Thicket of Secrets a moon and his secrets

<b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">This place, too, was alive with secrets but they were not remembered. After nearing the 2 o'clock sun Inkheart was aware of the decreased temperature from the noon sun--bathing in its glow as he strode along near the Thicket. Peace had come to him at last, searching for things that he hadn't been aware were lost. Although he was not able to come across Amelie, the woman he had seen at least two years prior and had fallen in love with one-sidedly, he still held onto hope that he had chosen to come back here for a reason.

Unknown things were the most promising--surprises left you guessing and dreaming of the things to come. Being hopeful that your future was worth waiting for and anything you desired could be at your paws. Inkheart believed that chasing after your goals was a worthwhile task but long walks often came with induced relaxation with which he kindly allowed his body to slump onto the ground. Laying on his side, chest heaving up and down and breathing slowly he closed his eyes for what felt like only a few seconds when he had been laying there for half an hour at least.

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(So sorry this took so long)

Ashanti was not feeling what most would call, the best today. She felt like she was going to throw up… again. With her stomach swollen, she lugged herself to her feet, hoping a walk or something would calm her stomach or whatever it was that sat in it. She felt the liquids coming up her throat and opened her mouth. Fantastic way to start her walk wasn’t it, with throwing up. She growled to herself before catching a scent. Curiously she followed it, wondering who it was knocking upon thy thicket in the afternoon song. She stared through the thicket with curious glances at seeing a male lounging there. One thing stuck her mind as she was not able to see his front view. It was black fur.

That wasn’t all, the male was large, just like him and the male had orange eyes, just like him. She snarled at him, she didn’t want him anywhere near her or her family. Not near the pack lands at all. “Get OUT.” She demanded and her voice was demented, bits of fear pricked up here and there. Her claws were dug into the ground. He had simply caught the healer at a bad time, or she would have attacked. The constant moodswings she was having gave most, even her, whiplash. She calmed herself little, but was calmer. Her voice was shaky as she spoke a second time. “State your b-b-business near Secret Woodland’s territory or leave now.” She said, her tail curling in dominance now as she stood tall. Things never got better.

<b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">The ink born child would have never guessed that he was an unwelcome sight to someone he had never laid eyes on before. Or even to a place that he was unsure he had ever been to. So when a female barely over the ripe age of adulthood yelled at him to 'get out', he could barely situate himself to say anything properly. In turn his only response was to lower his head mumbling an <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">oh shit and backing away. Inkheart had no intention of fighting, arguing or displaying any sort of dominance but then again, he was sure his intimidating figure might not be so keen around these lands during this time of the year. Puppy season was almost in full-bloom.

<b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">I apologize if I am intruding, his voice was kind (though he could not shake is deep voice) and continued to bow his head in a submissive stance, <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">my name is Inkheart and I only came this way because I am a loner, seeking a pack within the area. If this stranger were to continue her dominating posture and usher him away, he would do so without another word. Inkheart was the stranger here and intruding upon another's privacy was in any circumstance their own business. He would respect anything that another had to say.

Swallowing whatever doubt he had he uttered a simple question to start, <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">perhaps you can tell me where it is I am? For all he knew he was lost or maybe he was lost in a place he had been to quite some years ago.

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(Don't leave yet >:))
When he tried to play nice, it was like an instant replay for Ashanti, except her knew better than to trust the scoundrel. “Too close, now get out.” She snarled, her harsh and coarse voice echoed from her lack of sleep. She needed to get away, she felt, because she had more issues than usual and if he caught them she was as good as dead. Her fur bristled with anger, but it was not necessarily anger at this Inkheart fellow, her icy blue eyes glowed with vehemence. She was through with being nice and kind to everyone. Not everyone showed the same respect and she was ready to revert back to her old self. The old self that had terrorized Ash, Athena, Valiant and Rais was what she needed to be now.

She was on edge like poniards were being stabbed viciously into her back. She was ready to leap at any moment, but help back because she knew it was not best for her, or the pup’s health. She couldn’t help but show the slightest bit of care for the child, he was hers. Even if she didn’t want him she had to treat him kindly, just not around the others. If the others saw such behaviors out of her, they might think that she truly wanted this, and that couldn’t happen. But Hollow had been right, if she did not treat him with love, he could turn out just like his father. She refused to let such things happen as a healer, a pack member and a mother.It was her cull and she decided.

