the world without

Overcast — Current Temperature: 14° F/-10° C - late morning

She was a worried mother.

Ever since Hypatia had been nabbed by that mad man, she'd been worried. Winter clearly wasn't the only enemy they had to face, and she hated that thought. Pushing back anger, she had been sniffing around the borders, for once not checking for scents of strangers, but for the scent of her son. He'd been distant since they're last talk, but she'd decided to leave him to it. He was growing up, and perhaps there was only so much she could do to offer her help. Always, the woman would remind herself, remember that if he needs something, he will come to you. It was with that thought that she allowed herself sleep at night. But it seemed as though he hadn't returned home the previous night. His scent was stale in the den.

But she tried not to worry. The stranger had been dealt with, he wouldn't try again, certainly not. And while her children weren't yearlings, they could easily wander the lands surrounding the Glen. Stale, again. Facing the red hills, she could just make them out through the trees. They were distant, but ostentatious, even without their vibrant crests visible. Her ears flicked and she swallowed her fears again, shook away a bloom of guilt in the back of her mind. It would be fine. He'd just gone off, perhaps to brood, and she would find him, nudge him home. With difficulty, she followed the stale trail, only glad that it had stopped snowing. There was always a sting in her nostrils that made it hard to follow a trail when it snowed.

With difficulty, she plodded ahead, ears pressed forward, gait gradually lengthening as the trail continued to stretch on and on, towards the hills. Finally leaving the woods, she slowed, golden eyes searching for any signs of her pale child. A nervous smile crept up her face, "Kyros!" She called out, a strange little laugh in her voice. "Time to come home! Enough of this game!" It was a game, clearly it was. He'd been gone all night, at least, and there was hardly a place to shelter out here. She called his name again, and moved carefully up a slope. The dirt was packed and frozen, it would hardly show a trace of earthen red in her wake. Nostrils flared, she paused again, nose pressed to the snow. Though its figurative timestamp was still hours and hours ago, there was something stronger about. Recent, fresh.

She exhaled, a noise of relief that drew energy from her whole form, body and soul. "Ok, you've got me. You win. Come on." Rolling her eyes, she ceased her vertical climb and moved across the hill how, being careful not to slip. There was an urgency in her step as she moved further from her striking point, a narrowness in her gaze as she spotted a discrepancy in the snow meters away. Her heart lurched up into her throat as she plowed disastrously through the blanket of white, paws slipping over the ice beneath the snow. Without hesitation, she began to clear away the snow from what now appeared to be a mound. It was a rock, it had to be just a rock. A rock that smelled like her son. What was initially firm beneath her paws began to shift as she moved the layer of snow.

Pale fur. Matted and frozen. Her movements faltered for a moment, before she went ahead almost blindly now, as though none of this was what it seemed. With careful tilts of her muzzle, she cleared the precipitation from his head, with her paws she drew it away from his legs. The three-legged form was free from his snowy prison. It would be alright. Certainly, it would. Crouching down before his face, she nudged his cheek. It was cold. "You've won. Stop messing around." She scolded the lifeless form, nudging the frozen cheek. Moving around to his back, she laid down in the snow, drawing her head over his neck, nose brushing his muzzle, trying so hard to warm him, as though that was the problem. After a few long moments, she reluctantly lifted her head, and howled. A pleading, fearful sound, begging for assistance. It was short lived, as she quickly dropped herself again, pressing her own slowly chilling form against the lifeless form of her son.

It was a game, that's all. Just a game.

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

He had trailed after her at a careful distance. Borlla has risen once more to her rightful place among the pack, and while he had placed sympathy to Lucero for her now stripped title, it was the way of the wolf – come spring, if the season even allowed it, they would once more provide a litter of cubs to their pack. If Lucero’s urge to do so remained.. he could only assume she would find a mate and seek to build a legacy with him as well.

Still, he did not trust her so far from home by herself. The injuries she had sustained earlier in the autumn had been devastating, and given the weather, Phineas would risk nothing.. even if it meant he was being pulled away from the borders for the time being. He too had worried for Kyros – the boy had been reclusive and quiet for some time now, but he had not placed his disappearance as anything more than the soon-to-be yearling had sought shelter during the night rather than trudge home. His energy dissipated far more quickly than theirs, given his missing appendage.

