Poison Path Dust Bowl Dance

The plan is for no fighting to break out at this time (there will be plenty of time for rivalry later) although growling/teeth gnashing should be ok. The plan is for the new pack members (Naira, Rhysis, Adonis, Rais, Tenzin, Mapplethorpe, Val, Romanis & Gale + Triell as extra) to go first, (no post order) and then Poison Path may respond/kids can do whatever feels natural. Would prefer to keep it at one post each with Naira and Athena wrapping it up, but if it needs to go longer than that, then it needs to, we will see how it all unfolds. Would like to wrap it up fairly quickly although I understand Arya and Siki are on absence, so it might take a while.

4th January - Late afternoon - Light Snow It was time. Time for all of this to be done with, time to leave the Lost Lake forever. It had been a steady walk from the Rise, with her pack at her back, her mate at her side, and finally, they were here. The once familiar earth felt foreign to her now, the scents that laced the border, once offering her comfort now only left her on edge. Bringing forth a need in her to attack and destroy. But she would contain herself. For now. She had strode forth with purpose, every inch the leader she should be, trusting those at her back and knowing more awaited at her destination. They would answer her call just as plainly as those she called out. She had settled herself, soothing the itch that told her something was wrong, something even bigger than all of this was coming. Tenzin was right. They were the storm. She had settled her army on the broad open expanse to the east of the Lake, daring to push her toes over the line, confident with the gathered at her back could take whatever the Poisoned wolves attempted to throw at her, and hers. Her head tipped back, a simple call for her children to come. It was time to leave this place, and all its bad memories behind.

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2013, 11:31 PM by Corinna.)

In the shadow of a scrub pine the little grey dappled wolf had waited, knowing the moment would be soon to arrive. Rais held nothing against Poison Path, but Naira's proposal held much more promise. His keen nose caught the sent of Naira rounding up the foothills, the accompanying odor of others he could only assume to be her assembled followers. He was surprised to smell the wolf dubiously dubbed Scrooge among them, but the man's ill nature wouldn't keep Rais off. He'd just have to step lightly around the man. Gingerly at first, eyes casting about to ensure he wasn't being watched by any of the Path wolves, the little turncoat slipped out of the shadows. At a hasty trot he made his way across the expanse of white along the west of the lake, careful not to move too fast lest he tear the fresh scabs scattered along his stomach and side. They weren't the proud battle scars of a wolf who'd won, but the lowly marks of a wolf turned belly up by a male asserting his claim to a female. The thought that Narime' was not his was a bitter one, but Rais had at least learned his lesson. He sped up upon hearing Naira's howl, knowing he didn't have much time left before it began. The small gathering soon came into view, and he was relieved to see he wasn't too late. None of the Poisoned wolves had beat him there, at least. Bowed low in his approach, Rais looked to his new queen in recognition before silently slipping into file behind the company. He noted that it was quite the interesting bunch she had brought together, but they seemed rugged enough to accomplish their mission.

table by bryony

(This post was last modified: Jan 04, 2013, 12:00 AM by Rais.)

If I go crazy then will you stillcall me superman?

Triell was a strong figure beside the tawny lady, not as dominant in his walk, but strength and intent in his stride. Things put in the past he was here today to do one thing. Help Naira regain her children, and see to it if they wanted to they would come. He had heard of the misfits of this place, and the pathetic way they had dealt with this. Had leading took a toll on Athena? Had she let anyone in merely to rule? He didn't know, and tried to keep his head clear. With the scent and presence of Rhysis this could be interesting. Ice would likely not approve, but Triell had to do this. It was the right thing.

Numbers and force were surely on their side, and he was curious to see how this pack acted with his own eyes. Would they fight, and balk? Would her children be torn or would they be ready? He had no idea of everything, but was here to back up his friend.

Surprise and humor would light his face when the small grey figure of Rais came to greet them. He was on there side was he? Maybe, Triell had misjudged him. Maybe, he was a bit more sensible then he had presumed. Flanking Naira he stood ready, eyes alert in the distance for young ones, and the pack who would surely at least be bristled by all of this.

are you with me through it all?

