Take Me Home

@Aponi & @Mercy
+ Any other HK wolves who want to be part of the "retrieval squat" :D - Feel free to say you left together with Evann, if you want to ^^

She could feel the strength returning to her legs, almost with every step. Her breath was no longer heaving and painful after a short walk. Spring had brought the world back to life, and her along with it; Nothing can stop me now! With her body finally recovering and starting to return to its full glory, the brown lass almost couldn't fathom how she had survived in such a weak state. The explanation was Hollwoheart Keep! Mapplethorpe's generosity had saved her life, and now she would spend it trying to repay him.

And what better way to begin than to bring back the lost princess?! Oh yes. Of course, that wasn't quite as easy as it sounded. Ever since the snowstorm that had ended the big hunt, the wolves of The Keep had searched for the lost pups; to no avail. There was no sign of the children anywhere, and whatever scent could be picked up was many days old; But I won't give up!

There had been many an expedition, and today bean another one. The young dame had chosen to head south, along the foot of the mountains, hoping that the youngsters had been smart enough to seek out the highland when they found themselves lost. A foolish hope perhaps, seeing as they hadn't come home, but she was out of ideas.

So she trotted determinedly southwards, nose eagerly sniffing at the mild spring air, searching for any sign of the familiar Hollowheart smell. For a long time she found nothing, the many scents of the budding forest tickling her nostrils, but none standing out particularly. But then something reached her on the breeze, frail and far away, possibly an old trace still lingering, or maybe even a fragment of her own mind. But she took no chances! In a strong push of her hind legs she was off, galloping through the forest in direction of, what she deeply wished were, the lost pups.

Word count: 326

”Speech” Thoughts

PLOT WITH ME!

--Magically throws Karpos in==

valar dohaeris.

karpos slayer

all men must serve.

Karpos had been careful to follow Evann at a distance, his brown eyes focused on her. He had made sure that he was downwind and in one of her blind spots so he was not easily detected by the female. He had known her only from the conversation she had been in with Sagacity where Karpos had been just a mere spectator. He wasn't too kind because he knew better than to stand up to the Silver Bullet. The reason for following the female was simple, curiosity. He wanted to know whether she was running away, scouting, or even trying to prove herself. His adventure was well worth the hike away from the woods and The Keep's borders to find out. He wanted to be able to find Aponi too.

He desperately missed the silver girl with the stormy gray eyes. He hadn't been able to calm his worry for Aponi and Mercy since they had gone missing. Concern that perhaps another pack had found them, taken them hostage because they were enemies with the Keep, that frightened him the most. He attempted to take a calming breathe but he knew he couldn't. His calming breathes were keep gasps of warm and moist air. He would make too much noise and Evann would know he was there. To be honest, Karpos had really felt bad for Evann. Being called a jester and being relentlessly teased by the rather achromic silver bullet. He wrinkled his nose in an attempt to stop a sneeze but to no avail. I hate warm weather. He never thought he would say it but he did. The prey was coming back, which was good, but the plants didn't really agree with his nose. Achooooo.

His cover had been blown so he might as well just go up to her. "Whatcha doing Miss Evann?" He asked casually.

@Aponi

North.

They'd followed the direction given to them, and even while out looking for food, Mercy had kept this direction in his heart, his mind's arrow always pointing in the same direction. Every morning he woke up and went off in search of food he looked North, and as the days went on and their travels took them further and further North, he found himself not only famished for food, but dying for a glimpse of the mountains. In the dark they'd found a resting place after yet another long day of journeying, steadfast in their coordinates like a ship gently sailing with her sails full of air, guided by a fixed rudder.

In the night they had journeyed silently, with cloud cover marring any view of the mountains they had yet to catch sight of. It was that night that he'd begun to doubt their course- maybe the man had lied to them, maybe they were travelling south instead. But sure enough, the mountains had been there- simply blocked from their view and the two had gone to sleep in a restless quiet; between them a tension existed again- for they'd been travelling too long to have gone without any sight of the mountain, had they actually been travelling North. Mercy said nothing to Aponi, but felt himself beginning to resent this entire ordeal. There were no mountains. Maybe they weren't travelling North. Maybe he'd die alongside her.

