This Mortal Coil

Mandatory pack meeting; 1st-round deadline is 4/24/13. Rise up, Hollow wolves. @Ava, @Sibyl, @Destin, @Louvel, @Maksim

Mid-day. Clear — Current Temperature: 45° F/7° C

So much change. Even in retrospect it was hard to put it all into perspective. Where had the time gone? Two winters had now passed since Kade had first laid his striking silver eyes upon the army of cedar trees that protected the wolves of Grizzly Hollow and hid them from the word. He remembered the night as clear as day - the way the blustery wind cut through his coat, the weak feeling in his legs as he waited for for a certain someone, the uncertainty that, at the time, defined him. Never did he think that his life would turn out like this. To the east, in a proper den dug by his own claw and will, rested the mother of his unborn children, and somewhere beneath the very canopy that rustled overhead were the loyal wolves who he now had risen to serve. Sibyl, whose small body could barely contain a heart so noble; Destin, who had fought at his side until the end over the mountain. There were a number of others - a small number - and in time he would come to know them as well. In light of the circumstances that had forever changed Grizzly Hollow, it was the future which held hope. In only a few weeks time, his sons and daughters would grace this world. They would grow strong, learning the ways of their father and mother, and of the pack that would protect and nourish their minds and bodies. The threat and the death that had imperiled Relic Lore was extinguished, and yet...Kade's concerns were not. Cedarwood Forest was still empty and lifeless in a way he could not understand. It was as if everything Grizzly Hollow had ever been had been tarnished by sickness or swept away in the wake of the Lyalls' departure. Every night he fell into slumber hoping that a new day would bring some progression back to normality. Every morning he woke to forest wasteland that only revived some of the worst of his memories. Their time here was waning. No longer would he and his live in fear. No longer would shadow and fog that loomed over the hollow that he loved and guarded loom over him. No longer would worry and uncertainty shade the blinding hope that was now his future, and her future, and the future of the little ones that he would die to protect. No...it was time for the wolves of the lost Grizzly Hollow to rise, to depart from the land that was no longer theirs. To show the world that they will. not. be. broken. There was a feather-light feel to his movement as he bent his swaying body through the wide trunks he'd come to know so well; the thick muscle that wrapped his body rippled with every step. In the distance he could see the sparkling of the creek's surface. As the dark Guardian and Leader crossed from the shadow of the thick cedar grove into the opening and the sun, the light washed over his body like rain over a desert. He lifted muzzle to the sky on the bank of Heartleaf Creek, the haunting, melodious song of Kade Attaya ringing out through the expanse of all that was theirs, beckoning for all of Grizzly Hollow. They were not forgotten. They will not be forsaken

table by mimi

(This post was last modified: Apr 29, 2013, 06:57 PM by Kade.)

Maksim had spent the night asleep, surrounded by others. It was strange, at first, to know that there were other wolves who slumbered near him but it was also comforting and reassuring. The large male hadn't slept so peacefully in quite a long time. Funny how a pack he had just joined calmed him so much. Still, that was pack mentality, wasn't it? Knowing there was safety in numbers, a sort of family you are adopted into that promises to keep you safe as best as possible. Maksim knew he promised the same thing to the fellow Hollow wolves; if anyone threatened to hurt them he would do his best to eliminate that threat.

When he awoke that morning he decided it would be best to acquaint himself with the territory further. Sort of a ritual of his, the Baranski would wake up (hopefully before anyone else) and simply walk. Learn the area, memorise the sprawling forest and the landmarks dotted across it. He was doing well, he could retrace his steps from the day before by looking over land marks and familiarising scents. He spent most of the day walking and if he found small prey like a hare he'd do his best to catch it and bring it back to the pack, help their food cache and such. He would have liked to bring back a substantial meal of deer yet he wasn't strong enough on his own. Maybe when the does were with young ...