Everywhere that Romanis looked there was the scathing effect of winter. However what she felt in the moment was something entirely different. Together –with the group of wolves surrounding her she was defiant and alive. It was a feeling which had proven allusive for many months now, and while a small part of her feared it –a larger part was eagerly captivated.

Still, the ills of her former life retained their grasp and it was in this tango of sane and otherwise that Rome remained quiet and on the edge of things. Walking at a pace that kept her close to Valiant, her dithering eyes alone told the tale of her inner turmoil. She wanted to embrace all of the things around her –all of the individuals around her- but could she?

Personal problems were put on hold though as the caravan rolled to a stop along the perimeter of packlands. Made nervous by this in the most instinctual of ways, her tail tucked only slightly while her eyes whisked a little bit faster. Were they really here to pick a fight? Of course through whispers and rumors she had gathered the gist of their intentions, but that did little to calm her wibbly nerves. What if things went poorly for the newly founded gang? What if their begining and their end were one in the same?

Tucking closer to Valiant as she wondered about her fears, Rome left the proud posturing to her would be leaders. She just wasn't feeling too secure at the given moment. However, that wasn't to say that she was cowering either, rather she gave off the air of a cagey little animal -scared and somewhat dangerous for that reason. Feeling much safer within the embrace of Val's personal space, she would simply remain quiet and watching as the storm rolled in.

(This post was last modified: Jan 04, 2013, 06:37 PM by Romanis.)

ace of spades

The pitch black King and the mottled Queen had a purpose for him. He could sense the revelation budding in the shadows of his chest. It had taken some time for Mapplethorpe to shoulder the idea of following Naira, but as it gradually sunk in, he fell behind her in arms. She needed him for simply this: to march on the territory of those who had taken her children, to help her reclaim what was hers by any means available.

This... This, Mapplethorpe realized, he could be good at.

He wanted, even craved, this potential disorder; for in this possibility of mayhem, Queen Naira would achieve her goal. In allowing her to succeed, perhaps... perhaps he would be rewarded. He need only the drive and will to act and carry on as he saw fit... as naturally as he came. He barely acknowledged the others who had also heeded the leader's call; all he knew was that he only had eyes for the objective at hand. His vivid irises barely left the scenery in front of him, though when they did, he often quickly scanned Naira's face to make sure he did not miss the command to strike.

It had him all on edge, shivering and trembling in excitement. He just needed that one word, sound, or gesture to liberate the havoc stirring at the back of his mind. This order, this pack they were about to face, he assumed, was corrupt. Precautions, rules and regulations might have mattered little to Mapplethorpe; but, it became apparent to him by how both Naira and Rhysis were behaving that the enemy in question had taken or kept what was not theirs to begin with. Just this once, he might uphold what his leaders believed what was right. This opposing pack would suffer the consequences... A growl lifted from the lanky man's muzzle, his lip drawing back from his teeth as he turned to try and catch Naira's gaze. He was ready and he was impatient.

template base by GINNYSAURUS | image by EDENCHANGES

(This post was last modified: Jan 04, 2013, 03:05 PM by Mapplethorpe.)

It had been good to see Rhysis in his right mind, and although he and the tawny woman had never been on the best of terms, they seemed to find some sort of accord during the trials of all that had been. He didn’t know if he was grateful for it or not, after all, the Hollow wolves still expected him to be around. Once again he had abandoned them, and something tugged in his gut. He owed Jayse an explanation. He didn’t want to be on bad terms with any of them... and yet, she hadn’t marked him as she had the others...? Perhaps she expected him to return to the Cedar trees? It was much closer to Rose... It had surprised him to see the large black wolf from the rise and he gave him a familiar smile as he joined them. The memory of that chaos still amused him at times, were not the eventual outcome so dire... His ear was still ripped from his fight with Jedd... Strange all that had changed in that time... The young girl stuck close to his side, and the occasional bump of reassurance was as far as acknowledgement went. He didn’t want her taxing herself trying to speak when there was potentially a war to fight once they arrived. Reassuring grins were all he could offer her. There were enough here that she could vanish to back if needed. Once they arrived however, the growl that left her bought approving looks from the silvery wolf and perhaps a glance of the same from the tawny leader. She was full of surprises and Valiant even thought to add one of his own, followed up with a short snort. This would be done with. And soon.

