Mountain of Dire Escape from Alcatraz - [MANDATORY - PACK]

The familiar howl that echoed across the Pass was not lost on Mapplethorpe's ears, even if the wind had started to picked up with the presence of storm clouds. His newly-forged trail in the throat-deep snow had been en route to his dead tree for the sake of shelter and solitude but after hearing Naira's summons he turned around and began to make his way toward the indents in the snow where most of the pack had stepped to create a sort of "wolf highway." With his head slightly lowered as he half-bounded, half-scurried through the snow, he made another attempt to count the scents as the trail became more defined and shallow. The gathering he came upon was as expected, though he still hastily counted each head, peering into each set of eyes just briefly enough to ensure he had them accounted for. The new ward Karpos, Aponi, Nova, Mercy, Chulyin and Sagacity, Crowe and Taima...

Nine...

Someone was missing. He scanned each of the faces surrounding him, counting once more.

Naira, the yearling, his two daughters, the dark knight, the Scout and her charge, the Lowest, and the pack's newest member - Slayer.

Having stopped behind Karpos and Aponi, Mapplethorpe advanced forward to press his nose and lips to Naira's jaw, a simple nudge to assure her (as well as himself) that her pack, this small band of nomads, were behind her and the decision to move. He let his muzzle linger close to her for a while, raising it briefly before drawing away from her to merely stand obediently at her side. Though he was barely aware of Sagacity's interactions or kindred relationship with the marble-pelted man, he still glanced to the Scout in hopes that she had recently seen him on her patrols in and around the Pass. "Where is @Faol?"

He had noticed the changes in the weather as soon as they began. The black male had grown wary of the dark clouds that had been accumulating right in the midst of Nomad's Pass. He had been marking the borders more frequently because of the snow drifts causing their scent to be covered and carried more often. He was doing just that when he heard Naira's vocal beacon for their pack, not a question, but a command. He immediately moved in that direction, the ever mounting snow proving little resistance to his large form, but he had quite a distance to travel. Dark figures appeared in his vision before he could scent them, and he quickened his pace in realization that he was the last of the group to assemble. By the time he had made it to them he was sure they would have already discussed what was to happen.

Yellow eyes spotted first Sage, Mercy, Naira, Mapplethorpe, and then regrettably Crowe. There were a few members that he had yet to meet, but had scented once or twice. They were younger, but they stood with a certain assurance. He took that into consideration but did not make eye contact with them. Slowing himself he approached the group, coming up on the other side of Sage, not yet bestowed with a role to place him. He offered Niara and Mapplethorpe a apologetic and respectful nod. "I apologize for the tardiness," was all he offered before falling silent. Waiting to see what they were to do about their dangerous situation. He looked to Sage momentarily, happy that she was here and safe, but he said nothing and focused on the task at hand.

(This post was last modified: Dec 04, 2013, 03:44 AM by Faol.)

OK, I'm replying early because I don't know if I will get a chance later in the week with Jamie being all over the place. @Veronika and @Gent jump in at your leisure (feel free to wander up as Naira is explaining what is going on). Yay! New roles in the process! Will finish up this round on the 14th, sooner if everyone gets their replies in and then I'll wrap it up. Remember we need to take a health hit as a result and it's likely to take us a couple of days to get down.

Family

• NAIRA AQUILA •

over everything

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth that did not quite reach her eyes when @Karpos bounded forward eagerly to announce that @Aponi had been close on his heels. There had been a change in her daughter since she took the boy in and for that she could only be grateful. Golden eyes scanned the area, a glimmer of worry showing though, growing less and less as each member came into sight. @Chulyin of course was the next to arrive, significantly more dignified than the eager boy, and her appreciation showed. The next to arrive was @Nova who was met with an affectionate nibble to her brow. “No darling. We’re going on an adventure.” she cooed with a soft smile for her fiery-eyed daughter.

It was almost a surprise to see @Crowe arrive so swiftly. She had to grudgingly admit the man had earned his place amongst them and his concern shown towards the packs first ward did not come as a surprise. A small shake of her head was all the could offer the ghostly brute, and a small reassurance, “@Sagacity wouldn’t risk him being left behind, I’m sure they will join us shortly...”

