Ruins of Wildwood
Lost Lake Lost - Printable Version

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Lost - Vafri - May 28, 2012

{ set in late afternoon }

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Beasts that hunt never can forget the smell and taste of blood - the sharp, metallic cloy on the back of the throat, thick as whispers and dark as dying when the violence recedes and leaves scabs to close up or maybe just leaves pools on the ground, rotting, filled with the most distant echoes of a beast once alive. Vafri's cuts already clumped into uneven scabs beneath his fur but still the dark stains on his chest, his face, glared like livid tattoos at a sky wrapped in thick clouds. He ached - not for the first time - to see the burning eye above his mountains, to feel it cut through his retinas in an angry burst. He ached for the numbing burst of an icy wind or the oppressive silence of the falling snow - for the keening slash of a familiar voice rising on slow ribbons toward the low sky. Nothing Vafri needed came to greet him though and lonely, the white wolf padded up familiar mountain paths. He paid little heed to the path he took and subsequently marched too high at first and spent the better part of his day backtracking, looking in vain for the narrow path up toward the higher peaks, that suddenly would switchback, fall away amongst the pines, and become the sandy shores of a too-deep and too-silent lake that sung in muted colors when the aurora lights began to burn.


Vafri's shoulder complained in the weary language of repeated throbbing while he walked - limped - out across the sand and let his dark eyes watch for nothing but the path ahead. Gods damn that entire pack, and his, too, for living so close to a raving bunch of zealots. The hard lines of the brown male's face swam sharp in Vafri's memory and he took care to fix it on the very insides of his skull, that later when he needed it he would still know the face, the fight, the trickle of warm blood that smelled now like scabs and like clotted hair. It wasn't so much blood but Vafri always flinched away from his own; memories of tragedy long past made him wary, imprinted on his mind lost scenes of crimson bright and treacherous across the hard snow, of antlers and teeth unattached to a handsome face, and the brilliant awful yodeling that tore from Vafri's own throat...


There was no one here to trust. He lapped at the lake's cold water and it burned down his esophagus, hot fingers digging into every nerve and speaking words of pain and comfort and of life. Thirst gripped the white wolf and he drank for a long time before looking up, dark eyes expecting someone, maybe - one of the lower females driven from the den site where Naira lay giving life to new cubs, cubs Vafri didn't care about but would inevitably care for and tell stories to, and do his own part in shaping. He sighed and waded forward, lips drawn back in a quiet snarl as cold flooded his ankles. With a brittle sigh then Vafri slipped his face below the surface and worked at it with the rough pads of his right paw - scraping and scraping - until the soft scab broke and started bleeding once again and he gave up, and sat back - wet, bloody, tired, lonelier than he had been when only stars sang down at him and the only greetings he received were bared teeth and flat, angry words.

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Lost - Kegan - May 28, 2012

Kegan felt like he was dehydrated, and a little peckish, in fact. Suddenly, he had decided to have some water. He padded along so silently, hardly anything could hear him. 'Man, this place is like deserted". he thought in his head, anyone could clearly tell that he was just plain bored. He quickly saw a scabby wolf, who was bleeding, this wolf looked familiar, yes, it was that wolf that told that amazing story on that beautiful night,. Kegan could tell, the wolf was the exact same colour, though a bit dirtier and a bit more scabby.

"Sir, are you alright?" Kegan had asked kindly, not showing any signs of disrespect. "You were the wolf that told that amazing story, weren't you? I loved that time." Kegan glanced at all the wolf's scabs and the small drips of blood.

"Do you need anything, you're bleeding". He said way more nervously, what would happen if the wolf wasn't from his pack? Would this wolf eat him alive?


Lost - Ava - May 28, 2012

( is it alright if we set this after Kegan's romp with SR as well? if not let me know and I'll just write a different post!
But also, a quick note Smeh - Kegan would know Vafri is from his pack not only from the pack gathering but also from his scent. )

Border patrol had never been more boring or difficult to the coal-coated she wolf as it was that day. She could hardly pay attention to the smells of the mountain, though she noted with disdain that it really didn't matter. It was the same hares and rocks and connifers that made up the scent, it always was. There hadn't been loners since their huge boom in them and she had more pressing matters to concern herself with. Ava desperately wanted to serve Naira now, with whatever she needed whenever she needed it, but Rhysis guarded the den closely. She presumed this was by the tawny leader's own request; Of course the new mother would want her privacy. A million concerns filled her mind and made it impossible to care about anything besides the situation in the den. It started with one nagging thought, like a little ant crawling over her brain, and bloomed into an entire colony of ants in its own. And there was nothing she could console herself with, not a single distraction that was capable of wrenching her mind elsewhere... until she caught the scent of Swift River, near Poison Path territory.

