Iridescent Lagoon The Sun Hardly Bothers to Shine

There we go! Internet went wonky so it took longer than expected. For posting order, Hati, @Lalani, and then @Anneliese or @Naia (either order)? This will be a pretty long thread, so try to move things forward in each post you make instead of leaving it up to everybody else and just following along (but don't go too fast!).

The sun rose to the gentle falling of snow that had begun in the night and spread a thin layer of fresh flakes throughout the Cedarwood Forest and surrounding areas. New tracks should have been easy to locate but no creatures seemed to be moving from their dens making hunting a nearly impossible feat. With little else to do, Hati took this opportunity to scout the borders of Cut Rock River, checking for any signs of intruders and leaving his scent to make the line more prominent for outsiders to keep clear of.

Though the usual routine of trotting along the outside edges of his pack's home never became truly bothersome, there were times when a little adventure was welcome to add some spice to life, and today was one of those times. Hati's spirits felt rather dampened, just like the sun which was mostly hidden by the water-burdened clouds. Company was more welcome than ever as long as they could provide the excitement he was looking for. Perhaps he could round up a few of the subordinates and throw together a small scouting party on Maksim's behalf? It was a silly idea, since none of his pack-mates would ever understand what he was trying to do. Chances were that they would figure he was leading them to some carcass or aggressive loner who needed dealing with.

With an annoyed sigh, Hati blinked up towards the treetops just as a flash of red caught his attention. A small bird danced about in the branches, its soft feathers blocking the bitter cold from turning its very heart to ice. Tiny showers of snow rained down upon the black wolf and he pounced upon the ground where they fell, eagerly taking advantage of such a small thing to take his attention off of his own pity party.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2014, 06:15 PM by Hati.)

Faint light filtered through the heavy clouds. The sun didn't seem to be fighting all that hard to get through the thick barriers that were in its way. Lani couldn't understand this. Had it been her, she would have been fighting tooth and claw to escape from the represive cage that was above. She felt slightly despondent. She was bored, and had nothing to do. There wasn't any food to be had nearby and she doubted that there was any in the region. It was likely the herds had enough sense to move on, before they starved. It made Lani wonder why the wolves stayed when the prey had left. So she was left with little more to do than wander the territory and try to be of some use. She didn't know many of the pack members but knowing that a couple of her friends were in the territory made her want to protect it more. Lani wasn't sure whether she would be able to take on an intruder but she would welcome the challenge just for the entertainment. Maksim still hadn't given her anything specific to do, though she supposed the lowest didn't have many responsibilities. She decided that she would try to find something that would liven up the dreary day ahead.

As she traveled farther away from the center of the territory she scanned her suroundings, trying to commit them to memory. If she was going to stay here, she figured she might as well learn her way around. She actually found the place beautiful, in all its frozen glory. She watched as small birds tittered and flitted from branch to branch. Their small little bodies covered in soft downy feathers. When landing on the branches their little feet caused snow and ice to fall from the branches and land softly in the snow on the ground. Sometimes Lani envied the birds. They could go anywhere they wanted within minutes. The phrase 'the shy's the limit' didnt even apply to them. They were so...free. Lani caught a flash of color out of the corner of her eye. Turning she spotted a red bird take flight and fly into the forest. She wasn't sure how far it would go but she trotted after it, eager to see where it was going.

Lani kept her eyes to the sky as she quickly picked up speed in order to keep up with the swift little bird. She had just decided that it was never going to stop, when it alighted on a tree. It danced around in the branches, singing its song of cheeps and chirps, continuing to titter to the nearby birds. She was so distracted by the bright bird that it took her a second to relize that she wasn't alone. It was the movement that drew her eye. A wolf was pouncing on the snow that fell from the bird's tree. It was her male companion. She still hadn't decided what she was going to call him. The other pack membors called him Taras, but considering that that wasn't his real name, Lani felt no obligation to do the same. Maybe Theron, for his face? No. That didn't seem right. His scars were a medal of his strength. There was no way she would call him that. Hmm. She would have to keep thinking and hope that she found something that suited him. Even if might only be a nickname of sorts.

Lani padded forward giving a light chuckle that joined the birds song. The large wolf seemed just as bored and anxious as she was. The fact that he was chasing snow particles and she had followed the bird, showed just how desperate they were. "You look exactly how I feel." She was slightly sorry she had disturbed his game but was more glad for the company. She greeted him with a lick on the chin and a brush of her side. It was slightly over friendly, but she couldn't help herself. She only hoped that he didn't mind. After stepping back, she asked, "You want to do something?" It felt strange to talk. She had become comfortable with his silent way of speaking and though it could be confusing at times, he was very good at getting his point across. She found that she would rather join him in the silence than break it. She sat back and tried to ask him with her eyes, what it was he wanted to do. She knew she wasn't as good at speaking silently as he was, so she tilted her head to add to the effect.