She was relieved when @Taima joined them and when the girl questioned her, the second came into sight with her son in tow. “Soon.” she promised, eyes still searching for Sagacity, @Mercy, @Mapplethorpe and @Faol. Their new recruits she expected would take a little longer to join them, and then they came. For a moment she blinked, thinking perhaps she was seeing triple but relief flooded over her when she realised she wasn’t. Continuing the mental rollcall, she managed to mark off Mapplethorpe and Faol next, a reassuring “You’re not the last.” offered to Faol for his apologies. She expected that it may take Veronika a little longer to join them with her leg which while on the mend may still be affected by the cold, and Gent could have headed out hunting for all she knew - but surely he would find the same wall at the eastern end of the Pass as what walled them off here.

Enough had gathered to start, after all it would be very slow going.

As if to reinforce her urgency the clouds rumbled their displeasure of their presence overhead. She took a deep breath, to allow her voice to carry to the gathered. “This winter is the harshest I remember. We cannot stay here any longer, or we will starve or freeze to death for sure. The last thing I want is for us to wake and find ourselves trapped within our den by a wall of ice. Two more may join us yet. She allowed her eyes to travel over the gathered, her chest swelling with pride to look at each and every of their loyal faces. “Faol, you have more than proven yourself in the protection of our borders, I would like for you to claim a place as Guardian among our ranks. Look out for the young ones, it’s going to be a rough trip down.” Next her eyes travelled to the white man among them, “Likewise Crowe. I think you have proven yourself by now, although I will need you up front with me, Chulyin too. I’m sure between us we can make the path a little easier on the young ones...” and everyone else. she thought on grimly. It was she who had chosen to settle here and the fate of them all rested squarely on her shoulders.

Taking the first sinking steps forward, she gritted her teeth and pushed. It was going to be a very long trip.

template base by GINNYSAURUS | image by GREY

Karpos waited with worry, one after another wolves showed up, but not Aponi He stayed where he was despite the urge to go look for her. First is was an adult to arrive, than a pup. Another adult arrived soon after asking about Mercy, whom Karp had heard about from Aponi before hand. Karp assumed the fae pup who had been arrived to be Aponi's sister. Than a yearling, adn adult and the boy pup. He was pretty sure it was Mercy. because a woman came immediately with him, next was Aponi. She sat right next to him and he smiled, a small sight of relief in his eyes when she did so.Next was a man, someone that stood right next to Mrs. Naira and asked about other pack members.

That must be Mr. Aponi's Father! He told himself as he waited for the rest of them. The man he must have been talking about, Faol, arrived a little later with an apology. It was right after then that Mrs. Naira started to speak. She had mentioned earlier that they were going on an adventure and Karp had a nervous smile too him. He could feel the eyes of most of the pack sweep over him, but that had been when they arrived one by one. It was good at least that they had Aponi by his side. The winter wasn't always this cold, no, and Mrs. Naira had decided to move the pack.This seemed logical to Karp, who had always had to think on his feet when he was away from home in the past and what she said made perfect sense. She gave the man Faol, the rank of Guardian and said they would start to move slowly. He gave Aponi a small nuzzle before taking his first steps forward after Mrs. Naira.

NOMADS Pass

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

(This post was last modified: Dec 09, 2013, 09:29 PM by Karpos.)

(Hate to interrupt but apparently this is the only way I can get Frost off the mountain for Winter, sorry.)

For once, she was scared, no downright and absolutely terrified. She hadn't felt fear in a long time, and it wasn't a welcomed emotion. It made Frost feel overly vulnerable about herself...so helpless...so...so weak. She knew she had to get away, wounded or not she needed to move out. As she stood on the snowy ledge watching the Nomad Pass wolves she made her decision. A loud howl left her black lips begging to join them. The message was clear 'Wolves of this pack, I mean you no harm at all. I'm simply requesting to join you on your trek off the mountain. Please have mercy on me, I mean no harm.' The panic in her voice was barely existent. Yet she hated to allow multiple wolves to know of this horrid, horrid, HORRID fact. Her body trembled violently *Would if they refuse me?* she mentally questioned *Doesn't matter, fallow far back.* She told herself this solemnly.

As she watched them her head was low in a submissive behavior and her eyes stared intensely. She was ready to grind herself into the ground if need be. She'd do anything, and I mean anything, just to live. Even do the unspeakable; join a pack. Just the thought of it made her cringe the slightest bit. It meant loyalty, no freedom, but food, shelter, and companions. She struggled to see herself within a pack happily. Only bored out of her mind and restless or worse...once again abused. *The past is the past, leave it behind* It was a strict self command. White flakes fell onto clean yet ice covered cream fur as she waited quietly.


