Lost Lake A sliver to call my own

@Zia, @Inkheart and any/all of the current Kopah gang (@Koda, @Silentium and @Lucien). any who don't post will be assumed to be waiting in the background
no posting order!

A small group of wolves stood near the peak of the mountain, sheltered by scruffy evergreens and wind-bleached oak trees as they watched the valley below. They were searching for something. Far below a lake glistened clear and wide, the sight promising water in the heat of summer and a meal at any time. The woods that bordered the shores were quiet and dark. Iopah knew the forest would hold prey, they had been finding deer scat and starting countless rabbits for days now. A salmon tongue searched her jowls for the taste of rabbit blood. Her appetite was different now. A hunger that came without warning and so fierce that she would have to leave in search of a meal, tail stiff as a warning to any that tried to distract her. It was hard to forget what was driving her in this search for a home. And now they had come to this lake, and she stood gazing down with a speculative eye. The way had been difficult and she could only hope that meant this land was free.

It certainly seemed the case, but as she moved to consult her mate, a lupine figure broke from the tree line to plunge into the water. The figure was followed by another. Iopah felt her tail lash against a spruce tree. It held fast and she turned to free herself with a hasty snap. That was another thing: she was shedding differently. While the others lost their winter coats, she was only thinning over her belly.

She whined softly at Koda and stalked away angrily in the same instant, displayed moods in contrast with each other. The pregnancy was still too new to see, but it was apparent in every other aspect of her. They would have to continue and she wasn't pleased.

Iopah turned to melt back into the forest, hurrying ahead of the others. She was constantly searching these days, at times for something she didn't quite understand the point of. The scent of rabbit caught her attention and focus turned onto that quantifiable need. Home was days and weeks away, but she was hungry now.

"Speech."

(This post was last modified: Apr 04, 2015, 06:25 AM by Iopah. Edit Reason: adding tags, lots of tags )

Poor Si is very confused xD

They were searching for something, that much was clear to the boy. What wasn't as clear was what they were searching for, he knew they needed to find a territory of their own but he had no idea what to look for. They had climbed a mountain but that wasn't it, it was too steep and not enough prey, they had found this lake but apparently it already belonged to something, there was the woods but they weren't right for some reason. It was all a far cry from where Silentium had spent the first eleven months of his life, when he had only ever gone as far as five minutes past the borders. He was well past that now, days maybe even weeks past. No longer did he only recognize the thick forest of the Woodlands but he had seen mountains and lakes and forests where everything was dead, he had seen the sky dance. For the first time in his life the pup felt like he had seen.

His whole puphood Silentium had seen the borders as safety and anything past that was danger, but he had grown to love travelling. His heart ached to see more he wanted to see everything that there possibly was to see. Still he knew that now wasn't the time to request even more adventure as they were still wrapped up in the first one they had started when they departed from the pack. Iopah led the group mostly, Koda sometimes as well but the female called the shots most of the time. Her mood had been odd to Si, never before had he seen his friend act this way, happy to angry to sad to happy in mere minutes but most of all hungry. It was as if her appetite was never satisfied and the blonde boy was a little concerned that maybe she was sick.

In his musings about Iopah's changing moods and possible ill health Silentium had missed the woman turning around and leaving. Suddenly looking around he yelped and scurried to catch up with the group, he liked adventure but maybe not enough to be on his own yet. Coming up beside the pale woman the blonde pup gently nudged her side with his nose, attempting to offer her some comfort though he had no idea what was wrong.

 

 

Zia was ravenous. Ever since that intimate night with Inkheart, the silver woman had noticed changes within herself. They were subtle at first, hardly worth giving any thought. But as days turned into weeks, new symptoms emerged. A drastic increase in her appetite, a change in her demeanor from moody to excitable and affectionate. But at times like this, when her stomach was rumbling, Zia was determined and stubborn. She would let nothing get in her way of a nourishing meal. Any time Inkheart came close when she had a fresh morsel by her paws, and her hunger was not yet satiated, she displayed an intense possessiveness over her rightful meal. God help any scavengers who might dare steal it from under her nose. The scent of her heat had long since vanished, now replaced with a more crisp, earthy smell, more typical of her natural scent. As a side effect from all of this excessive eating, her normally slim belly had begun to bulge ever so slightly. She chalked it up to her increased appetite at first, but as the time went by, she knew something more was at hand. Her dreams had come true...she was now carrying new life for the first time. Life that would ensure her and Inkheart's legacy. The mere thought of knowing that she was to be a mother both thrilled and terrified her. She had seen her own mother do it many times before, had seen Borlla raise two litters of her own. But would she be just as successful? Would she be a good mother? Would her pups be healthy? So many unknowns swarmed through her head, and it made her exhausted if she tried to think about it too much. It was at this time that she really wished she had a close female friend to turn to. Someone with whom she could relate to, talk to solely from a females point of view. Perhaps in Oak Tree Bend she would have had that opportunity, but had she been there now in her current state, she had a hunch that most of them would not be happy with her current condition. Oh well, that was behind her now. She had said her goodbyes to Triell, expressed her wishes, her desire to remain friends, with both him and his pack, and moved on, with Inkheart at her side. So far, going it alone with just one other wolf for company was not playing out very well. Hunting was difficult, and since it was just the two of them, they could only take down small prey. Most of her diet consisted of hares, the occasional squirrel and fish. And if they were lucky, the remains of a carcass they came across by chance. Adding to their difficulty was the fact that they were now loners, with no territory to call home. They had to steer clear of pack lands where they wouldn't be welcomed by expecting parents. Their luck needed to change, and soon. She sighed, ears flattening against her head. "I'm sorry...this...this isn't turning out how I thought." She said with guilt lacing her voice. Why were they even back here on this mountain again? In the distance some ways below them from the rocky trails curling through the mountain, was the glimmering blue water of a lake. A beautiful sight, but one that was off limits. Movement of several wolves near the shore had caught her eye, and that was a clear sign as any that Zia and her mate should move on. Prowling forward with her head level with her shoulders, she soon was greeted with a fresh set of tracks. Rabbit tracks, leading away from the dirt path and off into the brush. A nest must be here somewhere. With a bounce in her step as she took off, the silver woman was unaware that she was about to run in to some rather unexpected company.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

@Zia @Koda @Silentium @Inkheart @Lucien takes places after "patch holes with things that last"
no posting order!

It was here.

And she wanted it. The scent of rabbit was strong in the air, a drug to the expecting wolf. She coasted along, body fixed on her goal. Black nose never rose above the earth and pale ears leaned hard into each sound. It was good to get away for a moment. Iopah was not used to so many watchful eyes on her, Koda's in particular. They meant well, but sometimes it was enough to send her unpredictable mood in a thankless direction. In the quiet mountain, stiff breeze at her back she felt the most like herself she had in weeks. Iopah was born on a mountain, but she could tell now that her children would not be. She crept into the lee of a large rock and stuck her nose deep into a crevice. Searching, ever searching these days.

A telling noise had her pausing and turning 'round partway, lips curled back at the disturbance. They dropped at Silentium's approach. He was just as attentive to her as the others, but she could not make herself angry with the boy. She gave a soft snort, the best she could do at an apology. He nudged against her and Iopah sent her nose to worry over him, the gesture entirely mothering as she reassured herself all was well. She rested in the brush for a second, certain that the rest were not far behind.

The first distant and rapid footfall made her turn lazily to wait. Iopah presumed it was simply one of her group. It continued and she stiffened. The direction was wrong, the sound was too light for the two males that trailed after. She pushed from the brush and caught sight of a silver figure in the distant. Quickly she placed herself in front of Silentium and made her tail sway stiffly behind her. "We're just travelling through, we don't mean any trouble." She offered quickly. They needed a break, not this potential problem.

"Speech."

@Iopah @Zia @Silentium @Inkheart @Lucien

The thought of uncertainty fueled the pale man as he traveled with his pregnant wife and Silentium at his side. He hadn't expected the youth to join them to become loners and yet the pup had elected to leave behind his mother to join them over the mountain, and for his bravery the male promised to keep the youth safe. He owed Nina the protection of her son, that much he could ensure her, although he was sure that at this point the golden woman could care very little for the safety of the rogues of Secret Woods; he was positive of it.

He was content to bring up the rear of the group, keeping a watchful eye on Iopah who had easily taken the lead and watching the young male who resembled his mother as they moved toward the far reaches of the mountain range. It would be a few days more before they would reach the top to found a pack of their own, but he trusted the wolves at his side to remain loyal as times grew harder and food more scarce, it would only be a matter of time before they found refuge. The sound of scurrying feet caused his nose to lower to the ground as he sought out the trail of prey, he knew that the growing beings in Iopah would need nourishment and he vowed to keep them as healthy as well fed as the universe would allow, he could not fail on his quest for happiness.

No sooner did Iopah stop did he see the form of the silver fae and he moved with renewed swiftness to the front, as the eldest male of the group he was not afraid to protect what was his, and this woman would not inflict harm to them while on his watch.  "We don't want any trouble..." he repeated the words of his wife, his plush tail stood tall over his back in dominance over the pale blue eyed woman in front of her. He sensed the stench of another wolf in the wind, a hint of male, but he ignored what he could not see as his attention remained focus on the woman whom he hoped would become an ally.

(This post was last modified: Apr 11, 2015, 11:16 PM by Koda.)

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

The dark hero wandered nearby to his own girl, taking in the sights and otherwise planning what could not be planned. Life as a loner had never bothered him but with him now sharing his space with Zia, it wasn’t just him anymore that he had to feed. Not that he minded, of course, but it was just a different kind of experience. While the life of a nomad did get boring a lot, to him it was mostly just quiet. So when he hears the voice of others as well as the mix of Zia’s he takes off an instant to catch up with her and find her. She was the only thing he had to protect now and he wasn’t going to let her get caught up in something without him there to look after her.

As he approached he noticed a male and a female, both apparently running into Zia about the same time and instinctively he allows his own fur to rise and his tail to raise—protecting Zia even though he had no idea what was going on. The two didn’t seem too sure of them just as he wasn’t sure what had already been said. Inkheart moved slightly to perch his shoulder against Z’s, comforting and possessive but to let her know that she was alright and he wouldn’t let something bad happen to her. Things would change, he had hoped, but for now fire eyes set on the couple in front and waited for him to quickly be filled in.

(This post was last modified: Apr 12, 2015, 04:36 PM by Inkheart.)

i'm always looking for threads, so message me if you'd like one!

 

Her steps slowed, soon ceasing altogether as she encroached upon the cluster of foliage, which just so happened to be the chosen resting place of Iopah and Silentium. As soon as she saw them, Zia halted. Noting how the wheaten colored woman rose, placing herself in front of the younger male, her interest in getting at the potential snack, just out of reach, had quickly faded. The woman spoke quickly, insisting that she and the youth were not here looking to cause a ruckus. Her wolven brows lifted, dark lips parting to allow the first syllables to flow, but before she could even make a sound, they had company again. This time a much more authoritative figure made his way up to the front, to stand by the side of the wolf she could only assume to be his mate. His stern stance and echoed words of his significant other reinforced Zia's beliefs. They didn't want a hassle, and neither did she. Almost immediately after the arrival of Koda, in came Inkheart, who at last had seemed to catch up with her. While her body language was thus far kept neutral and non threatening, the protective approach of her mate put her on edge. Yes, she loved and appreciated him dearly for showing such care and protection over her, but they couldn't afford to make a slip up by a mere miscommunication. Hoping to reassure him that everything was alright and that there was no need to be on edge, in a display of mixed dominance and affection, Zia delicately ran her chin over her mates neck, offering a crooning growl. "Peace my dear, peace....they mean us no harm." She offered in a low, calm voice, flashing the trio a look out of the corner of one blue eye, to silently convey the feeling was mutual. Once she was content that she had done her part to ease Inkheart's protectiveness, she pulled away and turned to address the small group. She offered no sign of outright submission, but her posture remained respectful all the same. "It's fine, we are not here looking for trouble either. Just searching for a new place to plant some roots." A quick sniff of their scents told her that these wolves were loners. Homeless, just like her and Inkheart. And...expecting as well. What a coincidence. However, they looked far too well fed, fit and healthy to have been on their own for long. The tail end of Iopah's spoken words caught on to Zia's own curiosity. "Travelling you say? Any particular destination?" She inquired, hopeful that any of them would shed some more light on to their current situation, and thus opening up an opportunity for Zia and Inkheart. Perhaps this little meeting here was simply not coincidence, but fate.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

xD no posting order! almost done, but claiming can't be started 'till all this is wrapped up!
@Zia
@Inkheart
@Lucien
not sure if this will clear things up or confuse them further for poor Si...

She had only a second to react to the other. Swift and worried gold eyes saw the pause and followed the mild lift of Zia's brow. Iopah said nothing; simply let her head tilt and defensive coat slick back to still-slender sides. Silentium was still behind her and she dared not move away quite yet. He was still a youth and the cells multiplying deep in her belly often edged her into maternal territory around him. They watched each other and it seemed there was a fleeting moment of understanding between them.

Iopah hesitated only a second after Koda's arrival to greet him; golden eyes held Zia with curiosity, then attention turned to her mate. Her black-lined muzzle skimmed over the top of his shoulder, and she made a point to boldly look away from the stranger for a long moment. See? The action said, We are stronger and you don't intimidate us.

Iopah's stance changed at Inkheart's arrival. The breath slowed in her chest and hackles rose to mirror his. Ivory teeth did not appear, but her lips were held stiff over them, a clear warning as any. She stared him down, waiting for a sideways flick of his fire or the lowering of fur before looking away herself. Iopah took her time, as the pair spoke, to study them. She disregarded the pack scents met her nose, they were old and held no recognition. The second facet caught her attention and Iopah searched over the silver woman's figure once more. The scent was not as developed as her own, but there was no overlooking it.

Salmon-tongue circled her lips as Iopah debated on how much of their situation to give away. "You are the same as us," She said clearly, searching for Zia's eyes in a meaningful glance. The gaze was held evenly for a moment and then Iopah pointedly sniffed in their direction to drive that sameness home.

"There isn't a specific place, I've never been over the mountain before." The admittance faded away and she spared a glance behind them to where the claimed lake lay. There was a decisive ear flick and she looked back, forcing her thoughts into words that might get her proposition across as she went. "We just need somewhere safe and unclaimed to become a family." She stopped and watched them, hoping that they would understand what she had vaguely offered.

Aw, hell. Too vague. There was another flick of her ear and she spoke again, voice firmer. "Join us. Our children stand a better chance if we stay together."

(This post was last modified: Apr 27, 2015, 04:27 PM by Iopah.)

 

The arrival of the other female took Silentium off guard and for a moment he froze, eyes instinctively flicking to Iopah for orders. She seemed to be doing her best to remain neutral and so the boy did the same, though his muscles were tense beneath his blonde pelt. His good ear craned forward in order to hear the small snippets of words, they were only travellers. With the appearance of Koda he felt slightly more relaxed but also more confident in the situation, there were three of them and only two of the strangers. Straightening slightly the almost-yearling did his best to look intimidating though he couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with either of them.

Whatever confidence that Silentium held faltered as Iopah declared the pair the same as them. Frowning slightly in confusion the emerald eyes once more cast upon the woman, what exactly did she mean by that? Were these others also cast our by their leaders? By the end of her firm thoughts the pup was even more confused, what children? He was practically a yearling by now and that would make him an active member of the pack, not just a child. Besides, he wasn't this other pairs child, why would they care about his chances? The frown deepened in his maw as he stared hard at the fawn like woman, what the hell was she talking about, had the move made her go crazy? Was she so sick that her brain was ill as well?

Suddenly it was like a light bulb went off above Silentium's head. Nobody had ever had the birds and the bees talk with him so this was all new territory but he wasn't dumb enough not to put it together. Koda and Iopah had become mates, this much he knew for sure and so his mother had cast them out. Soon after Iopah's smell had changed, she ate all the time and her moods were crazy and now she spoke of children. The emerald eyes scanned over the woman's form, so she was going to have pups, but how long would it be? And where were they now? Iopah looked the same as always even if she was acting weird, how small were wolves when they were first born?

 

Power playing Inkheart with permission from Kira.
<3

 

Much to her relief, Zia soon felt the tense muscles of Inkheart relaxing, his raised hackles smoothing out down along his back once more. There were three of them, compared just to him and Zia. There was no need for alarm, no need for confrontation. With a flick of his burning eyes to the side, he silently acknowledged the trios superiority. The platinum and charcoal woman however, remained much more casual, her stance relaxing even further to show she was accepting over Iopah and Koda's natural dominance. She had never been the type who liked to oppose clear authority. Instead, her role was better suited to playing the right hand of those she was loyal to.  A sniff confirmed that these two adults were not only searching for a new home, but also expectant parents as well. This put her in an unexpected situation. With pups on her own on the way, should she and Inkheart wish to join up with them, would they be turned down in fear of competition for dominance? She certainly hoped not, as her intentions had only been to follow her heart, to start a family with the man she loved. Not to rule at the head of her own pack. The slightest hints of a smile crept to the corners of her dark lips as Iopah explained her situation further. So they were from the west then? Patiently, she let the lighter colored female finish, before clearing her throat softly. "I see....so we are not all that different, it would seem."  Then came the offer....the words she had been hoping to hear. Join us.  To form her new pack, Iopah would need as many loyal followers as she could get. And if Zia and Inkhearts pups were to stand a chance at survival, they would need a secure home backed by a strong family. A moments pause followed, accompanied by a silent meeting of icy eyes to the fiery pair of her mate. Then with a subtle nod in both agreement and decision, she turned back to Iopah. "We will gladly accept your offer. It would be foolish of us to turn it down." Finally, she allowed a small smile to grow visible on her maw, her dark tipped tail waving softly. "In exchange, I can act as a guide for you. A scout, if you will." She took a moment to glance over the mountainous landscape around them. "My mate and I are familiar with the eastern side of the mountain, and the territories around it. Currently, there is only one pack I know of on this side of the mountain." She offered them, her words unfaltering and assured, proof of her years of thorough knowledge. Now to address the more....delicate matter at hand. Her charcoal ears flicked back, blue eyes averted. "But there is the matter of my...physical condition..." Her slightly swollen sides and distinct scent laced with the hormones of pregnancy spoke for itself. "I would not wish to give away the wrong idea of a challenge. We were following our hearts desires is all...just for the chance to have our own family....." Inkheart then stepped forward, clearing his throat, eyes darting between the two wolves. "Will you have us....even if we are expecting? We will pledge our loyalty to you, and no one else." With their submission made clear, at least verbally, Zia and her mate waited for what Iopah would do. Accept them with open arms, or turn them away.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

(This post was last modified: May 02, 2015, 02:13 AM by Zia.)