised, grey-black eyes planted on the images he could see — a blink of a hoof, a blur of brown. When Phoenix leapt, the deer headed — as planned — in the Jager's direction. The sturdy Alpha slashed at the haunch of the target creature, but still it ran; the possibility that it would struggle from his grasp was ever present, but the doe was oblivious to the oncoming inevitability. With a smooth flash of muscle and sinew, Tamerlane's paws dashed the ground and his jaws closed over a scrawny neck until bucking turned to struggling. Struggling turned to writhing. Writhing turned to twitching. And twitching turned to stillness. |
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Shall we fade to black?
Success! Very little matched the pure, unadulterated joy of untarnished success. That couldn't have gone more smoothly if the entire hunt had been choreographed (as if any deer would volunteer for that). And there was so little of it in Phoenix's life that he cherished moments like these. Still on top of the now-deceased doe, the massive male allowed himself a brief moment of pup-like enthusiasm with a burst of motion with his tale. He allowed the golden moment to permeate every fiber of his still adrenaline-concentrated body.
Leaping off the dead body, he nodded his thanks to Tamerlane. The alpha couldn't wait to bring their prize home to the rest of the pack and share it with them. "Good job," he commended, though he doubted if his compliment merited much in the other wolf's eyes. Tamerlane was one of the few who hadn't know Phoenix back before he had become alpha, and as such didn't know him as anything but a leader, but that only made it more important for Phoenix to keep up the act around him. But they had worked well together this day, for the good of their pack. Hopefully this would just be the first such event of many to come. | [/html]
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