He was dragged out from his thoughts as the howl of an alpha caught his attention. His ears swiveled to the direction it came from and then his whole body turned. He was calling them. All of them. Immediately Maksim took off in a fast lope, ran through dappled sunlight that peered through the cedar canopies. It wouldn't take him that long to arrive, considering he was not that far away in the first place. Soon enough, he saw the dark figure of Kade Attaya and the sound of a water met his ears. As Maksim stepped into the opening, the sunlight bathed him in warmth. He took note of the pleasant day. His family's pack had been a relatively cold area, there was snow for quite a large chunk of the year. Kade stood before a creek, water coiling around rocks of varying size. The Baranski lowered his head in a bow as he drew closer to Kade, greeting him as he slowed to a hault. "Sir." He raised his head. It was only then that he realised: he had been the first to arrive.

maksim

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

As the days grew longer and loped quickly into spring time Ava did her best to remain afoot, refusing to allow the extra weight to bring her to laziness. In a month - no, less now, was it? - her plumpness would become her shackles and as excited as she was to welcome their cubs into the world, she did not look forward to being so fat that the labor was simply unpleasant. As she recalled, Naira had been huge last year - and she'd come out with four. If four was her fate Ava would have to be quick with the recovery, and that meant maintaining her strength even as her sides widened.

So it was on a walk, then, that she heard the beckoning of her dark King. One black ear twisted toward his voice, a turning of her head to follow, before she pivoted on her heel and loped graceful as she could to the origin of his howl. There was much to be said, she knew, but the exact contents of his thoughts were much an enigma on the meeting today. They had shared many a conversation in privacy, leading Ava to hold a couple of theories regarding the proceeds that were to follow, but it was still with curiosity that she breached the gathering.

On delicate toes she moved smoothly toward Kade, her chin level, head and tail high to fill her spot as his equal. Coming beside him she placed a tender touch against his cheek, gold eyes closing for a moment as she inhaled his scent. Ava still held on to the residual fear that there had been a time so recent that she could have lost him, to a sickness or an unfamiliar mutt beyond the mountainside, but he was the warrior just as much as he was the guardian, the leader, the father. Ava was proud that the fire of her heart burned for him.

Reclaiming an authoritative figure she withdrew her head and let her haunches drop to the ground, choosing as regal of a seat as her expanding belly would allow. A brief smile broke across her maw, extended in greeting to Maksim, before she set her gaze on the treeline in eager wait of the other arrivals.

art - threads

As Sibyl neared the river, the babbling song of the creek met her ears, rushing strong with melting snow. It was a reminder that through all that had happened in winter, life flowed continuous and strong in the Cedarwood. Jaysyek, Borden, Aniu, Follko, the children whom Sibyl had watched grow, were all gone. Sibyl had to admit, each had taken a small part of her with them, a small, itching void Sibyl wasn't sure what to do with. Sometimes she considered embarking to find them, or even to seek her own kin and see if anything could be salvaged there, but she felt that there was still something left for her here. At every turn could be seen sure signs of spring, and soon Ava would bear a new generation of cubs that would need help to be raised. There was yet still hope for a future in this wood, and so Sibyl remained.

Her steady trot grew slower and more measured as she caught the scent of the others. Kade and Ava were familiar among them, though a new scent she could not place to a face. It would have made her feel better if her similarly timid friend Destin were there, and she hoped he would show soon. Ducking her head low, with tail curled nervously by her hocks she approached the small gathering by the brook. Her greeting consisted of a few small squeaky whimpers, poking both Ava and Kade under their chins with her snout, before sitting herself down off to the side in her characteristic slouch. Though she was curious about the grey-coated male, she only glanced at his toes from the corner of her eye.