She raised her muzzle, a howl for @Nina at the border, even her howl was shaky. She actually thought it was him. He acted the same, and he looked the same and he even sounded the same. She was terrified.

(This post was last modified: May 01, 2013, 08:29 PM by Ashanti.)

So far, her day had been peaceful, not a bother in the world around her, and she felt she could actually relax a little. Her stomach was starting to grow plump with her children on the way, and she found herself exciting for the coming days. The new heirs to Koda and her own throne would be coming about soon, and she knew she could not wait. The mishap with Ashanti made life more stressful on the alpha though. She had not wanted such a thing to ever happen to the young girl, but she knew that if she stayed around the pregnant female long enough, she would lose her mind. It was one of the turn offs about expecting, you never knew what mood you were going to be in. Today seemed to be one of the betters days though. And as she slipped away from around her, she found her single eye snapping open at the alarming sound of one of her yearling’s calls. Why is Ashanti by the border? Worry coursing through the woman’s veins, she staggered up from her laying position and started towards the border, he golden brown legs carrying her as fast as she could.

Along the way, she was extremely careful about where her pelt was brushing. Now that she was slightly larger, she also knew it was more likely that she would get her pelt snagged on a thorn somewhere, or much worse step on one if she was not careful enough. After what seemed like forever, the alpha made her way towards her yearling, her tail raised high above her pack and her head lifted high as she took in the scene before her. In a protective motion, Nina took a protective step in front of Ashanti, her single emerald eye scanning over the male in front of her and trying to figure out what the problem was. Seeing none at all, she flicked her ears, addressing both of the wolves here, "I’m sorry, sir. But was there a problem here?" The pretty woman tilted her head slightly at the male, her tone soothing and reassuring for the young girl next to her. She did not wish to make the girl’s stress level any higher than it was, but she also did not want the creamy female to be completely rude to another who had done nothing wrong, at least from her view.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">Stunned and confused, he simply couldn't find anything he could say or do that wouldn't determine the next move. It obvious that from her snarl that she seriously had something messed up here but he wasn't one to argue when someone told him to 'get out'. Although he wasn't making eye contact he could feel her eyes burning through his fur, singing the tips and melting through his skin. Fear was not an emotion in felt in such situations, even when she gave a shaky howl calling for someone.

Unfortunately, he was unsure of whether or not he should be cautious and glad that this confused, melodramatic female was calling for someone that might be a little more clear on what he was asking. Maybe she didn't know many words in the English language other than 'get out!'. As far as he knew, he hadn't said or done anything that might trigger such an emergency.

Inkheart was no fool and would not run away whilst he stood in front of the rather angry yearling waiting on whoever it was she called, so he stood as patiently as he could. It took some time as Ink put his eyes elsewhere, whilst hers still burned him. Inkheart did as he had with the other and lowered his head in greeting. <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">I came here hoping to figure out where I am exactly -- I'm new here -- I apologized for intruding if I was, stated that my name is Inkheart and that I'm a loner seeking a pack. That was all, then I was ushered to get out. Again, I apologize if I shouldn't be here or if I have done something wrong.

Inkheart put his eyes down the ground again, deciding on whether or not the pack was even worth investigating now that he had been greeted so harshly from the very start; but, as curious as he was he wanted to know why the lady had been so defensive towards a complete stranger.

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Ashanti gladly stepped behind Nina as she arrived, still shaking as she managed to choke out what was on her mind about the brute in front of him. “The eyes…. The f-fur…. The attitude… HIM Nina, HIM.” It was all she could say, she recognized the difference between the man who had done this to her and the man in front of her. But to her, they were like brothers. It seemed like they both had that attitude that made everyone else think they were lost and the fur and eyes were the same so she was frightened on what this man would do to her or one of her packmates. Sue closed her eyes, trying to calm herself with deep and soothing breathes. But the effort was in vain, she needed some of the lavender that Nina had used when she first returned and she would find it.

She had recognized the difference between the two males as he spoke to Nina, but they were very similar all the same and she was never going to let her guard down around wolves like them again. She had no idea if he meant no harm or not, but it calmed her a bit to have her alpha there with her. Encountering the wolf alone was a death sentence she felt. Then again, she didn’t really know him either. She waited for Nina to speak to the wolf or react to anything the paranoid fae had said. Perhaps she was just losing her mind and this was all a dream that she could wake up from. No, this wasn’t a dream, it was a living nightmare.