Without thinking a dark snarl erupted from her chest and her disposition changed entirely. While before she had been stalking aimlessly her pace quickened tenfold, snaking through the mountain passes with a fierce delicacy. Ava would not rest until the wolf was found. Somewhere she was hoping it was just Ice, although she knew her nameless friend would never be stupid enough to come over here - and he hated Rhysis and Naira like the rest of them, so why the hell would he? But she was still too far from the source of it to tell who it was, so nothing of her intensity lightened as she followed the trail. Following it she climbed down the mountain, closer and closer to their den. Her heart threatened to stop beating from the combination of rage and fear that had exploded within her. The mountain flattened out into the stretch before the Lake but she did not slow her pace. Whoever it was, they would certainly see her coming now, and she prayed they saw.

Her dark paws struck hard when they came down upon the ground and with each smack the anger within her was revitalized. Burning in her amber eyes was hellfire that only sprung more livid when her gaze found not a random River wolf she hadn't met, but her packmates - wounded - and giving off the faint, but still recognizable smell that marked the Sacred Grove. Adding confusion and surprise into the mix of emotion stirring around in her belly didn't make it any better and as she neared them, closer and closer, she could only think why. Naira's children had been born; and Swift River's were likely as well. There was no excuse to invite danger to their home and though there never had been, now was honestly the worst time. Who was to say that Swift River's male lead wasn't going to come over here and tear them apart for threatening the life of his children with their very presence?

By now Ava had come upon the two - Kegan and Vafri. She came to a crashing halt, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths while her heart thumped angrily in her chest. Tail rising, she snarled, "Explain yourself."

It was then that she realized what exactly it meant that her packmate was injured. With her leaders caring for the new blood it would have to be Ava to patch up their's, even though she didn't want to. What idiots approach the River wolves? Had no one told them that they weren't allies? Ava wouldn't have thought it a big deal had she not been there herself before they had. It wasn't so scary when the threat of violence was an afterthought in the back of her head... but it was so scary when her welcoming party had been hulking Guardians. She imagined the copper wolf had greeted Vafri and Kegan both with the same generosity that had been given to her... or, perhaps he hadn't, seeing that they were both beaten. Maybe they just hadn't run fast enough.

Angered words fought to slip between her teeth but Ava clamped her jaw shut, staring at the two males. Before she gave them a good tongue-lashing though, she supposed she'd hear their story. And for their sake, they'd better have a good excuse, or she might just let their wounds fester.


Lost - Vafri - May 29, 2012

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"Sir, are you alright?"


Between the itch of new scabs and the splash of water Vafri missed his quiet new companion until Kegan stood behind him and spoke too politely. Vafri's big ears twitched forward; he blinked as the other male kept talking - praise, praise so undeserved and unashamed it must be too sarcastic even for Vafri to pick out the sour notes. A mild frown crossed his face and the white wolf ceased washing, pink water running down into his chest fur. You loved that time? he almost spat, hackles not up but posture unexpectedly tense. The encounter with Rhysis ran fresh in Vafri's mind, and Marsh... he stood unconsciously tall, tail up, dark eyes slanted down his nose. Something felt... wrong. Suspicious. "Kegan," was all the pale wolf answered at first. He spoke softly now, no longer loud enough for anyone around to hear. For an instant Vafri's gaze shifted, inscrutable as the light moving through shallow water, fleeting and incurious and almost hostile - but then his mouth shifted into what ought to be a smile and he chuckled. "I've been through worse, I'm sure."


