Spectral Woods My Wounded Angel

@Thanos <3

Dated for January 5th

Note: Far enough from OTB borders to not have to worry about the pack.

I don't judge people; it blurs out the center

Adsila Slayer

of my attention, my focus, myself

The silence that wrapped around the Young Slayer was deafening. It was like a hand that pressed down upon the woods; blocking out any sound from escaping, or entering. She had been born in the silence, and welcomed it like a long-lost friend. Her silvery green eyes roamed the surrounding area that was bathed in a ghostly blue glow. It seemed sad and desperate, like her, and a feeling of comfort crept through her body. With everything so quiet, any sound would immediately be heard from miles away, which would alert her to its presence, be it predator, prey, or wolf.

Under the canopy of leaves upon the branches it was cold, dark and damp. Slight amounts of light filtered through the leaves and beamed down upon the ground, where it would have to battle with the ghostly blue fog that swirled on the ground, carpeting it with a ghostly glow, to be seen. As the Young Slayer padded through the fog - which swirled around her slender legs and licked at the underside of her dark-furred belly - towards an unknown destination. She had managed to escape from Ace's grasp by saying she wanted some time to herself, but he would always be close enough in case something happened, and she had only a limited amount of time before he came looking for her.

Pausing briefly, her ears swiveled around as she shifted her gaze from tree, to shrub, to the ground and back to a tree. Even though the Spectral Woods calmed her, she still remembered the time a wolf from a pack nearby had threatened to harm her and Karpos. She had no idea if they were still around, and as she neared her birthplace, the Young Slayer kept a look-out for any strange wolves. It wasn't that she was afraid, wary was a better word to describe it. Better to know what was going on than not know was something she had learned.

Her breath caught in her throat as she came upon a delitescent old den, with faint scents of foxes, and something that she was unable to define. Lowering her neck, she held her muzzle a few inches above the ground as she slowly put one paw in front of the other, and eased herself into the den. It took only a quick look around to realize that it was in fact the very den that she had been born in. Emotions suddenly sky-rocketed and she felt tears spring from her eyes and suddenly sat down on her haunches.

In the very den she was sitting in, everything had been perfect, before Rosalie had left them, and everything that went downhill after that. Sobs wracked her slightly emaciated body as she attempted to recall the fuzzy memories. There were none of Rosalie, only of Karpos, father, Ace and Capella. After a few minutes, she rubbed her face on her side to remove the remaining tears before slowly exiting the den. Her dark head turned to look briefly back at her birth den in a farewell; she would never return as there was just too many sad memories that went with it.

Leaving her past behind her, Adsila closed her eyes and turned her head to look back in front of her, and awaited what the future would hold.

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@Adsila
He had made it, Thanos had survived that wretched cold night. Now he lurked through a deep foggy forest. Watching it swirl around as he walked. But the sound of crying broke his thoughts. Lifting his head he saw a child walk off from a den. Approaching her swiftly he tilted his head. "Child, do not cry. Where is your guardian?" He looked around for any signs of a parent or watcher. But it seemed there was none. A low growl rumbled from his mouth. He was frustrated no one was out here watching her. "Why do I see no guardian? A girl like yourself should not be left unattended in the winter."

Even though he had just met the child he felt a need to protect her. Mentioning the lack of a guardian Thanos would not let her leave his side. Flicking his tail he made sure she would not escape his sight. "My name is Thanos Argyris. If I may ask, what is your name?" He knew the pup might not give up her name so easy but it was worth a shot right? Besides, if he was to talk to her and protect her he might as well have a name to call her by. Even if it was a nickname or last name. It was better then calling her child or she. He had given his name to her. Thanos should at least learn her own name.

Finding a large oddly placed rock to sit on the tawny male nodded for the child to go and sit on it. His eyes staying peeled for a guardian or predator lurking.

Look Out!

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by a bear nearby. +10 Health

@Thanos

I don't judge people; it blurs out the center

Adsila Slayer

of my attention, my focus, myself

The Young Slayer gasped and jumped when she heard a voice that sounded so close she was sure she could reach out and touch whoever it was. Her eyes flew open and she immediately crouched; lowered her head to protect her chin and flattening her ears against her head as she stared at the wolf in front of her through narrowed slits. A soft, rumbling growl that sounded slightly childish emitted from her throat, and she slowly back up until her flank brushed against the entrance of the den.

