Lost Lake My Home is a Prison

<blockquote>It had been a few days since the wolves had claimed their land. Each had gone their own way, exploring and marking the borders that were now theirs. Rhysis had been scarce; taking time to himself as he aimlessly wandered the forest and rock terrain that was now their home. During his time alone, he had done nothing but think. Everything had happened so quickly. Everything just came crashing down in just a few words. They hadn’t meant to take things so far. It just seemed that when his emotional gates were opened everything came flooding out. It had been almost as if he were under the influence of his rage, he was just a passenger not the driver as instinct had taken over. When the heat had settled, he had said nothing. What could he say?

Now he looked back on it, he felt a pang of guilt. He knew how much the River wolves meant to Naira. She wasn’t the type to want her own pack, not like him, she wasn’t greedy. She was a healer, a team player; her life had been just perfect for her until he had come along. Still. He did warn her. He had told her that by letting him in, he would fuck up her life for her. True to his word, never one to lie, he had done just that. He had caused this. If he had just kept his mouth shut, kept his feelings to himself. If he had never told her how he felt, continued to bottle up himself. Hell, he was even debating running away and never seeing her again- surely that would have been a better choice than this!

An outward sigh escaped his lips and up into the warm air of spring. He’d been perched upon one of the many boulders which lay strewn across the outskirts of their territory. This one was higher up, giving him a wonderful view of the lake. The water glimmered, sparkled under the sun. The lake was still, quiet. Warm air enveloped his body and his black fur absorbed the heat, warming him to the very core, yet he still felt cold inside. Across the lake, he could just make out the entrance to their den, hidden to anyone who didn’t know where it was. From this vantage point, it looked like a prison more than his home.

Since they had split to explore, he had avoided Naira. Everything had been so messed up, he didn’t even know what to say to her. They hadn’t spoken since it had all happened. They hadn’t even discussed the fact she was carrying his children. Part of him was angry at her for that, but the other part just felt guilty. Hell, he even felt guilty for the River wolves he too had abandoned. The lead female had been kind, allow him in, sharing her home. Triell was there and he had always liked that guy, now he was going to hate him too. Everyone hated him. Strangers, acquaintances, even his own “mate” hated him.

Gaining his own pack wasn’t supposed to feel like this. He was supposed to feel proud. Accomplished, and instead he just felt guilty and like utter crap. With a snort, he lowered his head to rest upon his paws and simply let his grey eyes watch the lake.
</blockquote>

A few days were spent exploring her new home and observing all that she could. She needed to know everything around here. Every crevice, hill, stream, or cliff needed to be memorized and accounted for. If she was going to give everything she had to her new leaders, she needed to do it right. Good thing she had a great memory, or she would be toast. Naira was pregnant, so pups would soon be here. They all needed to be ready to take up that responsibility and Athena was confident that she already was. However, were Rhysis and Ava ready?

She was on her way back from exploring the mountains a little bit deeper. The lake was in her sights and so was the black form of her leader. He was peacefully lying down on a boulder, staring across the lake. She stopped for a moment, taking in the serene moment before walking closer. She attempted to kick some loose stones to alert Rhysis of her approach. Although, she doubted he could not hear her climbing down from her journey in the mountains.

As she got closer, she lowered her tail in respect and flattened her ears slightly. A slightly lower boulder was next to the black male's perch, so Athena gracefully jumped up on the rough piece of stone. She nodded a greeting and sat down peacefully, wrapping her elegant tail around her small paws. She too, gazed out towards the lake, enjoying the peace and quiet – for the moment.

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

<blockquote>A recognizable scent soon wafted within the air, accompanied by the sounds of pebbles upon pebbles to follow. It seemed she wanted to alert him of her presence, for a wolf so small wouldn’t make so much noise. He supposed he should be grateful for the alert; it gave him time to prepare for company which he had been trying to avoid. It wasn’t her fault he was brooding and she certainly couldn’t know that he wanted to be alone.

From the corner of his eye he saw the little white female lower herself in respect. A move he had yet to experience as a pack leader. Something in it made him feel more powerful, more authoritative and in that instant he realised that whilst things may he bad, he had at least achieved something he had wanted for so very long. Yes, things were tough at the moment and it had been a rocky start, but he was forgetting who he was here. He wasn’t a wolf who sat and felt guilty; he wasn’t a wolf who worried about what others thought of him. He was a powerful wolf, a strong wolf, a born leader no matter his true heritage. With that small gesture, his veins had filled with the dark pride that had been dormant the past few weeks. He felt much more himself. This little wolf was proving quite the asset.

<b>”Come on then... what do you think of the place?”</b> he said without needing to glance at her as she moved closer to perch upon a boulder lower then his. He personally had fallen in love with the area. The rocky terrain made it hard for others to navigate, the lake provided both water and drove prey to the lands, their little cluster of trees gave cover on a rainy day, whilst the rocky structure where their dens were now located provided good shelter from not only the weather, but the world as well. He believed he had chosen well. But did everyone else agree?
</blockquote>

A smile formed on the white female's lips as she thought her new home. He did very well in choosing the territory. In fact, this was her favorite place in Relic Lore. Lost Lake and Mountain of Dire was where she found refuge when she first came to the unfamiliar lands. Having grown up near the mountains and by water, she felt more at home than ever.