She hoped that he would have an answer to her boredom. She was likely to agree to anything he proposed. She was eager to do something before she went stir crazy. The fact that she would be doing it with him only made things better. Her insecurities reared their ugly heads as she thought about the fact that he might not want to do anything with her. The chance that he might reject to her company was there, but she was glad she had asked anyway.

(This post was last modified: Jan 13, 2014, 06:14 AM by Lalani.)

OOC|| Naia is going to take them to a spot at the edge of the lagoon to go "ice skating" where the ice is smooth enough to slide around. Someone else can spot the island from there and suggest they skate to it? Feel free to PP Naia leading them to this spot if you want to keep the thread moving. Jump in whenever, @Anneliese!

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Naia was already traveling through the lagoon when she picked up the scents of two packmates that she hadn’t been able to formally meet yet. By their smells she had an idea of their ages and standing in the pack hierarchy, but anything else about the pair was a mystery to the tawny lady. Judging from the speed and direction of the wind, the two were still nearby. Testing the air every now and then, she loped toward her packmates’ position with an energetic spring in her step. It was certainly a dreary day, but it would take more than a little mist to dampen Naia’s spirits. As the shadowy pair came into view, she announced her presence with a chipper bark. Nearing the pair of dark wolves, she slowed to a trot as the closed the rest of the distance to where they stood.

”I haven’t met you two yet, but we’re family, no?” she asked, a brilliant grin spreading across her face. ”I’m Naia—very pleased to finally meet the two of you.” As she waited for them to introduce themselves, she realized with a slight sinking feeling that her companions didn’t seem to share her upbeat attitude. Never mind, she reassured herself. The bitter winter days tended to run together in a way that felt monotonous and depressing to even a happy-go-lucky wolf like Naia. It was no wonder they both looked a little somber. I have an idea that will cheer them up…

”Why don’t you two come with me? I was on my way to my favorite spot.” She tilted her head hopefully, her spirit lifted by the idea that she might have some companionship while visiting the lagoon this time. Unlike most Cut Rock River wolves, she came to the lagoon often when she needed a break from her everyday routine. She found the tangy scent blowing in from the nearby marsh appealing, and the lagoon always felt slightly warmer to her than the rest of Relic, perhaps due to its low attitude. ”You’re going to love it,” she promised, delight glowing behind her amber eyes in a puppyish way. She tilted her head in an invitation for them to follow.

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ooc: i don't feel comfortable initiating travel at this point, so render or vickie; pp all you need man.


Annelise had finished scouting the land, acquainting herself closely with every detail of her new home. It was important for her to know, and thus she prioritized the task, incorporating it with border and cache defense. Now that this was complete, however, she was ready for a break. What better way to spend a free day than to mingle with her new family members?

She slipped through the trees, swift in stride but clearly at ease. A smile was held firmly in place on her maw, the tip of her tongue slipping out under her nose to leak clouds of steam. Occasionally she would lean heavy, brushing against the ice coated trees to leave behind her scent, aimlessly following the footprints of one of the strangers she shared her home with.

Shortly, Anneliese came to realize that her target was not alone; in fact, he was accompanied by her dear friend Lalani, and fast approaching them was a third soul. Excited at the idea of such a gathering, she put an extra pep in her step, long legs quickly eating up the distance that lie between her and them. As she approached the group, she caught sound of the unfamiliar woman's invitation. Her posture slackened for a moment, head nodding to both Naia and Hati in subtle deference, acknowledging that she was the stranger here. When it came to greeting Lalani however, her smile was a touch more warm and she pressed her forehead against the girl's shoulder affectionately. With her friend, she did not pay any mind to posturing ranks, unwilling to treat her like an omega.

"Hello! I am Anneliese, clearly very new here. If you're having a trip I'd really love to come along."

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2014, 02:35 AM by Anneliese.)

PLOT WITH ME!

Vickie can I assume Lalani will explain/introduce Hati? If not that's okay. :)

Certainly things were getting desperate; though the bitterness of the season had let up slightly it was still cold and dreary and no excitement had stepped foot near Hati's existence for quite some time. Dancing with the falling snowflakes was the best way to past the time he could come up with, but that didn't mean he wasn't a little embarrassed when Lalani, a young, pretty black female recently accepted into the pack, spotted him playing like a child. As soon as he realized she was watching him the older wolf immediately stopped and stared, pretending as if he hadn't been chasing snow. She, on the other hand, did not feel the awkwardness of the situation, and began chatting like an old friend. Her indifference to his discomfort brought him back to ease. This meeting was different than their last, however, for she was stronger in spirit and he did not feel the need to smile so much as he once had. Instead he wore a closed but not unfriendly expression.