code by bryony

It was funny really, how much their roles had changed. Before, he would have been the one to lead the charge, to take his pack to the battlefield and scream the war cry. Today, he stood in an unlikely formation. Naira to his flank and to hers... Triell. He had been surprised when the black wolf, the first wolf he had met when he came to these lands, had appeared to them upon the mountains. He came with a purpose though, to help Naira win back her children and Rhysis had kept his thoughts to himself. A River wolf was the last thing he wanted standing alongside him, but he knew the friendship that the black wolf and his female had. In fact, he was little jealous of it. In truth he felt out of place, like he shouldn't be standing shoulder to shoulder with his glorious female, but instead behind her with the rabble. On the outside, he was cool, calm, collected and ready to claim back what was his. Inside, he felt a wreck and very sorry for himself. Everything had gone wrong. He hadn't had time to work through his feelings, since finding himself he had done nothing but travel. First to find Naira, then to gather the pack that stood behind him now and finally to the lands he used to call home.
Slipping over the borders without fear, he felt strong, empowered; he felt like he was home. The problem was this wasn't his home anymore. Personally, he would have taken back the lands and drowned Athena and her mate in the lake for treating Naira so poorly. However, Naira had wanted a more... peaceful solution. He supposed she didn't want to scare the children they had lost- this was hard for them, much like it was hard for his son who had yet to know the truth of who he was. He would tell them, when they were together and they would work though everything as a family... if Naira still wanted him to be involved of course.

The tension between them was perhaps obvious, but what else could be expected between a father who believed he had killed their child and abandoned his family and the female who had been hurt by it all. Even though they were together at last, he still didn't feel as if they quite fit yet.

Glancing back to the group behind him he felt pleased. Now this was a pack. Strong warriors, quick females and well, Mapplethorpe was Mapplethorpe, he had no category but he made up the numbers. He wasn't sure how many wolves land in his old home now, but they were a force to be reckoned with and this would be a true test. Nothing could bond a pack closer together then the art of war- if a battle were to ensure, they would have only each other to rely on. If they were going to work as a pack, today would be the beginning of the rest of their lives together.

In silence, he looked from his female to the lake before them. His body tense, ready for whatever was to come as his grey eyes screened the shore... waiting for the others to come and for what he hoped would be the first glance at his children for he had not seen them since before their eyes were open. It had been far too long.

The terrain began to dip and he was grateful that he had taken the time to really learn to work around his disability. The mountains were a dangerous place for those with good eyesight, but he had been fortunate enough to have taken it upon himself to learn to scale them, to balance his weight correct and to get a rough feel of the land. It was perhaps the only good thing that had come from living in the pack who's borders they had just crossed.

He couldn't wait to see the look on the White Witch's face when they arrived. He hoped she would wet herself from fear- an ugly thought from a boy who was generally polite. However that crazy witch did bad things to him and made his temper bubble beneath the surface.
He walked with purpose, keeping close to Valiant who he had been a little surprised to see in their group, but after their meeting he felt somewhat calm, almost protected by him. The guy knew his father and seemed to want to look out for him and that was good enough for him. Let's face it, if anyone tried to hurt him his mother would make sure it was the last thing they would do. She had already proven her love and devotion to him and he was going to spend the rest of his life trying to pay her back.

The group slowed to a halt and he felt anxious to get out of these lands again. They were not home to him, they were a place where he felt more of an outsider then he ever had in his months of being a loner beyond these lands. Some of them were alright he supposed, Steel kept to himself but he had watched out for him on the mountains. Outside of him though, no one had ever bothered with him. He was almost invisible to them but they drooled over his lost siblings. He had often wondered why he hadn't been accepted as much as they were, the pack had been willing to adopt them but when he arrived he felt almost shut out. It made his chest tighten in a small wave of anger- they must have thought there was something wrong with him to reject him so.