(This post was last modified: May 03, 2013, 12:05 AM by Ashanti.)

Her single eye swept over the loner, watching him as he spoke to her, his submissive posture giving her no reason to act harshly against him. The man, now classified as Inkheart, seemed to be in no means trespassing or any means of the sort. He had just wanted information of where he was and what was going on around him. Glancing back at Ashanti and awaiting her words of defense, understanding dawned on her, letting her know about why the snafu in front of her had started in the first place. From the man’s words she could tell it was not the man who had raped her subordinate, unless he was lying, which would not do him much good considering the yearling’s accusations. But the scent of the male, the one that had been on Ashanti’s fur when they had all found her did not match this male’s smell. His story added up for her and she knew it was her place to apologize for the misunderstanding.

Taking in the cream colored females panic, Nina’s role as a past Healer kicked in and her tail covered Ashanti’s eyes. One tactic that she had learned in her younger days as a student had been that the less one saw, the more calm their outlook would be. Perhaps this would work on her subordinate enough to call her nerves, knowing that her alpha was there protecting her and that she would not let the male touch her. With a small sigh, she turned her attention back to Inkheart, her single eye and words apologetic, "I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, Inkheart. My subordinate has recently been through a tough tragedy and you reminded her of what had happened. I am Nina Reinier, alpha of the Secret Woodlands pack." She introduced herself calmly and kindly, trying to make up for the harsh way he had been greeted at the border former to her arrival.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

<b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">Inkheart felt as though he had been dropped in a different dimension completely. One where he truly was seen as some ridiculous monster that hid in the shadows of every childs nightmares. This hysterical wolf was classified Ink as HIM; this of course made no sense to him. Though apparently whoever HIM was had eyes, fur and an attitude… like his? If he were in the position to jest he probably would have remarked that he was unaware he had an evil twin brother but as it turns out, he didn’t want to make a joke out of the situation. It seemed the lady was already having enough trouble as it were.

As if the weight of the world had lifted off his shoulders, the one who had arrived to the scene saw into his truth. Inkheart sincerely had no idea what the fuck he had done. <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">“I am sorry that I have brought a bad image with me,” though obviously if he had known such he would have stayed away but the point was he couldn’t take back what had happened to the young female. <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">“You are an Alpha of Secret Woodlands?” This intrigued him greatly, having been looking for a pack—though he was quite certain he would be joining Phineas he was also very interested in hearing what this Alpha might have to say. Who knows, maybe her traditions and strategy might loop him back into the game, <b style="font-size:12px; font-family:georgia;">“have you guys been here long?” If he were to join a pack, he needed to know that they were already on their feet and running. Not just a couple hysterical wolves pointing fingers at look-a-likes.

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[Rude Ashanti, RUDDDE]

Ashanti Aranna
The BROKEN One and her Son

Ashanti looked at Nina as she brought up the painful memories of her past. “That’s not what I meant.” She muttered bitterly under her breathe. She knew from that moment on that she wouldn’t be treated as she was before. If she was, Nina would have taken her word and sent her away from the borders. She couldn’t help but feel frustrated by the fact that she was not believed. “Fine, don’t believe me I guess.” She said out loud, clear anger in her voice. She walked away, not caring about how rude she had acted to her alpha or the loner. She honestly had no emotions towards either of them at the moment she had stormed away.

She didn’t hear Inkheart, or as she called him, bringer of memories of attempted of being forgotten, asking about that pack. She hoped Nina had more common sense to trust Ashanti when she said that he was just like the other. Both pretending to be lost, and both wanting information out of the wolves around them. Her tail flicked from side to side with anger and her fur bristled. She was heading back to her cave, working her way through the labyrinth of the Thicket to the place that was well hidden. She had picked such a secluded spot to protect herself from the likes of others.

Others she could not trust were the ones she feared, that was all but Azariah, Hollow and Koda. She wasn’t too sure about Nina; Nina wouldn’t listen to her anymore. Perhaps Ashanti was overreacting, but perhaps not too.

{exit}

(This post was last modified: May 21, 2013, 08:31 PM by Ashanti.)