(I apologize for the cruddy post. She isn't too close to them but a respectful distance away.)

Thanks TABs for the table and it's photo I've used for her featured photo.
Thanks PuppyThief for the winter skin and avatars!

Gent had been on the opposite side of the territory, familiarizing himself with whatever areas he could reach as well as keeping a look out for any signs of intrusion or prey. He'd had the idea of scaling the precipices that lined this new home, of setting up obstacles for himself and making what would soon become routine continually interesting. However, over the course of a few short days the relentless precipitation made even the worn paths difficult to venture down. Reaching the limits of what he could, Naira's beckoning call echoed through the pass, audible only due to the sudden cessation of storms that had begun earlier that day. 'Shit,' he thought, considering the length of time it would take him to reach the brash luminary. Late to the first pack meeting, not a good start. Turning himself around, Gent put even more effort into traveling swiftly, determined not to be the last one there. However, once he arrived, he couldn't quite tell if he'd met his goal or not. There were plenty gathered, and Naira had begun to explain her reasons for summoning them all together. Displeased with his own tardiness, Gent assumed submissive posture and maneuvered closer to Naira to better hear what was being said, even if it meant stepping in front of a pack mate or two. What she offered was not much of a surprise to the boy. It was only the day after entering into the pack that he considered whether or not he'd walked into a death trap, and he'd watched the pass fill up with snow with mild concern. There was a slight bitterness in his thoughts; after all, the reason he'd come to the pass was because of their physical location. But he would take this challenge, of digging their way out and of adapting to a new homestead, and perhaps he would earn a few points of respect from the leaders in the process. Naira voiced who she wanted in the lead, but Gent would not be left to the rear and forfeit the majority of the work onto other's shoulders. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to take on the venture with such zeal, given that he'd barely been able to take the time to recover his strength since first beginning his travels, but he'd be damned if he didn't put a dent in. Following as close to Naira's front line as allowed, he would occasionally fall back only to check on the youth; not only because his alpha had pointed them out, but because he wanted to be known to the whelps as someone trustworthy.

Sagacity's worries ceased when the three missing wolves- Mapplethorpe, Aponi and Faol- joined up with the rest of the group. She did her best to remain calm and quiet, to exude nothing but confidence as they gathered together for an emergency meeting. Naira proclaimed that they would be leaving the mountain, and heading elsewhere for the rest of the winter. Though she wanted to ask Naira more questions- where exactly were they headed, and would they return to the mountain in the Spring- she held her tongue. First, they would follow their leaders down the mountain to a place of safety, and then they would sort out the other details. Time was running out, and they couldn't afford to risk their lives.

Naira surged forward with the lead of the group, announcing that Faol would be the guardian of the pups, which brought Sage a great deal of pride. Naira then called Chulyin and Crowe to the head of the group, so the larger males could help create a path through the show for the smaller wolves to follow. Instinctively, Sagacity reached out and grabbed Mercy's scruff, catching him just before he could make his way forward to the front of the group with Crowe. She released him, gave him a look and shook her head. He wouldn't make the journey if plowing the way through the show was his task. He was a pup, and as such, was one of the ones who needed the path forged by the larger, adult males.

A new, young male pushed forward to tail the leading group and Sagacity eyed him warily. He was young and bold- she wasn't sure he'd be fit enough to keep up with the vanguard, but she appreciated his willingness to help create a path. With Naira, Crowe, Chulyin and now this young male at the head of the group, Sagacity felt confident that they would create a good path for the young ones. Sagacity waited for Naira's daughters, the young male who seemed quite fond of Aponi, and Mercy to go ahead before she moved in behind them. This way she could keep an eye on all the young ones, and track down any who roved from the path. The front of the group was a soldiering bunch, strong and fit- and she would not let the rear end of the group fall short. She cast a look to catch Faol's eye, so that he would join her as a guardian to make sure no one fell behind.

It was then that she noticed the follower. She kept her distance, and she was far enough away that Sagacity did not immediately leap into action in order to chase her off. It would waste too much of her energy to do so, and to be honest, the female, who looked to be in ill health, looked hardly like a threat at all...But had illness settled into her bones, she could become a threat as easily as a healthy wolf. She raised her tail and perked her ears, She once again sought Faol's eyes, to alert him to their follower, before she uttered a sharp chuff; a warning to the rest of the pack that they were being followed. She hoped that Mapplethorpe would be able to step in, and decide the girl's fate. Sagacity would chase her off if need be, but for now she knew the pack had to move forward.