Yet Borlla’s cry rose across the skies, wracking him in a sudden wave of fear. He moved fast – faster than he had in days, his large figure ploughing through the snow as he climbed the heights of the Hills. His eyes locked upon her distraught form, hunkered over what appeared to be a pile of snow.

Looking back to this moment, he would remember the way his mouth had suddenly gone dry and his stomach wrenched, as if he would throw up the contents of his stomach – even though there were none. He would remember the shift of the world as his eyes would narrow, falling upon the frozen boy and only realizing then that the lump of snow was indeed his son.

What he wouldn’t remember was how he lurched forward then, his breath escaping him in one painful huff as if the air had been taken from his lungs. He would not remember sprawling beside Borlla, desperate in his attempt to try to warm the boy.. as if he could be okay.

He would not even remember the look he finally shared with his mate at the realization that their first born son had been taken from this world.

Sorry this is kinda crappy @Borlla and @Phineas

Everything that drowns me makes me feel alive

Halgen had made himself busy with anything and everything that he could do. He had attempted to track off on and off the pack territory at least once a day and he ran three border patrols. He had been out searching for food when he heard the distressed call from the female alpha he had yet to meet. It had made him weary of the situation since she did not know him. But when he arrived he found that both alphas were there. A small confusion rushed into him. He had been trained as a healer as well; he knew the scent of death bu heart for he had seen death too many times. The healer rushed toward them, but not in an aggressive manner. His tail was tucked and head was bowed as he saw the young prince dead. He had never talked to Kyros, but he had heard of him and how he had only three full legs.

The subordinate looked at the pup with fear for the other pup of the Glen. He gulped and looked up to his leaders; if they wished for him to leave than he would. He could go and make sure the other pup was alright and attempt to find food. But he would remain with the pup that him and the others who had guarded the pack failed to protect. The prince of Magnolia Glen had fallen and it left him with one question. Was any wolf safe with the winter ahead? He had no idea and it scared him. He never rushed into anything without thinking it through thoroughly; but this winter rushed at him and he was unprepared. He was pretty sure that they all were.

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

(i'm impatient x3 feel free to jump in if you still wanted to post~)


Her thin form began to shake as the silence consumed her. Not even the wind would disturb her now, shake the illusion that he would be alright. He would wake, because he had to. The boy had struggled, Borlla could not lie. But he'd been her little boy, perfect and he was supposed to persevere. Prove all those condescending glances wrong. He was supposed to grow up and be the best hunter or healer or scout or literally anything but what he was now. They were supposed to fight and make up, and he would find love and start his own pack...A shrill whine seethed through the woman's teeth as her muscles tightened, trying to withhold the emotions that still threatened to overwhelm her, expose the truth of the whole situation.

Hackles rose as she became subconsciously aware of another soul approaching, only catching up with her conscious when she heard his last footfall in the snow. An audible gasp left Borlla and she swung her head around, lips pulling instinctively back over her teeth as though to protect what didn't truly need protecting. It was cruel, her display, but she might as well have been within her den again, just eight months ago, protecting what was new from everyone, even their father. A low snarl boiled in her throat for a moment, though she could not hear it herself. It eventually fizzled away as he joined them. Lips fell, golden eyes molten, liquid, upon him, her voice hitched in her throat. "Help him." She begged the pale beast, her mate, Kyros' father, her leader, her gravity. He had to do something. But he'd accepted this reality far sooner than she had.

The wind shifted then, bringing with it a soul she hadn't met. Regardless, she found him to be no threat. At this moment in time, Borlla thought herself capable of bringing down these very hills if anyone dared to threaten this...life. She averted her eyes, carefully preening the fur along the still boy's neck, the action beginning slowly, absently, eventually turning into a very deliberate display until she'd burnt herself out. Her eyes shifted between the stranger and Phineas, "Why?" She asked, quietly at first. "Tell me why!" She barked now, a vicious snarl, gaze turned aggressively upon this stranger, her scapegoat.