Sleep had become a drug; something that sucked him in and left him wanting for more even when daylight came. Every morning became more and more tiresome and Mercy hoped every time he opened his eyes to see Summer. He didn't care, now, if it meant that he'd been relieved of his body- it would mean warmth, and freedom from starvation, and the pain that made his joints ache. His muscles had deteriorated and his face was drawn and thin; there was little left of either wolf besides a dull, shaggy coat and a skeleton that poked out at odd angles. Two hollow eyes, a dry nose and jaws continuously left slightly agape, as though wishing to draw in some form of nutrition from the cold air they breathed.

His vision was foggy but he blinked a few times when he saw something lumbering in the horizon beyond the trees. Funny, He thought. The sky looks so white. It's supposed to be blue... He stared, head resting slightly on Aponi's bony hip at the odd formation of clouds beyond the trees. His mind didn't recognize their form immediately, and it took him some time before it even occurred to him that these were mountains, not trees. He lifted his head suddenly and flicked his ears forward. His whiskers trembled slightly as he stared, silently, at the snowy peaks rising above the treeline like a beacon.

But at the same time, he felt his heart fall. He couldn't go on; even if the mountains were there, it didn't mean they could make it back to the woods. But fate intervened yet again- and off in the distance he saw two wandering figures, both dark in complexion- and only faintly recognizable at first, but familiar enough that Mercy began to doubt himself. He tried to whisper Aponi's name but all that came past his dry lips was a hoarse squawk. He struggled to get to his feet but flopped back down on the ground. It was them! It had to be! He flung his head back and tried to howl, but could do little more than groan, a hoarse, grating sound that fluctuated in pitch, emitting a few sharp tones before being promptly silenced to a whisper. But again and again he called out, hoping that one of the two would see the huddled forms in the snow and take them home.

There is an elk carcass nearby. It looks like it froze to death. +12 Health

Sorry I held this up guys!

Sleep. It was all the princess did now. She didn't have enough energy to even make it to the pond to get herself water, she hadn't eaten in well, she had lost count how many days. Day after night and night after day they had walked, until it became struggle just to place one paw in front of another and then they had settled in a small stone crevice beside the falls. At first they only planned on staying there for a day, maybe two before moving again but they had woken up the next day and without a word they both understood, they weren't ever going to make it home. Mercy had not let this break him and at first had left every day in search of a meal or someone to help them or something, but with time these missions too had stopped. Aponi just laid within the rock structure and watched storms roll in and out, counting the snowflakes until she once again got welcomed by sleep's embrace. Today had been different, today no storm came and no more flakes fell from the sky, instead the world was wrapped in a strange yellowish glow. It took a few moments for the starving mind to remember what this was, sun. Both pups had wobbled out of the cave before their muscles gave out and they had collapsed upon the sunny ground, surrounded by the melting powder, staring blearily around them. Sleep had once more taken Aponi but she was brought back to consciousness by the movement of Mercy's body from hers. Her blue eyes could not focus and a glassy staring look was taking them over as she heard his moans, but once more she slipped into an exhausted slumber.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Karpos heard the faintest and familiar howl in the distance and he was set on edge. His ears perked up as his gaze narrowed around before he took off in the direction of the wolves who had called. He arrived and he instantly became elated. It was @Mercy and @Aponi, though they seemed in rough shape they were still alive. He let out a call for @Evann to come from the distance before running over to them, hovering over Aponi who seemed to be in rough shape. MERCY! APONI! He had called out with the scent of deer nearby. They must be starving and so the chocolate boy ran towards the carcass he had scented as he started to drag it back only to find Aponi unconscious. He needed to get them home.

He motioned to the carcass in a demand that Mercy start to eat as he tried to stir Aponi into consciousness. Evann wasn't too far from them. Evann! We need to get them back home now. Aponi's in rough shape. He called back the information to the wolf whom had been verbally abused by Sagacity right in front of him. He was thankful that she had wandered for if she had not than they would not have found the princess and the other ward to the Keep. He drew a deep breathe as he frowned at Aponi's state. You guys will be home. He whispered into her ear in hopes she'd wake up to the words. He didn't know what to do and so he waited for Evann. Would she need to be carried? Surely him and Evann could manage that. What if both of them needed to be carried? Would they be able to carry both of them?