"I absolutely love it. It is amazing here," she said turning her head towards him with a bright smile. In the past few weeks, she has indeed warmed up to him and she is coming out of her shell increasingly around her new leader. She has yet to speak to the other black female. However, soon she plans on seeking her out and getting to know her pack-mate a bit more. Who knows, she may need to rely on her if the Poison Path pack goes under attack.

Speaking of the lands they have recently claimed, she found that she is increasingly getting better at her climbing. She can now jump almost as high as a larger wolf. Her hind legs bulge with muscle that could easily outrun any wolf now. She felt stronger here than she did in Swift River. The land there was flat and no terrain variation. Here, though, terrain is far more diverse.

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

<blockquote> He allowed a half smile in her direction at the excitement she showed towards the area. He was glad she liked it. That made the two of them and only two more to determine what they thought of their new home. From a tactical point of view, it was perfect. It was separate from the main land by the rocky terrain. They were almost invisible to the others with the vast water helping to block their scent, high ridges and structures to give them a wonderful view of not only the land, but any on coming threats, but they had good shelter within their dens and the forest in general. He was pleased with it, there was no doubt about that.

<b>”I’m glad to hear it. That makes two of us at least...”</b> he trailed off, thinking back to Naira and no doubt how mad she was. She probably hated the place. It was so different to what she was used to. Maybe in time she would learn to love it, maybe if he found her a patch of herbs and flowers she would find it more her own but until then, she would just had to like it and lump it. <b>”I should probably thank you. For coming so swiftly when I called. I know you risked a lot to follow us here... I hope that you will be justly rewarded for the trouble I put you through.”</b> he added with a glance in her direction. He might not be the friendliest guy, but he recognised respect when it was there right in front of him.

<b>”I should ask you one more favour though... that you watch Naira. I’m guessing you know she is carrying young in her belly, and if I know Naira she will continue to act as carefree and reckless during this time. I need to know she is safe... and I’d like to you be the one to keep her so.”</b> though his tone was not stern, there was authority behind it. It might not be an official job but it was certainly important to the entire pack that she and the pups she carried were kept safe. Whilst Athena might not offer much of a fight, she’d make a good distraction if it came to it. <b>”And I’d prefer she wasn’t aware that I’ve asked you to keep an eye on her... she’d not take it well I’m sure. Can I trust you with this task?”</b>

</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Mar 30, 2012, 10:59 PM by Rhysis.)

Another smile crossed the female’s pretty face. He was actually being nice at the moment. This would be the first time that she thought he was genuinely being nice, not out of business and self gain, but out of true thanks. Indeed, he was right, she did take a risk coming with him, but to her it was not all bad. True, she practically had a bounty over her head, but not as serious as Rhysis's and Naira's. She was almost like a fugitive, running away with them from the River wolves. However, she felt that going with Rhysis would turn out to be the right thing for her. She would give them all her loyalty and her life if she had too, in return for some freedom from her demons. Her biggest demon was now lifted off her shoulders when the white woman was able to prove her father wrong. She would survive. She would not be a useless mutt. She can hold her own and hold her own she will.

Indeed, he was right. She did know that Naira was in fact carrying his children; she knew ever since she smelled the shift in scent radiating off her when they met to run away. Knowing this, she already planned she would help the tawny women out with her children. Therefore, it was very easy for her to accept Rhysis's question. Athena would do everything possible to avoid having Naira and her pups injured, or shall the wrath of her fury be released upon the wolf that dare lays a paw on her leader.

"Indeed, you can trust me. I had already set my mind on keeping her and the children from harms way," she said furiously turning back to him. She was no liar; she only spoke the truth. ”I promise, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe." Even if it met harm to me, she finished silently in her head. If this pack was going to be strong, those cubs needed to be safe and healthy. They are the pack future, their lifeline. If they want to continue on, nothing could happen to either Naira nor her children and Athena was going to make sure of that.

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

<blockquote>He nodded at her response. He had figured she would be willing to do as he asked without any trouble. They might not know each other well but sisyhR felt as if he could depend on the little wolf, even more so then ariaN at times. ariaN would fight him in this issue, he was certain but with the little wolf as his spy he felt a little better about it. Next he’d had to lay down the rules to ariaN, and she’d throw them back in his face and continued to do as she pleased, but he’d still have little anehtA there to keep watch. Maybe they’d make friends along the way, he was sure ariaN was the sort of wolf who liked to be surrounded by friends... maybe the more friends she had the more likely she’d be to stay on the damn territory.

<b>”Good. Glad to hear it.”</b> he added with a nod of respect towards her. He rose then, pushing backwards with his front paws as he drew himself into a sitting position, though not before he gave his spine a good stretch as he arched his head upwards and rolled his shoulders. Yes, he felt like he was in his own skin once more. <b>”I’ll be calling a pack meeting soon. I plan to do things a little different here and you guys need to be clued up on them. We also need to head out on a hunt, get some food stored up before ariaN is unable to help much.”</b> he stated as he glanced back to the soothing scene of the still lake.
Food around here was harder to catch, the goats he had come across were a nightmare and he’d only caught the scents of a few deer here and there, food was far more scarce here on the mountain but they would manage. Eventually more would come, and he could arrange hunting parties to travel further away, bring back the larger prey but for now, with only a few mouths to feed they would just have to eat little but often.