He might have managed to laugh it all off, too, but the sudden dark blur at the edge of one eye caught Vafri's attention. He turned and suddenly stood on his toes, one limb coiled toward his chest as Ava lunged toward them. The big male yielded without argument, head and tail both lowered as his dark eyes lingered in the water where the female's eyes burned from her trembling reflection. "Ava." Her name rolled more somberly from Vafri's lips, almost contrite. He chanced a look toward Kegan in search of explanation - but he knew of course, even expected this - from Naira or Rhysis... Ears pressed back, Vafri gave a cautious wag of his tail. "Peace. I was ambushed near the borders earlier but it's been dealt with. I doubt they'll return." His long tongue curled out to lick a fine stream of dark blood from the corner of his mouth. Already the shallow scab began to close again and Vafri wondered how best to impress the trivial nature of the wounds. "I was unaware, though, of the beasts we call neighbors." Here the lightness in his tone diminished and he raised his dark eyes toward the female, glanced once at Kegan as if to acknowledge that he worried for less gifted wolves. "Dangerous, to say the least."

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Lost - Kegan - May 29, 2012

Kegan glanced at Vafri's shiny black noise, he could tell that something was wrong. The white wolf had said that he had been trough worse, to be honest, Kegan felt too relieved. Suddenly, he noticed the white wolf turn around and stand tall on his toes. Something, or someone had caught his attention. when Kegan turned round, he stared at the jet black female who had looked so familiar. Yes, she was that wolf named Ava that was always there with the other pack members.

"What? Who? Where?" was Kegan's three questions. He didn't understand. "I was unaware, though, of the beasts we call neighbors." Vafri had said. 'What on earth is he talking about?' Kegan thought to himself, and then glanced at the female.


Lost - Athena - May 30, 2012

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Deep growls echoed through the usually tranquil area around the white woman. However today, not all was still. Something had awakened her anger and the pale Second became dangerous as she attacked anything without provocation. May Naira's recent mood swings that put her in such a menacing state, or the new comers that she had yet to punish for their laziness. Either way, she was pissed. More pissed that she ever had been. It did not help that her recent attempts at trying to catch a decent meal for the pack at gone unsuccessful. Irritated and angry, she marched down the mountain towards her den.



Matters soon would get worse, as she caught whiff of Swift River. A snarl as a threatening as death itself erupted from her chest. Dammit! Her steps quickened, but she was reassured slightly that none of her family lay slaughtered on the ground when she caught the scent of Ava. Two other Poison Path members were gathered, Vafri and Kegan. Both Vafri and Kegan had Swift River on their coats and her growls deepened. If they dare threaten her leaders in any way with this, they will pay. Her blazing eyes caught sight of the group of three and she was soon upon them.



Tail and head up in dominance, she marched forwards with a growl forming on her ebony lips. She caught the last of Vafri's words and she assumed by the tension in Ava's body that she was as irritated and furious as she was. Her white body slid right up besides Ava, her haunches slightly raised in great irritation and fury. So, he was ambushed. However, why was he there in the first place? Did he want them to come after them with pitchforks and bayonets? Kegan then spoke and she was angered even more at the unawareness of the young wolf. Her growl was then released along with her cold, harsh tone. "He is talking about Swift River. The pack that we call neighbors." She directed towards Kegan, giving him a stern stare before turning back to the white male. "Why were you there in the first place? Did Naira at least mention to you not to go anywhere near them if you would like to keep your hide?" She questioned with little mercy. "You know what danger you could have led straight to us if they have followed you?" She questioned further.



Her tone increasing got louder, but now it was starting to loss its thunder. Now her tone turned into a pleading sort, one that was rarely ever heard. "Did you at least make sure they did not follow you here?" She questioned one last time. Her eyes lost their once menacing look, but were now replaced with an earnest gaze, hoping that his answer would be one that she wanted. She wanted to know that the ones that were after her leader's heads were not here to sound the bulge of war.



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Lost - Ava - May 30, 2012

(sowwy she's such a meanie :P )

Where Vafri accepted her fury, the other one stood dumbly in place and the night-coated female lunged forward to grasp his muzzle within her jaws, while a growl reverberated deep within her chest. In the sunlight her eyes blazed with gold and fire with so much furor that she could've burnt the fur off his damn face. The pressure from her dominant bite would be hard, but only for a moment as Vafri spoke up. Peace, he asked of her, and as his packmate she respected this wish only so far as to not add break the skin on Kegan's muzzle. A violent impulse had awoke within her following her encounter with Tisa and as ashamed of it as she was, her teeth longed to snap at flesh to make sure her messages were clear, to be certain it had been understood. But Ava refused to allow her nasty nature victory. Finishing with a loaded snarl she released Kegan's muzzle, allowing her head to hold high once more as she kept her gaze upon the male. He'd have to submit or something, or else she wouldn't hold fast for peace much longer.