Ooc: I'm SO TERRIBLY SORRY!! I've been so busy over Easter, I haven't had time to post :C My BIGGEST appologies for holding this up DD:
@Mercy @Aponi @Karpos

She had noticed him some time ago, following in her tracks while doing his best to stay out of sight. They had made it quite a way from The Keep, him hiding in her shadow, and the brown fae admired the young man's skill; He'll make quite a hunter that boy. Smiling to herself, she had shown no sign of having seen her stalker, leaving him to believe he was still successful, such continuing to practice his silent steps.


It was only when Karpos sneezed, such efficiently reveling himself, that Evann turned her head to look directly at the boy. And oh if he played it off well, nonchalantly addressing her as if he had just happened to cross her path at that moment; had her nose not been filled with the scent of the pups, she would have taken her time to praise his deviousness. As it was, she simply breathed in deeply through her nose, turning her head back forwards; and squinted. There was something in the distance; Is it them?! Then the sound reached the two, crippled and weak.


Karpos was off in an instance, his young legs carrying him incredibly quickly over the snow. The sable lass followed suite, muscles aching slightly under the strain; I need to run more, train back to my former strength... Something she would worry about later. Something more to worry about.


When she reached them, the dark boy was already dragging the meet towards the two youths; They're so thin! Mercy was awake, and Karpos was coaxing him into eating, so Evann turned her attention to the princess. Her eyes were closed, heart thumbing in her chest, the young adult bowed down, touching her snout to Aponi's; she was still breathing. When she looked back up, her chocolate eyes were on the dark boy again, ears twitching at his outbursts. He was right, they needed to get the youngsters back quickly, they needed the attention of their mothers, and someone more versed in herbs and healing than the brown girl. Thinking swiftly, she cast another glance at the unconscious Aponi, then looked back to Mercy. With a deep breath, she took the position of leader that her higher age demanded; "Y-yes we do! Mercy, e... eat! You w... will need y-your s-strength." They would have to carry the princess, and they couldn't bear them both; He'll have to make it on his own legs.


Evann looked back in the direction they had come, breathing in deeply, then she turned to Karpos once more; "We'll h-have to ca... carry her." She gestured to the grey girl, motioning for Karpos to get into position, then she turned her muzzle to the sky. She was a dragon, fire burning in her chest, rumbling out through her maw as she called out; demanding the attention of the pack, not asking them, telling them to come out to meet the little party. Finishing her howl quickly, she bowed back down, putting her shoulder against Aponi's side, pressing to lift the girl up so she could get her muzzle in under her and lift her up. They would start heading back for The Keep and hopefully the pack would answer her call soon; If for nothing else, then to punish me for giving orders... The brown girl thought gloomily. But she had done what she had to! Stemming her legs against the ground, she pushed to lift the princess; Let's get you back home!


Word count: 578

”Speech” Thoughts

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2014, 04:02 PM by Evann.)

THANK YOU for being so quick folks! <3 I'll start a return thread once I'm done this'n.

There was nothing he could do to get Aponi to help him call out- she'd done what little she could by staggering out into the light before she collapsed again, but just before he too succumbed to his loss of energy, he heard his name shouted. He heard Aponi's name shouted. And in an instant they were with them, and he could feel Karpos' body heat as he drew near, and Evann's as well. He shuddered and pressed closer to Aponi almost protectively, even though he would not have to defend her from these wolves. These were his friends who had finally found them, and hope was stirred in his heart again.

Aponi was still unconscious, which was the only reason that Mercy would eat; it wasn't much, but it was enough to restore some of his energy and lift his spirits. He understood what needed to be done wihout anything having to be said- he would have to walk on his own, while they carried Aponi. The suggestion was made shortly after Mercy began to eat, and he took no time at all to devour the carcass, bones and fur and all. His stomach protested, but he knew he'd have to simply suffer the pain- Aponi needed to be brought back to their homeland as quickly as possible, they couldn't wait for him to digest, even though it'd been so long since he'd had anything to eat at all. A strip of meat he'd pulled from the bone was all he did not eat- as he intended to carry it with him just in case Aponi woke up. In nutrients, it was almost the equivalent to what he'd eaten, though given that he'd taken in mostly bone and hair, what he kept for Aponi was much more nutritional and would take less energy to digest.

"Let's go," He said, and he carefully helped Evann and Karpos share the weight of the unconscious princess as they began the final leg of the journey home.