<b>”Have you spotted much in the form of food around here? Other then a goat and rabbit? I’ve been so busy marking the borders I haven’t had time to really scout around for it.”</b>
</blockquote>

Indeed, they did need a pack meeting. Maybe this was going to be where she could actually talk to the other black woman. She had not had the chance to met up with her alone and see if the woman had any alter motives. She was hoping she would not find any since she was a recruit of sisyhR' and she doubted he would be foolish and choose an unworthy pack wolf with his children on the way. Nevertheless, this was why anehtA was even more determined to talk to this avA to make sure in her eyes; she was fit to be close to ariaN and her cubs. The task that sisyhR had laid before her was taken to heart and she would make sure nobody with evil intentions comes even close to ariaN.

There were actually many things that kept refuge here in the mountains. They were just hard to find and even harder to catch. She had seen the occasional mule deer and the wolverine population was a bit too high for her liking. They would indeed cause an issue with the incoming pups on the way. anehtA was keen on trying to clear the buggers out before the cubs were old enough to accidentally run into the monsters. Rabbits, goats, and lynx were the usual subjects of the mountain. However, she did come across a scent of cougar that put her on edge. Even if it was only one cougar, it was one too many.

"There are actually more food here than you think. Mule deer, lynx, and wolverine take refuge in the mountains," she told him. She then continued on to warn him about the two creatures that may threaten the cubs when they get older. "I've come across a cougar scent and I'm getting worried that it may cause an issue in the near future if we don't get rid of it soon. Also, the pesky wolverine population is too high for my liking. The pups may run into them once they are older and they might get badly hurt if we don't drive the wolverines out."

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

<blockquote>sisyhR nodded. She’d done her fair bit of scouting it seemed and that was useful. He’d been aware of the cougar scents after having explored the mountains a few times; whilst he’d yet to bump into one he knew they were there. It could be a problem, but he supposed that so long as the borders were patrolled and heavily marked it would keep its distance- still, if they came across one they’d have to take it out. The threat was too great. Fortunately it was breeding season for most animals, with any luck the cougars would be focused on their young rather than exploring- it was only when the young were able to travel more that they’d have a real problem.

<b>”Alright. I’ll have to address the issue at the meeting. I think in the meantime if we learn the most efficient yet safest way to take out a wolverine that could be a good starting point. I’ve spotted quite a few lurking around and they make a fair meal. Cutting down their population could hurt. As for the cougar, we don’t have the strength to actively hunt it down... all we can do for now is work on our strength and numbers so that we can take it down swiftly and efficiently with as little casualties as possible.”</b> he said as if he had read her thoughts. There were a lot in the area; he supposed it was a good area to be in as it was quite occupied. The Mule deer must have been the larger creature he had seen lurking in the shadows- they would be harder to locate and were probably more scarce, but a good hunt could gather a few for storage, they’d make a good meal for ariaN and the pups as they couldn’t travel far.

<b>”I shall call the meeting to order in a few days. It’ll give everyone a little more time to adjust and explore so if there are any issues they can bring them forward then.”</b> he said, more to himself then to anehtA but he wasn’t worried about her hearing. The idea behind the gathering was to list the rules and to get feedback from the pack- with everyone being so all over the place, including himself, they all needed time to adjust. Of course, things to had to be sorted, plans put into order but a few more days wouldn’t hurt. He for one could do with those extra sunsets just to clear his own head and get straight. Whilst he might have been planning for this since he was young, now it was upon him he felt lost with just how much there was to get sorted.
</blockquote>

She nodded at his response. He was right they needed more wolves to take down a cougar without any causalities. Anyway, the cougar has not shown itself, so it is not dangerous yet. However, a cougar in the mountains put her on edge, because what if on one of her travels in the morning or night she runs into it. She would not last very long without help. She could indeed injure it, but killing it would have to be a team effort.

All this should definitely be mentioned at the pack meeting. If he did not bring it up, the second would. She did not want any of her fellow pack mates hurt that would just make ariaN stressed out trying to heal them. She did not need that right now, especially with the pups on the way. That would be a disaster waiting to happen.

sisyhR finished by saying the pack meeting would be in a couple days after everyone is settling down in their new home. anehtA was already settled and had explored almost all the lands that she called home. The mountains were explored the most since that was her favorite terrain. Everywhere else was equally explored, but the mountains always called to her. Now they may be dangerous for her to travel in them alone. However, if the borders were marked enough, it might be still safe.

"Alright, sounds fine," she said. She was still uncertain about avA, so she thought that she could mention something about her. "How much do you know about avA?" She asked. Maybe there was something that sisyhR knew about her that made her a worthy pack mate. Whatever it was, she wanted to know so she could have peace of mind with her being around ariaN.

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||