Slowly they filtered in like raindrops through grass. It was not the sight of the earthen-coated addition that alerted to his arrival, but the sound of Maksim's heavy gait as it cut through the forest. The subordinate lowered his head and extended a respectful greeting, to which the Attaya nodded his acknowledgment. The silver depths of his thoughtful eyes didn't betray the turbulence that churned deep within as he looked the male over. Eventually it was Ava to follow, waddling her way near to issue a warm greeting of her own. A tender nip to her warm cheek conveyed his love and loyalty, and as she moved to take her seat he silently watched the way her protruding belly swayed. It was nearly time for her to give birth, and the sight of her proved to be an urgent reminder that this was long overdue. The silver featured man held his proud position as he welcomed Sibyl's snouty poke, and it was then that a heavy feeling washed over his body. His eyes scanned the shadows of the distant forest carefully, pushing the warmth of the sun and the sound of the others as they breathed far away. Where was Destin? A tinge of disapproval clung to him for a moment before dissipated as he let out a quiet breath. He wasn't going to wait any longer; perhaps the young second would emerge to join them in time. As if to draw some degree of support from her warm stare, he looked to Ava before issuing his attention to the group as a whole. "It has been a long time since I could last recall a time when this forest was not the home I have come to know." His eyes turned to Sibyl. "The loss of our brethren - those to which we swore our love and loyalty, the souls we had grown to endear and love and will forevermore - weighs heavily on my heart. The threat which brought death and plague not only to Relic Lore but to Grizzly Hollow herself has been dealt with...I am afraid that the aftermath of the ruin fallen upon Cedarwood Forest has not." There was an edge to Kade's deep voice that cut him to the core as his dark thoughts were manifested into the words he carefully chose. "The life that once was has gone. Food has been increasingly hard to come by, and with our numbers as low as they are this day I am dismayed by the possibility that the souls alive within Ava's belly may hunger...I am dismayed that any one of us might suffer..." His voice trailed off softly, and an equally soft and strong gleam glowed deep in his expression. Moments of silence came to pass as his final considerations were made. His message was firm, and this was it. "As your Leader, as your Guardian, and as your comrade, it is my arbitration that we will depart from Grizzly Hollow. At dawn's first light we will gather and make for the mountain, to leave the past we will never forget to settle, and to pursue the future that calls for us all on the other side." With sovereignty he stood before them, the reassurance they all surely needed embedded in the height of his posture, the strength of his body, and the light in his eyes. The future of the Attaya clan was not here, and he would leave none behind. "If any of you choose to remain, speak now."

table by mimi

(This post was last modified: Apr 29, 2013, 07:51 PM by Kade.)

For several moments Maksim wondered what could possibly be the reason for this pack meeting. He knew he would soon receive the answer he so desperately sought; he simply had to wait for the others arrive. With his eyes scanning the tree line, the arrival of Ava did not surprise the subordinate. The signs of cubs within her belly were evident, not to mention she had grown wider. Soon, he took note. He wondered briefly what the pups would be like. Would they be as charming as their parents? Or would they have hellion tendencies? He highly doubted the latter, the Attaya pair would make exceptional parents, of that Maksim was sure. He’d do his best to keep an eye on the pups when they emerged from the den. Ava waddled up to claim her spot beside her mate and a brief exchange of love was shared between the two.

It didn’t take long for another female to arrive, a timid little thing. She was small and her coat consisted of grey, copper, cinnamon and cream. Her eyes were a mixture of gold and brown and they seemed wary. She scooted up to Kade and Ava and prodded them both gently under the chin with her nose before shuffling to take her place, avoiding eye contact with Maksim the whole time. He wanted to ask her name but felt that it could wait until after the meeting. The group of four sat, no words exchanged with the trickle of water and swaying of trees all that broke the silence. Was this all that remained of the Grizzly Hollow pack? Kade seemed unable to wait for any other to arrive and began addressing the small group.

Maksim had been completely unaware of any kind of threat in Relic Lore and the fact that Kade spoke of a plague caused him to furrow his brow. He wanted to know more, to understand what exactly had happened. What had carried this disease? Foxes? Prey? Or wolves? This plague had caused death, that much was apparent, and the alpha male spoke of ruin upon the Cedarwood Forest. Whilst the Baranski had not been here long at all, he had to agree. This forest should have been bustling with the activity of a healthy pack yet it was a ghost town with a few souls clinging to it. Ava’s children needed a life better than this, they would not be raised in the bones of a pack but in the fresh borders of a new one. Maksim nodded slowly, watching Kade the whole time. It was time to leave.