Still boiling she twisted one dark ear toward the storyteller. Swift River, come to them? They never had before; what reason had they now? The lie was woven so effortlessly and it certainly would match up... to a different member of Poison Path, perhaps. Suspicion grew in her narrowed gaze - Vafri ought not to understimate her wit. Then again, he couldn't posibly know about her friendship with the River wolf... The thought of Ice in her mind, and the tension and pain of their last meeting, awoke a sadness that soaked into her bones and left her fiery demeanor slightly dampened. The cogs of her mind's working whirled with such ferocity as she tried to make sense of it - and Kegan did as well, apparently, with the questions that leapt from his jaws.

Luckily for the two numbskulls the sadness was enough to ease the rage in her voice. Now her speech was calmer, but still clipped, as she once more looked upon Kegan. "You really think you can act stupid to me? Their reek is all over you, too. What've you got to say for yourself?" Ava quieted, but only for a moment. "Say something else stupid. I dare you." Whoops. Perhaps not all her anger had been taken care of.

Then came the approach of Athena, as swiftly and as pissed off as Ava had been in the first place. Why did it seem like they were the only ones with any damn sense in their pack? Perhaps they just hadn't been doing an adequate job of putting the others in their place. Kindly did the pale second provide Kegan with snippets of information, though she implied they had actually been there themselves. They certainly had the rank of the Grove in their hides but it could've just been brought to them by the Swift River wolves who had apparently visited their border earlier. Still the words provided enough suspicion for Ava to reconsider what she had been told. And then, surprisingly, Athena stopped barking at them and sounded exponentially distressed over the matter - and she never spoke like that either. It was enough to cause her lips to curl backwards, baring her teeth with an unanchored madness.

A low growl rumbling through her, Ava leaned forward and inhaled the scents off their fur - and much to her misfortune, she recognized them. Though she didn't know their names, the scents of Marsh and Ice were easily recalled from her memory (for different reasons both!) Vafri's fur had another smell within it, something female she did not know of, but it didn't serve to help their case at all. "The red one with scars, and the one who looks like ice. You have the smell of the Guardians of Swift River about you. Why would those wolves who are bound to protect their border overstep it and come to ours? There had better be truth in your words or there is pain to follow. Were there Swift River wolves on our border... or is Athena right, and that stink of the Grove from your own travels?"

Despite her choice of words she hadn't been entirely convinced. Within her grew a fear that it'd been her visit for the hellebore that had brought their rage upon them. Naira had personally instructed her to their border but it certainly made it no less her fault if they decided to seek revenge. Anger, sadness, and confusion had all ran through her blood with no mercy. Perhaps she was getting hormonal herself from mere exposure! But it didn't matter - she didn't want to think about it any longer. Ava just wanted the business handled and done with, and all Swift River worries out of their heads.


Lost - Vafri - May 30, 2012

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His fellow on the lakeshore hardly offered any adequate assistance. Vafri’s dark eyes lingered on the other male as Ava leapt; he could hardly care less about what happened to Kegan, but Ava’s fury concerned him. Such rage for such a little thing… He sighed, unable to say he never expected this – only that he found himself exasperated with the thoughtless rage of the female. Did she not pause to think? At last Ava seemed to be digesting his words, though the sudden arrival of another white wolf – Athena – set Vafri back on his heels. He made a point of tucking his tail low and glancing away, hoping that Kegan’s lack of manners gathered the brunt of their attention. It was every man for himself when the lady gang had their hackles up… And we were getting on so well, too. He had a long explanation ahead of him. A long, careful explanation… Though maybe if he left it all to Kegan he could dodge most of their ire and lope off unscathed. He liked that idea. He certainly disliked the intense confusion brewing within him; all that hurt in Vafri’s dark eyes was not entirely for show.