Her growling stopped when a low rumble came from the strange male, and she lowered herself an inch lower to the ground. If he was from the pack that the other male was, then he would surely feel no remorse in attacking her if she didn't submit to him. She hadn't heard what he said before, but his next words came as a shock to the Young Slayer, and she felt her mouth open in surprise - which she hurriedly closed.

Hesitantly raising her head, she looked over the male with silvery green eyes. His pelt was a dark tawny; deep ashes and browns that faded to an ivory, and his figure was more thick and robust than slender. She raised her head a bit more and saw that bright amber eyes adorned his face. The last thing she saw was that he was only just bigger than her; height and lengthwise. It was always a surprise to find that she was as big as some adults around Relic Lore.

Unsure of how to act around the tawny male, she kept her posture low, but eyes locked onto his. "He's nearby." She had no need to speak any further, and wouldn't waste pointless words when she knew that he could easily tell what she was talking about. When he flicked his tail and spoke again, she slowly straightened up to her full height. He acted neutrally around her, and didn't smell of anyone but himself, and fainter traces of other wolves. Thanos Argyris he said his name was, and after a few seconds, the Young Slayer opened her maw to speak. "Adsila Slayer."

At Thanos' nod for her to sit on a rock nearby, The Young Slayer padded forward and sat near the rock on the dirt beside it. She didn't trust him enough to be close enough to touch him, but he seemed friendly enough. She noticed that he was looking around, as if searching for something or someone. When she was younger, Adsila would have giggled and asked who he was searching for, but now, she only felt sadness and potential empathy for Thanos, if he indeed was looking for someone. With an expressionless face that had just a hint of sadness on it, she turned to the tawny male. "Lost someone?"

473 Words

He smiled at the girl who annouced her name. "It's nice to meet you @Adsila Slayer." Thanos continued to watch with a careful eye for those wretched lurkers in these dark woods. His ears perked up as the fog only seemed to grow bigger. It seemed it was multiplying as the thick fog climbed higher onto him. Noticing the child not sitting high upon the rock he carefully nudged her. "Miss Slayer, would you mind sitting upon the rock? I'm not in favor of loosing you." Like bright lights his amber orbs looked at her with a softness.

"No, I'm not looking for anyone. Making sure no one is around to hurt you or me." Softly his head hung low swiveling back and forth. Swirling the fog around them like a mixing pot. Though his nosed was disturbed by the scent of dead moose. Glancing to the Slayer child his tail flicked asking for her to follow. Not to far in the fog sat a dead moose carcass, possibly killed by a larger animal. Sniffing at it the tawny male made sure it was safe. It seemed safe to eat. Lifting his head from the carcass his voice spoke out. "Go ahead, have a bite. We both could use it." Waiting for her to take a chunk from it he settled his haunches down on the snowy ground. It was cold but he didn't mind, Thanos would grow accustom to winters here sooner or later. You have to start somewhere. Whether it be with a horrible storm or a little bit of snow.

@Thanos

I don't judge people; it blurs out the center

Adsila Slayer

of my attention, my focus, myself

Silvery green eyes saw Thanos smile when she spoke her name, and she gave a brief nod in return at his friendly greeting. She shifted her gaze from the tawny male to the ghostly blue fog that swirled around her body. As she watched it, the fog seemed to grow bigger and expand; The Young Slayer shook her head and blinked twice, she was most likely just imagining things.

At his careful nudge, Adsila turned her head slowly to look at him, and a slight frown crossed her delicate face. Thanos seemed to have formed a bond with her that made him want to protect her from anything. Not that she minded of course, but he still needed to prove to her that she could trust him. A slight shake of her head was her only response to his protective and guardian-like words. The Young Slayer's trust issues had only gotten worse when she saw Pitch Pine Trail had disappeared when she came back after she had run away, and there was no way she would trust Thanos straight away, even if it meant disobeying his direct 'orders'.

A soft sigh escaped from the Young Slayer's lips at Thanos' next words. They made her sound weak, young, and if she couldn't protect herself. But her emotions were all over the place, so she didn't know if she was overreacting or not. It was better to keep quiet than lash out at the tawny male who most likely had done nothing wrong, so Adsila clamped her jaws firmly shut and averted her gaze to the surrounding trees.