Kade’s wish was to travel to the other side of the mountains at the break of dawn, to find their future beyond their peaks. His pledge of loyalty had already been made weeks ago. “I will accompany you to the other side of the mountains, sir.” Would Ava be able to make the journey at this stage in her pregnancy? He did not think the black woman as weak but he merely wished to remain cautious; a trek across mountains was a dangerous thing, the Baranski had travelled across a few to end up where he was now.

maksim

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

(Apologies for the lateness! D:)

Destin had been at the border of Grizzly Hollow territory at the time of the call, nose deep in the bushes to discover whatever prey would be hiding there. The events of the mountain had disturbed him slightly, and so every now and again he returned to some silent area to regain some peace of mind. Life could be quickly extinguished, as a candle in the wind- he realized, and so he found himself even more paranoid. Frequently he ventured out to every part of the territory whenever he could to check for danger. For now the forest seemed silent once more, but the lack of noise was eerie. The occasional song of a bird was heard over the light breeze ruffling the greening branches, but he was reminded of the time when the disease first arrived. It troubled him, and he found his safe haven broken. After each outing he wished for a companion to share his thoughts with, the so few he seemed to have besides the need to protect. Sibyl often came to his mind during these times, but Destin would never want his friend to be put into danger again. The last time had been a very close call.

The howl of Kade caused his ears to perk and his body to move into a stiffer position. He hadn't been aware that a meeting was coming, and so he quickly began to trot towards the source. Destin was a good distance from the center of territory, and thus the journey took a bit longer than he liked. When he finally broke into the clearing Kade, Ava, Sibyl, and a stranger wolf were already there. Tail and body moving into a defensive position towards his new leader, Destin nodded his head and whined slightly in apology for his lateness. The male knew that he had a reputation to uphold as second of Grizzly Hollow, and he had vowed to Kade that he would follow his every order. Moving backwards to sit near Sibyl, and saying nothing more, Destin listened quietly.

Kade's words came as a surprise to him; he had noticed the lessening of prey, but he never expected his dominant to suggest a move so quickly. Part of him wished to remain here, amongst these trees he had come to know and love. What would it be like to leave them behind? No longer would he have his own personal spot that he had claimed when he had first met Sibyl, and Jaysyek and Borden's scents would linger no longer in their new land. Mountains seemed cold and unforgiving, at least the ones he had seen while traveling on the journey. Would they ever be able to hold the warmth and comfort of these cedar trees?

The second then realized that these woods were no longer his home, ever since Jaysyek and the remaining pups departed. The wind that used to be comforting was now chilling him, and he was afraid of every noise that once would have lulled him to sleep. Looking over at Ava, now plump with the promise of new children, he knew that Kade was right. In order to protect themselves, the coming children, and their integrity, they must move on. Perhaps some day they would be able to return. Destin said no form of disagreement to his dominant, and hoped Sibyl would not either. Leaving this territory would be difficult, but parting from his first true friend would be even harder.

(This post was last modified: May 02, 2013, 10:39 PM by Destin.)

Ava remained watchful of the treeline for the remaining arrivals, smiling delicately as Sibyl emerged and crept forward to greet them. She was a nervous wreck a good deal of the time, but the smell of Cedars was deep within her fur - she'd been here a while, she knew how it worked, and most importantly, she had a soft heart that Ava would not mistake for weakness. Their personal conversations had been quite limited, but she could only assume that so many losses had been detrimental to the she-wolf's morale. At least she had Destin; the two seemed to be quite a pair. Where he was, of course, she had yet to discern.

Alas, once Kade had began his introduction she saw the movement beyond the tree-trunks, apologetic in his movements as he took his place. She withheld the severity in the stern of her gaze as it fell upon Destin. He had traveled with Kade to the other side to fight the threat against the Lore, so she did not intend to get cross with a wolf who'd displayed such a courage for good. So lateness was forgiven, what little hardness that had occurred in her gold stare melting away.