Avatars by Arla!

Who the heck was this guy? And how had he managed to tame Aponi?

Before Naira made the announcement that they'd be going down the mountain (which was what he'd been doing up until that moment, so he now felt quite silly, having already traipsed up and down the mountainside a bit that day) Mercy had had a moment or two to catch his breath, alongside Nova, and had noticed the newcomer. He was young- probably somewhere around their age- and seemed to be hanging suspiciously close to Aponi. There was a hopeful, eager look about him- especially whenever he turned his gaze toward Naira. It nearly made Mercy laugh- yeah, if he wanted the queen's daughter, he'd better plan on sucking up to her mother!

He had to told back a shudder when Faol was granted the role of guardian- why wasn't Crowe?! Naira mentioned him next- and gave him a bit of a compliment, but then said that he needed to be up front. Why, so she could keep an eye on him? Mercy was about to protest when he realized why Naira wanted Crowe up front- between him and Chulyin, they'd make a great path in the snow for the pups to follow in, and before he even had a chance to think twice, he stood and was about to move forward to join the two males when he felt something grab his scruff and stop him. He turned around, surprised- only to see that it was his mother who'd taken hold of the loose fur just behind his ears. When she shook her head, he came back to reality and with a sigh, accepted the fact that the path was being made for the likes of him- pups. He watched another newcomer- he looked like a yearling, or thereabouts, to Mercy- join up with the leading group and tried not to look too envious as they pushed ahead. He glanced to his mother- at least she wasn't going ahead of him. She seemed to want to stay at the back of the pack- with Faol.

"Well; let's go, Nova," He said quietly, and stepped ahead, so that he too could contribute to the forging of a path. He was glad, then, that Karpos had joined them- someone else could keep their eye on Aponi and distract her. He stepped in line with the group, purposefully stepping on untrodden snow so that there was less for Nova to sink into. A sharp bark from his mother caught his attention, and he looked back over his shoulder to see her standing on alert, gazing into the distance- but he couldn't see why. The group ahead of him kept going- and so, with a quick glance to Nova, he continued on as well, toward their new home.

<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px; color:#F4DA00;">"Speech." She had searched for days after dropping Karpos off, but had yet to find a way off of the mountain. The heavy snows proved themselves quite the obstacle, and there was a serious lack of prey. Weak and tired, she began making her way back towards the place where she had left the young prince. If there was no way down, and she was to live through the winter than she would have to beg the pack to take her in. It was that or starve to death. It was only then that she heard the rumble of paws crackling through the snow. Something was amiss, and of course worry slid through her chest. With Karpos' decision to reside with them, and the entire pack seeming to evacuate, had something happened? Crawling forward, she kept her ears alert. There didn't seem to be any signs of a struggle, but that meant nothing. Inching closer and closer to the pack she waited for them to get ahead of her. Once they were a fair distance away she set out behind them, moving across the snow that had already been packed down. Within their scent's she found the one belonging to the Pitch Pine Pr -- dark pup. Relief flooded her but she had to suppress the urge to call out to him. They had already said their goodbyes, and any attempt at reconnecting now, before she re-found Lachesis and he settled into his home would make it too hard to leave again. So it was best for now, if she kept quiet, and followed behind them at a distance. worlds are ruined this way, and we've all been there time and time again.

Lovely table, and signature by Arla <3

The amount of snow now covering the pass was impossible to walk through, especially with her limp. Prey was completely non-existent, and she feared the worst more so for the little ones than herself. Of course she hadn't spoken of her fears to the superiors yet, if she even would. Naira always had an air of confidence that suggested she new what she was doing, and so Veronika had to trust her.

A call sounded above the crunching of chest deep snow, and the pale fae averted her course. So they would in fact be planning an escape then? Why else would their leader be calling for them now? It took some time, but when she finally made her way to the clearing it seemed that everyone had already gathered, and the meeting was just beginning.

A few of the males were given general positions to make start packing down the snow, and as Naira gave her first push Veronika realized what a difficult trip it was going to be. Would they all survive the treacherous escape from their prison atop the mountain? She began moving alongside the rest of the pack, ready to endure the trip.