It was a few minutes before she saw something in the corner of her eyes move, and whipped her head around, only to see Thanos flicking his tail expectantly at her and slowly walking off. It seemed he wanted her to follow, and so the Young Slayer obliged; getting to her feet and padding behind the tawny male. It was only when he stopped and lowered his muzzle that the scent reached her, and Adsila felt her mouth water. Food was hard to come by, but by no means was she starving. Ace and her were making their way to a pack up North, and they were half way there. It would only be a few days more travel before they arrived on its borders.

Poking her muzzle forward, Adsila breathed deeply in the scent of the moose carcass, and when Thanos told her it was alright to eat it, she eagerly buried her muzzle in it's flesh. It tasted much better than the hares, rabbits and other creatures she managed to catch while hunting, and she savored every bite even though she was practically inhaling it. When the Young Slayer was full she pulled back and sat on her haunches as she groomed herself to get rid of the blood that was slowly soaking into her dark fur.

Silvery green eyes flashed to Thanos when she was all clean and her fur groomed to perfection. Hesitating just a moment, the Young Slayer clicked her teeth together, contemplating her words, before opening her maw and speaking. "Heading anywhere?"

524 Words

@Adsila

<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px; color:#91A2AB;">"Speech." Thanos watched as she dug in hungry. It made him concerned. Was her guardian not feeding her? Sure winter was harsh but the child should be getting the bigger meals. Yet he wouldn't throw a fit, just enjoy the meal and eat. Trying not to be greedy he male allowed the Slayer to take a bite before diving in himself. His muzzle starting to stain red. Pulling his face out of the moose he listened to her words. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px; color:#91A2AB;">"No, I know of two packs but I've left "one and was chased from the other." He couldn't help but hide his face out of shame. It was stupid of him to leave Magnolia Glen right before winter. Thanos had been mentally beating himself for doing such a thing too. Though he would never return back to his brother. Rising to his feet a single tear broke way onto his face. It seemed he had been holding his emotions back for to long. Though he would not show them to the girl. His feelings would be to much for him. But one image kept replaying in his head. Phineas, Aeolus, and Erebos. All happy without him in the picture. Where was he? All he saw was his three brothers no sign of him. No dead bod proving he was dead and no tracks saying he left. Mother and Father gone yet his brothers all were playing happy together. Erebos was social and happy. Aeolus had a smile. Phineas though, he was being Phineas. Happy but serious. This was something he couldn't look past. Had it been a sign his brothers where happy without him? Was he over thinking things? No, there had to be a reason for his brain to show him such things. Clenching his jaw he suffered in silence. "I'm sorry brothers." It was words repeated to himself over and over in his head. Just for a moment, it seemed the world around him disappeared. Everything was white like the snow around his feet. Like a giant blank room. With only him in it. Though he had to force himself to remember the Slayer with him. Shaking his head softly Thanos mumbled. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px; color:#91A2AB;">"If you and your guardian need a home I could take you to one." It was all he could do for the girl and her so called guardian. Yet he didn't seem to be a great guardian letting the girl wander around in the dead of Winter. Sadly it made a sour taste sit in his mouth.

@Thanos

I don't judge people; it blurs out the center

Adsila Slayer

of my attention, my focus, myself

The Young Slayer kept her silvery green eyes on Thanos as he ate his fill, pulled his muzzle back - which was stained red with blood - and responded to her short query. Her dark ears perked and a part-confused part-interested expression came upon her face. Tail twitching almost impatiently, Adsila cocked her head slightly to the left, her jaws parting as if she was going to speak, but she paused for a moment as if contemplating her words. "Chased off?" Another short query from her part.

She noticed that the tawny male hid his face from her as she spoke, and she wondered why. Surely he was not doing it out of embarrassment? The smallest of giggles threatened to escape from her maw, but it got no further than her throat before it constricted and stopped the giggle before it even started. It took so much effort for the Young Slayer to allow any sign of happiness to escape into the world, and every time it almost happened, sad or angry emotions pushed it down out of sight once again.