The lean of her body fell instinctively toward her mate, subconsciously hoping he might draw strength from their gravity as the words he so dismayed to speak formed upon his tongue. As he explained the situation at hand, as ugly as the truth was, Ava passed her amber gaze among the gathered wolves, hoping that the resoluteness of her stare might further prove that it hadn't been decided on a whim. Ava drew her head up as the point came across, speaking gently to the gathering. "I understand you will be losing your home, a place of familiarity to you. But I can promise if you follow us, we will find you proper safety, shelter, and happiness." Then, quietly, "I would not wish to see any of you left behind." Ava was fond of them, these three timber-colored wolves, preferring their kindred spirits. But this was not her choice to make, and as Kade commanded speak now, she hid her anticipation and waited.

It was Maksim's voice that cleared the silence, agreement in his strong tone. Ava's dipped her head in gratitude as she looked upon him. He had only recently sworn to serve Grizzly Hollow and she was pleased to see him prove himself every bit as loyal as Ava thought. Her gaze shifted toward Sibyl and Destin, whose eyes she could not read, though she did not look upon them directly. She would hate to influence them with her stare; a true response was what she wanted.

♥ Allie

art - threads

Sibyl acknowledged Destin with a small thump of her tail against the ground, a small and subtle shift in her posture towards less of a sulk. Her attention was drawn back to the Kade as he began to speak. His proposal struck Sibyl as a sort of shock, her wide bronze eyes even rounder with surprise. It was almost inconceivable to leave this place, having grown so used to the safety it... Actually, it wasn't very safe at all anymore. What Kade said made sense, and Sibyl had seen first hand the sorts of larger beasts that had been steadily encroaching on the packland, seemingly growing bolder by each passing day. It was no longer a suitable place to live, nor to raise the children that Ava would soon bear.

For a long moment Sibyl stared at her paws, and at the soft ruddy ground between them. It almost felt like she would be betraying the very place, but it had to be done. With a slow breath she looked upwards, towards the two black wolves who she was putting her trust into. "I'll go with," She said softly. She looked sidelong towards Destin, attempting a reassuring smile to the poor wolf who she'd dragged into this mess. She couldn't blame him if he wanted to split ways at this point, though she hoped that he wouldn't

(This post was last modified: May 08, 2013, 03:08 AM by Sibyl.)

The first to speak his piece was Maksim, and the silver-featured wolf's eyes fell upon him with a guarded fascination. It was always a relief to be in the presence of someone who could make a quick decision, and it was not past him that such a choice would be harder on both Sibyl and Destin, who had spent more time here. With an acknowledging nod he conveyed his acceptance of the earthen male's decision—Maksim's potential was blossoming, and already Kade was grateful for him and the promise he'd brought to a broken pack. Though Destin was late, the leader breathed a breath of relief as he emerged to join them. He had grown to be quite fond of the tawny wolf and wouldn't soon forget that it was he—as unlikely as it were—who had been by his side during battle. Still, Destin was quiet, as was Sibyl. The hardened look about his features softened as his eyes followed Sibyl's to her small paws, and with a short-lived flicker of a grin he knew that this might just be hardest on her. The shewolf had been among the children's favorites, and her quiet, easy nature brought balance to Grizzly Hollow. There was a hope in him that she would be there to care for and teach his own children. After a thoughtful, quiet deliberation, Sibyl stated that she, too, would go. It was settled then. "Very well." The concern he held for what their agreements really meant loomed within his achromatic stare. Tonight would be the last night he would spend beneath the cedar trees, and as strong as he was and would be for these wolves, his heart slowly began to crack. "Get some rest—at daybreak we will make for Serpent's Pass." In the moments of silence following his address, he would rise to his feet and withdraw from the gathering. In the back of his mind something stirred and was made less forthright by the glistening of sunlight that capered along the creek's waters. The sensation was like an itch he couldn't scratch, a destination that he could see but couldn't reach; it drowned out the sounds of the day and the world until all the beast could hear was silence and the steady, rhythmic drum of his own heart pounding. There really wasn't any turning back now. They really were gone. This really was the end.

table by mimi

{end}

(This post was last modified: May 14, 2013, 04:00 AM by Kade.)