In silence, he stood with his head tall, trying to make himself look bigger and more fierce, yet standing next to Valiant and not far from Tenzin, he looked like the pup he was... except from the steely determination in his eyes. He wanted to bring his sister home; he didn't mean leaving the butthead behind, but his sister deserved to be with her family. He hoped she didn't hate him for being part of the gang who changed her life forever. She might have been loved here, but they had lied to her and no family should ever lie to their children. It was just wrong. He needed to save her from the White Witch and today, he hoped, he could do just that.

Just Tenzin and Gale to go?

Sorry it took so darn long guys :D

There was no way to hide the darkness in his molten orange eyes. He moved towards the rear protectively. His large, muscly body was fully oiled. His journey from the ghastly woods to this lake was barely a feat. It was actually relaxing. Arousing. As the tawny wolf made his way towards the edge of the group, he couldn't help but sneering at Rais when no one was looking. The wolf would soon learn his real name. But that didn't matter anyways. A name was a label.

Ten had made notes of most of the wolves who joined in. Of course, the silver man who intruded into Ten's forest and asked for help whom he knew as Rais, and the lanky black leader that generously gifted Ten the bright pink gaping injury on his leg. But others: a cream-ish brown she-wolf and a very young black little pup, both of them seeming to walk close to an fluffy, tawny male. A good-sized wolf of many colors traveled closely behind Naira and Rhysis. But lastly, another black wolf, a large male with sage-like yellow eyes stood broadly right next to Naira. Damn. How many black wolves can you get?

The pack was impressive for one she-wolf to tug together. Running down in the woods for prey would be a problem. None of the wolves looked like they could beat a hoofed creature or otherwise in a race, except for maybe one or two. The raw idea of wrestling the food sounding much easier than running it down. Taking another glance around, Tenzin knew the wolves were all jagged. Determined souls all here for one reason or another. Tenzin couldn't help but realize that some of these wolves gave up their old packs for this quest. Ten himself actually felt glad to be connected to no one. It felt good to have no pack or strings attached or other wolves to worry about.

As they neared the pack borders and stepped across, he felt himself puffing up a little. Fur bristling to get that "RAWR" effect. He had nothing against Poison Path. He had no doubt that they were a regular, day-to-day pack. The only reason he would ever do this is for Naira. She needed her children. She needed rightful justification for their wrong-doings.

(This post was last modified: Jan 06, 2013, 05:48 AM by Tenzin.)

He was on his way back from a patrol, loyally going to check on Bella. Perhaps they could have another lesson together after so long. He had been longing to have play time with her again, as childish as it sounded, it was true. He missed his little princess and wanted to spend more quality time with her. All he had been about for the past weeks have been constant patrols, scolding the other guardians, and watching out for loners. Another had recently run into Poison Path territory, leaving Ash as pissed as ever. His possible time with Bella turned into a definite no as a familiar voice carried over the area. If he the wolf would have been calling for any else, save Chantille, he probably wouldn’t have headed towards where the call had taken place. But when he heard that she was calling for the pups…the only one on his mind was Bella. His Bella.

His large body immediately turned and he headed towards the area, the wind blowing past his head, his ears pinned against his head as he ran. This couldn’t be happening now. Not when he had already lost so many. Naira would not take any more from him…from Poison Path as a whole. Treena, Ava…he couldn’t think of her taking Bella as well. He wasted no time and when he arrived at the scene he was quite disappointed not to see anyone else around. His eyes instantly scanned the ones gathered. So many wolves that he didn’t recognize, though two were familiar enough to him. The Swift River man…he had been there when Finn had been injured. What had ever happened to the pretty silvery female remained unknown to him…though the thought did cross his mind every so often. Did the man remember him? It had been all so long ago.

He began to slightly panic. Bella was not here, at least from what he could see, and that made the anger inside of him well up. He glared down at the paws of Naira…they were too close to the borders he had so graciously marked that day…and every day. His green eyes, that looked much like his sisters, stared into Naira’s own, hoping to make clear contact with them. She was starting a war…and he was sure that she knew it. “Where is she?” He knew very well that the former Poison Path leader knew who he was referring to. She had seen his protective stature around her and she knew how close he was to her. She was taking another loved one right beneath his paws. She was an enemy.

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.