Lalani glided forward and licked his chin as a sign of great respect and rubbed against his side. Hati met the greeting with a touch of his nose to her flank and then they broke away to face each other. He perked his ears at her vague question. Do I want to do something? Pfft, yeah! A spark of agreement jumped into his eye and his shaggy tail slowly waved from side to side. He had been wishing for a companion today, and here one was. Well...scratch that. Here two were.

Hati's ears picked up the sound of a wolf's approach and, tensing, he turned to see a tawny female picking her way over to them. He quickly took in her scent and knew she was a friend, having stumbled upon her scent many times within Cut Rock River. Right now she seemed happy, verging on bubbly, and talked to them without hesitation. Hati perked his ears towards her to let her know she had his attention. The brown and creamy wolf introduced herself as Naia, and Hati committed the name to memory and would never forget. He nodded his head slightly to greet her, certain that Lalani would explain his silence.

Just as Naia invited them to join her on a little trip, another female appeared on the scene. She carried a scent that had been thick on Lalani when he first met the dark omega, and therefore he knew that she was no intruder either. Hati watched as she displayed slight but satisfactory submission to himself and to Naia and threw a warm smile in her close friend's direction. She also did not hesitate to speak but happily requested an invitation as well. It seemed as though Hati and this little group of nice ladies were going to have an adventure. Hati allowed a friendly smile to appear on his face just for a moment, welcoming Anneliese.

Naia, obviously content with everyone's eagerness to join her at her "favorite spot," bounded away towards only she knew where. Hati waited for a just a moment and then zipped away with her, sweeping his tail towards Lalani and Anneliese to follow. The trip to the lagoon would take a couple hours but that was nothing to a wolf.

A young pronghorn has fallen behind its herd and starved in the snow. +5 Health

Her black companion greeted her in kind, by softly pressing his nose to her flank. She was slightly puzzledas she studied him. He wasn't smiling nearly as much as he had the last time she had seen him. Lani was distracted from this thought whe she heard foot steps behind her. Quickly turning she was met by a small tawny wolf. Lani's brow furrowed and she eyed the stranger suspiciously. She said they were 'family'. Lani thought this was pretty presumptuous. Lani considered family, those that you knew best and cared for you know matter what. Lalani didn't know this female from adam. And though they were in the same pack, she didn't see how they were family. The stranger introduced herself but rather than waiting for them to do the same, she interjected with some journey about her favorit spot and started bounding off into the woods. *Well that was strange.* Lani hadn't even had the time to submit. Though she wasn't going to complain about that fact.

She was also very surprised when Anna came trotting out of the brush. Lani had smelled her around the territory but hadn't seen her around. *That's your fault stupid.* She had tried to steer clear of Anna in order to give her friend a chance to make a new start. Lani didn't want to drag her down. Now though, she couldn't resist the huge smile that spread across her face. Her tail beat a steady rhythm as her friend approached. Anna subtly submitted to the dark figure and the retreating female. Lani felt like crying as Anna greeted her, not as a lower, but as an equal. Lani turned her head an pressed it into the shoulder of her friend and licked at her affectionately.

After separating, Lani took a step back. She glanced over at her male friend in order to gage his reaction. He seemed friendly enough to Anna if his greeting smile was anything to go on. She sent him a smile of her own, letting him know that this was a great friend of hers and that she hoped he would continue to be kind. Turning back to Anna, she said, I don't know if we're going on a trip....Oh. Anna this is.....Well, the others call him Taras." The way she worded it made it clear that Lani didn't call him that. She still hadn't decided what she was going to call him. She didn't want to be a follower and just call him something somebody had decided for him. She wished she could figure out was his real name, but since she couldn't she would find something that fit him well. Continuing the intro duction she added, "He's also mute." Lani found herself caught. She wanted to stay warm and friendly with Anna but also found that her tone was stiff too. Lani was loyal to her friend but her male companion had begun to grow on her. Lani prayed that Anna wouldn't say anything negative, Lani would feel obligated to come to his defense. It wasn't his fault her couldn't speak.

Her inner tension was interrupted when the dark figure waved his tail invitingly before bounding off for an adventure. Lani sent her friend a meaningful look. This was a hansome, strong male. Lani liked him. She begged Anna to be nice, though she doubted she would be anything but. "Well, I guess we are." Letting out a playful bark, she turned around and bounded off after the male. Trees wizzed by as she tried to keep up. Her ears, swiveled, listening for Anna's foot steps.