Oblivious to the snow and Phineas, she hauled herself up, lurching towards Halgen. Lips drawn back, she snapped threateningly at him. What answer this man gave her mattered little, if at all. What did matter was the lifeless boy that laid behind her now and this man, a submissive apparition, who must've been the key to resurrecting her son. Her selfish desires dictated that his ruin would bring her what she wanted, closure, anything but this. Throwing herself at the man, her teeth threatened to rake his muzzle should he not get out of the way.

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

OOC: Hope no one minds if Zia steps in for comfort and tries to diffuse the tension. <3 Weeks had passed since the loss of Magnolia Glen's faithful guardian. And, her friend. Zia though, hadn't bothered to keep track of the time. The winter seemed endless, the deep pit of regret ingrained into her conscience ever present. While things had gotten slightly easier, thanks to a chance meeting at these very hills, the emotional and physical burden that came with this season wasn't ready to loosen it's hold just yet. These were troubling times for the wolves, especially those of the Glen. Not only was it bitterly cold and barren, but now Hypatia had gone missing. In what was to be a celebratory pack hunt turned into a tragedy. The gloomy gray sky was most fitting for the heartbreaking events that were about to unfold today. Zia though, was not yet aware of what fate had in store for her and the ivory leaders whom she served so faithfully. She had risen early, intent on getting back into a routine. First, she made a quick but thorough border check, reinforcing the packs scent that this land was theirs. Next, she had stopped by each of the caches to make sure their dwindling supplies weren't completely exhausted. Satisfied with her morning business, Zia decided to head out and search for an opportunity to hunt. That wasn't the only reason though. She had noticed the absence of Borlla and Phineas and followed their scent trail. Ironically enough, it lead her directly to the Sierra Hills. That same place she had visited for some time alone some weeks ago. At a distance, she followed her queen, the distant calls of her voice alerting her to why exactly, she had come here. Kyros was missing. With this thought, Zia grew worried. She hadn't seen the boy anywhere within their home base lately. Maybe he was just laying low, or maybe her timing had been such that she simply didn't get a glimpse of him. But this far out, away from home was a real cause for concern. Winter was cruel. She knew first hand, having barely escaped the wrath of the mountain. Inkheart though, hadn't been so lucky. There was an endless number of possibilities of what could go wrong for an inexperienced pup such as Kyros. Shelter was limited, temperatures plummeted at night and other wolves desperate for food could also present a real threat. It was bad enough to have lost Hypatia, who was off who knows where. Her thoughts were with the children as she trudged through the snow, when from somewhere up ahead, a broken howl pierced the air. Borlla. Something was very, very wrong. Sapphire eyes widening in alarm, the platinum coated girl dashed forward, running towards trail that would guide her towards the location of the distressed queen and his mate. Snow flew behind her, their scents grew stronger, along with that of their son's. But something wasn't right about it...death was in the air. Skidding to a halt a few feet away, Zia came upon the trio which included a male wolf she hadn't met before. He was not the center of attention at the moment. It was the frozen, lifeless body amidst the snow at their feet. Even in death, she recognized him. Her heart froze, her stomach turned as a pained gasp escaped her lips. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. That is, until Borlla's emotions erupted. Halgen had been unfortunate enough to bear the brunt of the queens rage, but it was not his fault. He was an innocent bystander. "Borlla please!" Zia yelled desperately as she rushed forward to try and place herself between the creamy female and the subordinate. Her posture was submissive, as she hunched her shoulders so she no longer stood at her full height, ears plastered back. Being the sensible individual that she was, Zia was only trying to diffuse the situation, so no harm would come to Halgen, who had done nothing. Her timing was such that Borlla's teeth may have scraped a shoulder, but she didn't care. "Please. He doesn't have the answers to this." She licked her lips, swallowing hard. "None of us do. We can't control nature...we don't know what fate will throw at us." She rose to her normal height now, her voice filled with sorrow and sympathy and patience. "It's not right. It hurts...I know. He didn't deserve this. But at least...even if his life was short, he had two wonderful guardians who gave him nothing but love." What she was trying to say was, that Kyros may be gone, but that his life had been a happy one. Would Borlla understand? She doubted it, with how emotionally distraught she was. There was no cure for wounds like these.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