Adsila watched silently and gloomily as Thanos rose to his feet and turned his head away from her. She saw the side of his face - which was barely visible to her - twitch or clench as some form of deep emotions supposedly threatened to escape from his body. She felt no need to ask if he was okay, because clearly, the tawny male wasn't if he was hiding his face from a mere seven-month-old pup that he had only known for minutes.

As Thanos shook his head softly and mumbled something about taking Ace and her to a home, the Young Slayer frowned ever so slightly, her brows furrowing. It was one thing for someone who had known her for a few months to offer that, but another for someone who had just met her. Sighing softly to herself, she thought about the offer, if it would help or hinder them. Having another wolf made sleeping warmer and there was more protection from other predators, but it also meant sharing food more sparsely. There was also the matter of where he would take them, if it was where they were going, then she would accept his offer, but if it wasn't, she would need to consult with Ace.

Looking at Thanos with slightly narrowed eyes but a neutral look on her face, she parted her jaws and spoke just one word. "Where?"

414 Words

(@Adsila)
Thanos completely ignored her first question about being chased off. Instead he moved on to the next question. "Hard to say where, I'm not the best with direction. Time wise it should really only be an hour, maybe two in this heavy snow and fog." Looking around it wasn't hard to tell that the snow would be coming down harder by night fall. They would have to get sleep before trying to plow through snow. Especially that it seemed this was her first winter. Not the best winter to be your first. Yet he couldn't say much about how she felt about the heavy snows with freezing temperatures.

Padding around he searched for a spot that they could lay and sleep. Or at least the child could sleep. Thanos didn't need to be taken care of as much as the Slayer. For she was merely a little girl and he was a grown man. With his experience he knew what to do, but without a guardian Adsila would surely be lost. "We better find a place to hide out before the storm rolls in again." He let out a soft sigh before walking and looking around for a den where the two of them could fit. Safe from the harsh conditions soon to roll in again, also safe from any hungry awake predators lurking. "Adsila, would you help me search for a den for the both of us, unless you'd rather have me return you to your guardian?" Wherever this so called Guardian lived, if she wished to return to him or her then Thanos would take her back.

@Thanos

I don't judge people; it blurs out the center

Adsila Slayer

of my attention, my focus, myself

The Young Slayer noted that Thanos brushed off her first question without even acknowledging it, and a slight frown crossed her face, but she said nothing. It was most likely personal reasons, and she herself hated it when people asked her personal questions, so she thought nothing of it. Her silvery green gaze stayed on the tawny male, but she didn't look directly into his eyes, that would be rude and give off the wrong impression.

A slight dip of her dark head was her only response to the tawny males' words. But after a moment, her brows furrowed slightly. The place he was talking about was supposedly two hours away, but in what direction, and what was it? She saw him looking around through the darkness, fog and lightly falling snow, but it didn't seem as if he was searching for someone or something, he was just....Looking.

Correcting her gaze back onto Thanos, she took a moment to think, before speaking in her short sentences. "To a pack?" This time it called for three words, not two, or one. Though she doubted it would be any longer than that, or she may as well just spend her time spouting nonsense at random wolves. It was better to just speak quickly and not and more than she needed.

Her silvery green eyes followed the tawny males' form as he padded around, and nodded when he spoke about finding somewhere to hide before the storm truly set in. She was about to speak up when Thanos spoke again, and suddenly anger filled her. Lips pulling back slightly to reveal her teeth, she only just stopped the soft growl for coming out. She didn't need help to return to Ace, she didn't need to return to him, period. She could look after herself just fine, and didn't need his or Thanos' help.

Her hackles raised up slightly as she stared at the tawny male through narrowed slits, jaws clamped together. She knew where a den was, and as reluctant as she was to go back there, it was that or freezing to death, and she chose life. "Follow me." Her voice was hard and cold as she spoke, and she quickly got to her feet and padded in the direction of her birth den, not looking back to see if Thanos was following. Her emotions were running wild, but the main ones were anger and hurt. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, but she blinked rapidly to make them go away. She would not show weakness to Thanos or Ace if he was nearby. Sighing softly as she came upon the den, she quickly slipped inside and lay as far back as she could, curling up into a ball and closing her eyes, willing for sleep to take her quickly so the day could be over.

475 words