OOC|| I had a feeling Lani's and Naia's personalities would clash, haha. We'll see, maybe she'll warm up. Someone can notice the island in this round and suggest they check it out. ||

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She waited for either member of the dark duo to introduce themselves, but they both perpetuated the odd silence even as Naia gave an encouraging wag of her tail. The older male had nodded in a sort of taciturn way, accepting her greeting with an air of finality that left Naia with the impression that he was comfortable with their meeting but didn’t intend on speaking at all. One the other hand, Naia was feeling some slightly hostile vibes from his female companion. Did I interrupt something…? Naia wondered. Who really knew what went on in the turbulent mind of a yearling—perhaps she had a thing for this man, and Naia had invaded her space. Ladies her age were often angsty, especially this close to the breeding season. Old enough to feel the pull of hormones but too young to breed, a woman’s second winter was often a frustrating one.

Another wolf joined them, thankfully breaking the silence as she greeted the group with her name and a submissive nod toward Naia. Naia accepted her act of deference with a friendly smile, indicating subtly to the creamy lady that this was a casual interaction. It did not even occur to her to try to prompt submission from the omega girl. As a yearling and not to mention the Lowest, she was likely barred from challenging for a higher rank until Maksim said otherwise. In Naia’s mind, it was only necessary for members of Cut Rock River’s ranked hierarchy to play out the formal shows of dominance and submission, since in essence those were the only positions actually in question.

”Of course!” Naia welcomed the newcomer, excited that she seemed to share Naia’s enthusiasm for new friends and exploration. ”This way!” She barked, taking off for the lagoon at a lope. It was a fair distance away, but as pack wolves they were all fed well enough to make the journey. Though she had been taken aback at the hesitancy in the dark wolves’ greetings, her troubles melted away as her paws pounded against the frozen terrain. Jack and Jill—she had taken the liberty of naming them since they hadn’t named themselves—were following, as was the lady who had called herself Anneliese.

After an exhilarating run, the group arrived at the frozen shore of the brilliant iridescent lagoon. It was gleaming in all its icy glory, and Naia took that as invitation enough to charge out onto its icy surface. As her paws hit the slick ice, her momentum carried her several wolfslengths out onto the frozen lake even as she braced her legs to stop herself. Giggling, she turned to look back at her companions, wagging her tail for them to join her. ”It’s fun!” she promised with a bark, and as she said it a front paw slipped out from under her. ”Oof!” she expelled as her shoulder hit the ice, but instantly she was laughing at her own newfound clumsiness. Hopefully this silly game was enough to thaw even Jill’s icy demeanor. As she slipped around, she noticed little claw marks in the ice that no doubt belonged to wolves younger than they. It looked like some pups had also been playing on the ice recently, and Naia smiled inwardly as she imagined the scene. She looked back toward the shore expectantly, waiting for someone to skate out to join her.

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ooc: herp a derp 12 hour shifts suck. Anneliese noticed there was something off about the atmosphere in this little huddle, but it hardly surprised her. Rather than waste time puzzling over what could be thickening the air with tension, she dismissed any assumptions that could be made and instead determined to do her best at acting as glue. She maintained an utterly friendly posture in the face of the male's absolute silence, Lalani's sybil approach, and Naia's enthusiasm. In all actuality, she was hardly bothered by the trifles left unspoken; she was thrilled simply to have this opportunity to bond with pack mates. Her gaze hovered upon this Taras as her companion introduced him, choice vocabulary indicating that this wasn't truly his name. The other girl quickly and curtly explained, and Anneliese's eyes immediately shone with intrigue. This would definitely prove to be a good day. With a nod to the man and a simple acknowledgement of "it's a pleasure to meet you, sir,", Anneliese turned and took off after Naia. —Naia's surprise was a thrill. Anneliese grinned as they approached the solidified lagoon, instantly recognizing what the woman claimed to be so fun. Without hesitation she lept from the snow banked shore onto the crystallized water's surface, sliding as Naia had. Rather than breaking, however, she worked to propel herself, attempting to spin circles. She let out a joyous bark, calling to Taras and Lalani to join as well, wondering if Lani would see the fun they were having or if she'd need a push to join. Within a small portion of time, Anneliese was able to more or less master maneuvering upon the slick ice and skidded about in controlled slips and loops. It was while performing this feats that the wind changed ever so slightly, bringing a wondrous scent to her lungs. She halted her play immediately and looked out to the heart of the lagoon, narrowing her eyes against the haze of blowing snow to see a collection of tall shadowy figures. Some distance out there was an island, and from that enclave wafted the delicious smell of death. "Anyone else smell that?" she asked aloud, already skating her way out further, toward the source.

PLOT WITH ME!

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health