”You doubt me?” he countered Ava’s words quietly. ”Or do you think me stupid?” Vafri’s teeth clicked hard over the last syllable despite his submissive pose, and the pale wolf’s dark eyes flickered away from Kegan and toward the two females. ”The bastard didn’t tell me what he wanted. Probably didn’t even know how to talk. I certainly wasn’t off adventuring with him,” he added with a dismissive shake of his muzzle toward the other male. ”Only met him just now, trying to take care of wounds inflicted while I was defending our border.” He was growing carelessly bold, his tone a shade above the solemn whisper now and heated, though nowhere near the blistering intensity of the two female stares. ”I certainly was not followed. I certainly was not the one to sow their hatred of us.” Vafri glared through narrowed eyes. "It might be in my interest, though, to know who did." He directed his attention at the other male, one side of his mouth pulled taught in agitation.


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Lost - Kegan - May 30, 2012

Kegan was surprised that he had started to pant so heavily, then, he could smell... blood. Kegan suddenly checked all over him, Nothing, he then checked his legs. There was a giant wound that he was so foolish and has forgotten about, now, it was stinging like hell. He had started to become all woozy and dizzy, it had started to make him sick as he tried to reveal the mark, but it was nearly impossible to show them it because of where the mark laid, though Kegan still made sure that he kept his head down low and his tail in between his legs.He opened his mouth, and began to speak slowly. "I...I was the one who ventured in they're territory, Naira didn't tell me anything about not to go in they're territory, and I was following Mist, who left me, I don't know what happened about her." He had said so nervously.... Kegan was going to lie down, but he thought it would be disrespectful even in his weakened state.

His legs couldn't stop shaking, he needed to lie down, Kegan thought that he was becoming a stupid, careless, dumb wolf, but he wasn't. He couldn't believed that he had forgotten that day when those two wolves attacked him and the silvery female.Ice, that had to be the wolf's name. He was so rabid and disgraceful. What had happened to Mist?

It was to his surprise that the familiar black wolf had dominantly tried to bite him, which he agreed and took the bite, with no dodging or running away. It was sore and rough, but a least the female did try not to break his skin on his nose, but he wondered when the female would finish.


Lost - Athena - May 30, 2012

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A low growl besides her alerted her of Ava's continuous displeasure of the situation. She could understand how Ava felt, since she would react the same way if she heard the same tone in her dark friend's voice. It would be disheartening to hear your fellow pack mate that you've grown close to sound so defeated and sad. It broke her heart just thinking of it. That was when she tried pulling herself together. As long as she couldn't see the stampede of Swift River wolves coming towards them, they were fine. It was not like Vafri gave them directions on exactly where they were located. If he did, however, she would probably end up murdering him out of blind rage.



Ava continued on with her inflicting questions till she finally took a breath and allowed Vafri to speak. The whole time, she did not dare interrupted the black woman out of complete respect of her. Ava acted exactly as she did, angry and confused that these wolves had Swift River on their coats. Walking into Swift River with Poison Path scent on you was almost a death sentence and you were very lucky if you made it out alive. Or most of your fur for that matter.



After Ava finished, Vafri spoke his peace. However, with his almost threatening tone, made her growl. She had thought she had calmed down, but no matter, he had a tone that she didn't appreciate. However, as he continued, his explanation seemed logical and she turned her attention back on Kegan as Vafri hinted towards him. She noticed his shaky legs and tail in submission, but by the look on his face he looked incredibly sick. Perhaps she should get Chantille or Naira to look at him and look Vafri over also. But, as he continued, she almost wanted to him to suffer with his injuries. The way both Mist and him went into their territory showed to her how idiotic they were. Perhaps, it was by mistake, but they must have known not to go there. Or has Naira and Rhysis been lacking on giving the newcomers the loop of things.



At the thought of Rhysis and Naira, she wondered where they were exactly. She hadn't seen Rhysis in a while and for some reason Naira scent wasn't as strong by the den as it usually was. She had been polite lately and didn't peek her head inside to check on her. For the last few days, she tried to avoid the den to give Naira some privacy. Perhaps, she should go check up on her?



"I'm telling you now and I won't tell you again. Do NOT go towards Swift River unless you like to stay alive or keep your coat." With that being said, she left it temporary to Ava as she made her way towards the birthing den.

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