@Zia, Hypatia can be assumed home safe and sound. :)

He could hear Borlla’s pleads, though they seemed to echo. Blinking, he turned his eyes from her to fall upon the listless body – a shell of what he had once been. He could recall the day Kyros had Hypatia had been born – the gleam of fierce protection Borlla had cast upon him.. the sureness of her voice when he had questioned the boys well-being from his missing limb. Kyros had been tiny then – not even the size of Phineas’ own muzzle as he had fought his sister just as fiercely for the milk from his mother – his tiny paws pressing to his ivory mate’s stomach.

Now, here he lay, a tangled and frozen mess in a wasteland that was not his home.

With a grunt the male pushed himself up, finally hearing his mate’s snarls as he leapt toward Halgen. Phineas had not known when the male had come to them, and yet he had suddenly become the scapegoat. “Borlla,” Phineas attempted, his own voice weak with emotion as he took a step toward them. He could not cease her pain, but injuring the subordinate would only hinder the pack further.

It was Zia who brazenly interrupted the Leader, and the regal drew himself up then, his paws striding toward the small group. The silver female’s words were lost upon him – he could not focus upon what was said, instead his eyes would drift subconsciously back to the body that lay so very close to him. “Borlla, we need to take him home,” he stated then, his voice cracking as his heart squeezed in his chest. Kyros Argyris-Tainn would not be left as a meal for the vultures.. he would be buried beneath the majestic magnolia trees of the Glen, the moment the ground gave to thaw.

Everything that drowns me makes me feel alive

He saw the mate to Phineas and mother to Kyros lung at him as if it were his fault that it had happened. He felt his heart beat faster as he stood there nervously. How could he have helped the little lad? He made a point to not tell her that he was knowledgeable in the healing arts. I-I'm sorry for your loss Ma'am. But I couldn't stop it, I didn't know about the boy's state until now. He told himself what he thought about saying and another showed up to stop Borlla from getting a hit on him. He gave an appreciative glance to Zia before looking to Phineas. He spoke of taking the boy home, the shock had hit both of them. Halgen had realized how much this affected them.

A deep sadness tore through his heart at the loss of a pup. He did not know many wolves in Magnolia Glen, in fact he knew only one or two, but that didn't matter because that pup was his family. Wasn't that right? He had been a loner with no wolf for so long he had almost forgotten when family was. He took a deep breathe and waited for some sort of order or command to go or help or do something. He didn't want to move. He looked at the cold body of a pup and his heart sank further. The lone wolf dies while the pack survives? How was that any true when they had just lost a member before of the winter?

@Phineas
@Borlla
@Zia

Borlla had not noticed when Zia appeared; she was seeing red, terrible, blinding red. But it was hard not to notice when there was an obstacle between her and her target. The woman froze, the whites of her eyes visible as they began to see color again. Jowls twitched and without a single word, she turned away from the silver woman, disgusted at herself and furious at her subordinate at the same time. It was pointless. All of it was pointless. Halgen injured would solve nothing. Her fury had been quelled for now, replaced finally by a terrible numbness. It settled over her like a heavy shawl, protecting her from the cold, but also from everything else, as well.

She'd turned her back on Zia, mostly deaf to her words. The pale woman had no desire to be comforted, to have sense spoken into her. She wanted to grieve in her own way. That was all. But not now. Returning to the side of her son, she began to shift the snow and ice around him. Nosing then beneath him, she slid her thinned form beneath his own and carefully rose again. He felt so light upon her back, and yet she felt her knees shaking, threatening to force her down into the snow. Borlla took a few steps forward with no issue, however, and without another word, began to make her way down the hill. Despite her "immunity" to the chill, she could not lessen his weight upon her back. It would not topple her, but with every step it threatened to crush her.

/exit borlla

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention