Spectral Woods {M} sinews of a bear

Warning: Gore. Tried to not be too graphic, but PM me if you'd rather have a non-descriptive summary.
@Skadi @Ainashi @Triell @Drestig @Jessie @Hotei @Phyrrus @Beren @Nayeli @Serach @Anneliese

Immediately following this thread where Silver is attacked and killed near Sierra Hills. 
Setting is the same location as this thread. Sunset/early evening, clear, 72 ° F, 22 ° C.

The plan is that OTB will track Garmr and Skadi north into Secret Falls where fighting will ensue, possibly in this thread or in a following thread if this one gets too long or some kind of transition is needed.

Garmr and Skadi had dragged her here, piece by piece. Between the two sickly, stunted oak saplings that Skadi had marked prior, they placed and arranged what was left of Silver with almost tender devotion. Garmr directed Skadi with a sharp gaze, or an equally sharp bite whenever she failed to follow his unspoken direction. Silence was of utmost importance, he did not wish to be found unless on his terms. He was not yet ready, as his Lord's vessel he would only be able to fully banish the squalid masses and renew this corrupt world once Fenrir had reached his full potential and broken free of his bindings. His Lord demanded blood,  and the life of this pack wolf was only the beginning.

Their gruesome task complete, Garmr stepped back to admire his handiwork. It was hard for him to believe the ugly mutt was now almost beautiful in death, an array of limbs, a pile of entrails, the crowning jewel of her decapitated head facing in towards her home. He took a moment to imagine the looks on her packmate's faces: horror, fear, disgust, anger. His body trembled, feeling a surge of power as his god drank in the life of this tribute. With measured steps of his long limbs the brute moved towards her, his refined visage sweeping downward. Carefully he guided his muzzle over her skull, lips moving in a hushed prayer.  The dark dry surface of his nose barely touched the crown of her head.

Garmr's pale eyes were intent, a wild fire burning white-hot behind their unfocused, unseeing glaze. His ears twitched with words only he could hear, his tail swished in some semblance of pleasure. Fenrir had gratefully accepted his offering, and in return the wisdom of the Great Wolf told him to move northward.

Garmr spun around, his demeanor suddenly shifting towards focused and present. He looked to Skadi, delivering his simple command to follow with a brusque snort. They needed as much of a head start they could get. Already feeling a fraction of Fenrir's strength burning through him, Garmr set off north at a sprint.

 

He had been exhausted that evening, the day spend trekking the lands around spectral woods. That was why, when she told of her plan to give an inspection of her own, he did not follow. He was happy to see that she was beginning to show an interest in the pack, even if it was based in such dire circumstances, and so he rumbled approvingly at her departure. If he hadn't been so tired, he would have gone with her. He should have! He woke up in the first dark hours, his short sleep having been restless without her warmth next to him. Instantly he knew something was wrong, not only had she not returned quickly, as she promised, but something else gnawed at him, something deep and dark and horrible. Swiftly he rolled onto his stiff legs, prior exhaustion forgotten as he exited their den and made his way out into the night. Ebony coat blending with the darkening shadows, he trotted urgently through the woods, following her still fresh scent across the borders. She'd gone towards the Sierra Hills, as she'd told him, the fading perfume of her steps still hanging in the underbrush. But he hadn't gone long before a new stench mixed with it, and he felt his stomach sink; NO! Panic filling every fiber of his being, he sprinted through the forest, the stench of blood tearing up his nose. Wolves blood. It didn't take him long to reach the scene, but when he did, he froze in shock. Ember eyes registered the horrific sight before him, but his brain could not decipher it; would not decipher it! Blood stained the forest floor, glowing crimson even in the darkness. He saw parts he recognized: entrails, torn limps; but he could not connect them to the obvious truth. This was a wolf, dark fur tangled and bloody, body parted like a fresh kill, but this was not prey, this was not a mindless beast, fallen for the sake of the pack. This was a member of it, this was his friend, his partner, his love! "Silver..." He whispered hoarsely, still refusing to believe that this was real. But her head lay right there, only a few steps before him. And though the gorgeous golden eyes were closed, there was no doubt. After what seemed like an eternity, stiff legs carried him forward, seemingly of their own volition. He stopped at the edge of the blood pool, eyes starting to water as he focused on the head at his paws. He forced himself to accept the terrific reality, to see what he wished not to. It was her. With a loud sob, that shook his entire body, the black man lowered his head, the tip of his nose meeting hers, his eyes closing as he ignored the stench an focused on her own scent alone. The scent he would never again feel. Then he raised his dome, ears laid back, tail falling to the ground with a loud thud, as he sat down , no longer concerned with the blood that tainted his own, dark fur. And with all the air in his lunges, he sang out his sorrow, a long, deep, devastated howl, drifting through the trees to tell the entire forest of his loss. It would carry easily to the rest of Oak Tree Bend, though he didn't call for them specifically, he simply cried, cried into the night in mourning of the love that had been taken from him. Word count: 584 DRESTIG AVALON don't wanna let you down, but I am hell bound

Ayelie-stock @DA

      
 

(This post was last modified: May 16, 2015, 10:21 PM by Drestig.)

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Ever since her little heart to heart with Drestig, Jessie had been trying to put away her position on his current choices and try to accept what he wanted. While she certainly did not understand the way he thought, she knew that she would have to accept it. Triell would not want her spiting him just because of an inane woman who had no business in their affairs. But if Drestig truly loved her like he claimed to, then the Tainn would respect the air about him and move on. If he had the wish to be trained by her, then he would seek her out, she would have no say in his…education unless he should choose to do so. The pack had been on alert ever since the little scandal that was what happened with Nayeli. The presents that they had received had not bode well with anyone within the pack and it had only fueled their hate for the criminals that deserved to suffer. Jessie would do what was needed for the pack and what was asked. If she was given the order, she would do it.

The pepper and salt colored woman was around the borders when a heart wrenching call beckoned from outside the pack borders. It hit home to her, a reminder of some other circumstance that she could not recall. What mattered was that she knew who the voice was and something was wrong. Immediately, without second thoughts, the Scout took off, her legs moving faster than she had run in a while. She let the rush take over her, allowing her instincts to track Drestig to the best of her ability and finally smelling the thing that anyone would dread, fallen blood of a pack mate. When she first arrived, she stood frozen, her emerald eyes not comprehending what she was seeing. Images of Rissa’s battered body and Silver’s mixed together and Jessie hissed slightly, taking a step back away from the scene to clear her head. It was not what she needed right now…right then her student needed her to be his friend.

With no more hesitation, the small woman stepped forward, unsure of how to comfort the grieving lover. His song was of the most depressing of nature, and Jessie crawled on her belly next time him, letting him know that she was no threat to him, and that she was there. Loss was something that Jessie had become quite acquainted with since entering the lore and knew how miserable it truly was. Whining softly to the dark man, Jessie pressed her small head against her shoulder, giving him the comfort of her presence. Any words she might have said would have proved useless to him. Losing anyone someone loved was hard and telling him that everything was going to be okay would either be a lie or it would prove to piss him off even more. Never had she wanted to murder anyone more than she wanted to murder the bastards that had done this. Even if she had not been fond of Silver, she had been a part of the pack and therefore, family. Whoever had done this would have it coming, and Jessie was sure that @Triell would make sure of it.

Anneliese had been patrolling outside of the borders, once more testing boundaries and expanding outward. She had rapidly become familiar with her new home, and the recognizable swiftly turned mundane. The only thing that kept her close was the responsibilities to Oak Tree Bend that she had sworn herself to diligently uphold, and also the prospect of interacting with her pack mates. That was the half of getting to know her pack that she was lacking on. She certainly hadn't run into Drestig as she wanted, and knew nothing of the woman he had courted other than picking up her scent here and there along her travels. Thus when Drestig's anguished call rose up through the sky and crashed back down upon her head, she didn't recognize it as his voice. However, it was obvious that something horrible had happened and the protector within her cared not if this involved her pack or not. Anneliese bounded forward, urgency loudly declared in every strike of her paws against the ground. Given her proximity, she broke onto the scene within minutes. Her reaction to the horrifically displayed corpse of her unfamiliar packmate was a stark contrast to the two living who had seemingly crumpled to the floor. Death was familiar to her, taking both enemies and allies alike within her short years, and while the loss of a pack mate would also hold impact, she was well trained in pushing aside emotions to react almost robotically to the situation. Her green eyes narrowed, nose breathing deeply through the thick taint of gore to try and seek the scents of the perpetrators, and any possible clues as to where they had gone. The positioning and deliberate destruction of the woman's body was obviously meticulously planned and placed, and a sickening feeling finally hit her gut as the possibility of ambush entered her realization. Immediately, Anna threw back her head, letting out a loud and urgent call for immediate reinforcements. The second this abrupt call ended, her jaws snapped back down to press against her chest, guarding her throat. She watched the dark trees, continued to breath deep, trying to gather any and all signals their enemies may present. Another idea hit her, what if the point was to draw away the pack's defenses, drawing them away to make their pregnant pack member Nayeli vulnerable? "I don't mean to be insensitive but I think we need to leave and regroup, now" her words were rushed and heavy with urgency.

(This post was last modified: May 17, 2015, 10:21 PM by Anneliese.)

PLOT WITH ME!

The darkness was thickening around him, but he didn't notice. Didn't care. Inside him it was already pitch back. How could this happen?! How could he have let this happen?! He didn't even notice Jessie when she first arrived, his ears deaf to the hiss of disgust that escaped her at the sight of Silver's remains. Only when he caught sight of her out the corner of his eye, crawling up next to him, did he realize she had come, though he didn't react. There were no thoughts in his head, nothing but emptiness within him. He registered the grey scout's presence, but didn't move to act on it. First when she touched him, head comfortingly leaning against his shoulder, did he move, leaning away from her caress; he did not want to be touched. But the sound of her voice reached him this time, the sympathy in it shining through the darkness in his head. Slowly, as if in a daze, the ebony man turned his head, looking at his teacher with dull eyes. He didn't know what to say, couldn't get his lips to form words. Finally he gave in, releasing another, shuddering sob and accepting her support, leaning back into her touch and closing his eyes; How could this happen?! How long he sad there, he didn't know, crying silently next to Jessie, before the body of his beloved. Though no actual tears fell, he could feel a small relief of letting out his sorrow, the few whimpering sounds that left him, somehow taking small bits of the pain with them. Another rustling in the leaves made his ears swivel, eyes blinking back open, though he didn't look away from Silver's head. His black ears twitched at the sound of the howl, the unfamiliar voice making him look over his shoulder for a moment. He had seen the pale woman now and then, a newer addition to their ranks. He was about to turn his head back around when she spoke, her words making a brief glow of anger flair up in his ember orbs; What is she doing, giving orders like that, telling ME to LEAVE?! Who even is she?! If she wanted to flee the scene, she was more than welcome in his opinion, she wasn't needed here. He didn't say anything though, simply turning back to look at the mess at his paws. By now, his nose had become so accustomed to the stench that he could ignore it, and the other scents became more apparent. Besides her own perfume, Silver reeked of strangers. Strangers he knew, he remembered their scent on Nayeli's pelt when she returned. It didn't surprise him, he knew it was those monsters that had taken his lover's life. But their smell made his anger return, hackles prickling; Regroup, ha? Was the blonde woman afraid of an ambush? Drestig doubted the bastards would dare something like that, but if they were really that stupid, he would be more than happy to utilize their mistake and put an end to them; Let them come! He would kill them all, tear them to pieces like they had his beloved, separate their heads from their bodies and hang them up around the borders to warn of any others with like minds. The dark man's teeth bared in a humorless grin, a snarl like smile promising death. Then his eyes once more fell on the head lying by his paws, and his face fell, shoulders slumping in defeat; What does it matter? What did any of it matter? She was dead, killing her murderers would not bring her back. They would pay, there was no qualm in his mind; But not today... "I want to bury her." He said lowly, voice dull and hoarse. Then he simply sat, starring. He couldn't bring himself to collect her scattered limbs, to pick up her pieces like the remains of a kill. So he remained still, frozen. Thoughts ”Speech”  Word count: 660

Dawnthieves.de

(This post was last modified: May 20, 2015, 11:54 AM by Drestig.)

just a Skadi post to establish that 'yes, she is with Garmr... hauling ass away from OTB' xD

Ordinarily Skadi would have disapproved of wearing the scent of an Oak wolf.

They were a filth that had been allowed to spread for too long. These... animals... skulked in their polluted Oak forest and dishonored the name of Fenrir. The pewter woman refused to acknowledge them as fellow wolves. Certainly they were nothing like her, and to smell of them should have been an abhorrent idea. Any other time it would have.

Blood dripped thickly off her jaws and the scent wafted into her nostrils. It wasn't a stain, but rather a consecration. Skadi bent to place her offering of mangled flesh at the base of a sapling and lovingly nudged it to set the piece into the right angle. The woman drew back and smiled down at it, stinking of the deceased Oak wolf now. The intolerable would always be forgiven and therefore acceptable so long as it was done on the path of righteous, and Skadi certainly believed her way to be right. She watched Garmr move over the body-less head and listened as he whispered something to it. Her interest in him was sharp, contrasting with the lazy drip of blood from her coat. Most of what Garmr did was beyond her; she shared his devotion to the goal but lacked the depth of his perception. She didn't understand the symbolism of his actions now and leaned forward enviously. Even when carrying his child, Garmr had never displayed such tenderness.

She spun when he did and set off after him (always after) as they fled the scene of their crime. The pair said nothing to each other, a common occurrence, as they traveled. Shadows fell long and the blood dried on their pelts, but it didn't matter; their offering remained behind them, the ground could not possibly had drank up all the evidence. When a mournful howl spit the air, Skadi turned a proud eye to her brother. The Oak wolves knew of their fate now, it was only a matter of time. Hind legs bunched and sprang under her, they had to be free and clear when the world finally began to burn.

Spieden Coho

@Triell maybe?

The plaintive cry that rang across the land set Spieden's hair standing on end, electric fear prickling down her nape and a foreboding feeling settling heavy in her gut. It sounded like Drestig's familiar tone, but the reason wasn't clear to her. She had a sense of what it could be, mind flashing back towards Nayeli's captors. Spieden grit her teeth and pushed on through the settling darkness, the fiery glow of sunset fading fast and spurning her to pick up her pace.

The scent of wolf's blood met her nose long before she reached the scene. The scent was acrid, made her stomach turn and screamed at her senses for her to turn around and flee to safety. And underlying it all was the familiar musk of those wolves who's scent had tainted Nayeli's coat upon her return. Spieden forced past her instincts, needing to reach her packmates and continued on towards the border.

Each step grew stiffer, spine rigid and neck tense as her defenses rose. She feared the worst, but even then she had underestimated the scale of devastation she would find. At first she could only see the backs of three packmates, and as she came closer froze in her spot once she caught sight of red, glistening flesh. She was speechless, bile rising in her throat and her massive frame shrinking towards the ground in fear. It was all too familiar. Present in body but not in mind, Spieden wasn't here, not really. In Silver's mutilated place she saw instead the grisly remains of her father.

Jessie took no offense when her pupil pulled away from her. What truly shocked the woman, was the fact that after a few moments passed, he leaned back in, accepting what she was trying to offer him. Hesitantly, she offered a kiss to his cheek in comfort, knowing full well what it was like to lose a loved one. They remained like that for some time, Jessie, on the lookout while Drestig mourned for his lost lover. The fur along her spine turned on edge when the presence of another greeted her. Her emerald eyes snapped in the direction of the scent and recognized it as Oak Tree Bend. Jessie did not recognize the other woman but Jessie had been in Oak Tree Bend since the founding and could acknowledge that this woman was certainly new. So when she gave orders to the two seasoned members, both had around the same reaction. Glares were sent in the direction of the newcomer. While Drestig remained where she was, the petite Scout rose from her position, her tail swaying to wave high above her back, her lip curled back into a scowl. Before she could get a word out, the Avalon’s distant voice called out to her angered brain, as if in defeat. She acknowledged him with a flick of her ear, her emerald eyes still pinned on the other woman. Her voice was cold and stern when she spoke, her teeth snapping together with some of her words, ”I don’t mean to be insensitive,” Jessie mocked before continuing, ”but you don’t have any rights to be giving orders. You are a subordinate. Now...you will go back and warn the others about what happened while Drestig and I bury Silver.”  She glared at the other woman, making it clear that her words should be heeded and were not a suggestion, but an order, should she choose to follow them or not was up to her. But should she refuse, Jessie was sure Triell would love to hear about how someone had tried to go against her orders.

She turned back to Drestig, only to see that he had yet to move from his position. It was not long before Spieden also arrived. While Jessie held a pure dislike for the woman, the pepper and salt colored woman could acknowledged that right now was no time for pack mate rivalry. Ignoring the woman, Jessie made her way towards her pupil, speaking to him softly, her muzzle a hair length away from his ear, ”If you start digging where you would like…I will…arrange the body, my dear.” She nudged his side gently, prompting him to move from his position so that they could properly bury his lover and then get back home so that the pack could discuss exactly how they were going to kill the bastards that did this. Jessie’s hatred was only fueled more by the reminder of something similar happening to Rissa and the lore years ago. No one deserved this. Jessie would never even wish it upon her worst enemy. It was time for them to all act.

OOC: feel free to attack Anna 'cause she's about to step out of line ^^;

She was expecting to be illy received, but had still expected her comrades to open their eyes to the present danger in this situation and smartly follow her suggestion. Her eyes were on Drestig, who seemed to be especially moved by the death, but Anneliese found it useless to conspire on what their relationship might mean. Whatever the bond, it was dead now along with the wolf in her own desensitized mind. He didn't respond to her vocally, and she found her senses and nerves strained as she awaited her her pack mates' reactions. Then, Drestig's lips crawled upward to reveal his teeth in a very unsettling and mirthless grin. Anna had seen the look before, on those who suffered a loss so great it broke their composure and bent their mind past justice and into personal vengeance. Fearing for the sanity of her brother in arms, she took a step forward, forehead creasing with concern and lips parting to offer some kind of condolence.

Before the words could be birthed into the air, however, Jessie's sneering retort seeped like burning venom into her ears. Buttercup ears lifting, her head turned with them to watch the other woman as she spoke. Her features were furrowed now not in concern but confusion as each word was an injustice in the paladin's mind. Anneliese could not understand what truly upset her pack mate, and could only infer upon her words. She had clearly taken Anna's concerned and ushering warning as an order, as trying to outrank this woman and control them both, which left the cream woman completely baffled. Was now really the time to put pride first and throw her weight around?

This stranger commanded that Anneliese leave them both here, and Anna's mind scattered toward all of her senses, trying desperately to sift through the blood and grizzle and decipher whether or not anything dangerous was lurking in the background. It didn't matter to her how difficult and insulting this woman wanted to be; she would not abandon two of her packmates to be alone if the threat of danger was possible, especially when they seemed oblivious to any means of self preservation.

Much to her relief, Spieden too came upon the scene as soon as Jessie was done spitting her bile, and while Anna thought the gruff woman would be far more reliable to see the logic through the haze of high-tempered emotions, one look at her alpha revealed she was virtually paralyzed by the horror of the seen. Anneliese was quickly becoming completely exasperated. They were all going to get themselves killed.

"I was not giving you an order," Anneliese spoke up, her voice firm and even daringly defiant as her frustration with her pack mates peaked. They were allowing emotion to render them as stupid. "As your pack mate, I am reacting accordingly to the possibly life-threatening danger this situation presents and looking out for your best interest. Your arrogance is extremely unappreciated and dangerous in an event such as this. As long as you are focused on sentiment rather than defending yourselves, I am not leaving." She understood the gravity of what she was doing, directly defying and back talking her ranking superior. However, Anneliese had always held her own morals above the law, and she would not allow harm to befall her pack mates, even if they were all but begging for it in her eyes. If she left now and the enemy pack attacked, Anneliese would never forgive herself the casualties it could cause. She had enough regrets in her past.

"I will control the perimeter," she announced, turning her back to the trio. If Jessie did not rage against her and try to force her dominance, Anneliese would be true to her word and work the vicinity around them for clues of both possible danger and the trail of Silver's murderers. If they wanted to punish her for her insubordination, so be it. She was very much aware of the disrespect she had just dealt the other woman, and would suffer the penalty with grace. After the danger was over and they all were safe.

(This post was last modified: Jun 05, 2015, 01:37 AM by Anneliese.)

PLOT WITH ME!