Stonewatch Timbers kiss it all better

Moraxia had been awake lying atop a hillside, admiring the moon, when she heard the gut-wrenching call sweep over the land. ‘Gent!’ Instantly, the wolf shot to her feet from her resting position, ears positioning themselves in the direction of the distress call. Her heart began to pound inside of her chest as if threatening to break out any second. Anxiety swept over the woman and she leapt into a run before the cry had even ended, her large body thundering down the hillside with as much speed as she could muster. She tried to convince herself everything would be okay when she arrived at Gent’s location, hoping Minka might have been close enough to help the upset man she had grown so close to, but her mind continuously denied her any sense of relief. What if something horrible had happened to one of her family? Had an intruder injured someone?
The spine-chilling thought was a catalyst for her legs to move faster and feet to pound harder into the dirt. Certainly, there had to be a more reasonable explanation for such a worrisome call; maybe she was just being too paranoid. None-the-less, her help might be needed and she had no intentions of letting the alpha’s down. The forest became eerily quiet throughout the territory as she grew closer to the howl’s location. Everything was quiet and still as if someone had hit a switch and turned off the usual sounds of nature. The trees felt tall and looming, and the usual comforting dense foliage felt entangling as Moraxia passed through it. The branches grabbed at her coat and slowed her down, only adding to the female’s worry.

Something was very, very wrong in the forest tonight. A familiar smell caught her nose as she came screeching to a halt, ears pointed straight forward. Slowly she scanned the forest and listened closely for any other signs of trouble around her. Her breathing was ragged and fast after the run she had just completed down the hill in such haste. A noise caught her attention somewhere not far off to her right and quickly she dashed back into action, spinning on her heels and stretching into a fast sprint. Her large paws ached as fear drenched over the wolf. What if she was too late? What if she couldn’t arrive to help—

Suddenly, a pup’s panicked cries met her ears. Adrenaline surging through her body, eagerness got the best of her as she bolted through the forest. The scent of her pack became more prominent: Raela, Cal, Gent, Kova, the pups—they were all together. Spying Raela and Calanthe not far in front of her, her sprint lessened, noticing the wolf didn’t appear to be in immediate danger. Loping up behind them, panting furiously, her concern dwindled. “Hey—” She breathlessly said to the wolves. She made an abrupt and instant stop, staring at the scene in front of her in horror.

“Oohh…no…” A sorrowful sigh escaped her maw, breath cutting short at the sight of her alphas. There the king stood… his queen’s limp body in front of him. Moraxia saw her face, stealing only a small glance for fear of disrespect. She knew the signs—the sad, distant eyes and seemingly restful expression—but was unprepared for the sudden heart-breaking grief that followed. The woman seemed untouched and as beautiful as ever, even in death. Silently scolding herself for the tears that now noiselessly dripped down her face and neck, the wolf hung her head and stared intently at her paws, listening to the motherless pup beg and plead for Minka. Her heart felt beaten and trashed as it slowly pumped inside her chest, pains of grief resonating nearby. She had been too late.

(This post was last modified: Oct 05, 2015, 03:29 AM by Moraxia.)

Next round ends 9/29.

His own voice filled his ears like relentless thunder, drowning out all other sounds and cascading him in his own grief. He didn't want it to stop, didn't want the silence to return, and so he held the note as long as physically possible, lungs aflame with their ache for air. When at last he could sustain the howl no longer he breathed deeply, taking in Minka's scent mixing so beautifully with the scent of clover and spring water. It wouldn't remain this way for long. Time no longer sustained anything. Everything was being lost, only at a its own pace. The solitude pressed in on him again, and once more he threw back his head to bellow out his anguish.

He did not realize Calanthe's presence until his song began to taper off due to lack of oxygen once more, and the second he finally did lay eyes upon her the king instantly wished he had kept his jaws shut. The way she looked at Minka, the knowing in her eyes... he had tried to will time to a stop, but now that a third party was here the spell was broken and everything started racing at him. She met his eyes, and the pale orbs widened in abhorration. Stop, stop, stop... his mind pleaded. Calanthe spoke, words barely audible to the man as emotion clogged his senses. What would they do? Of course she expected him to be able to answer the question. They all would, known of them would be willing to understand that their king was just as helpless as they were.

Something had changed, and he forced himself to tear his gaze away from Calanthe, finding instead Raela's presence. Her honeyed eyes met his, not only filled with fear and grief but also holding concern for him. A strangled whine escaped him, and the man wanted to crawl to Raela's side and press his crown against her chest, to close his eyes and have her scent block that of Minka's, to allow her to comfort him so that he could pretend for a little while longer that this was not happening. Yet before he could even consider moving, even more bodies burst from the treeline.

The children appeared on one another's heels, and a rasping echoed in his throat as Gent's ears lay back in horror. This was not something he wanted them to see. He found himself  leaning forward, attempting to block their mother's motionless body from their view, until Ari's voice cried out with accusation and his muscles frozen as fiercely as though he'd been blasted with liquid nitrogen. With that single question, the stake was driven the rest of the way through his heart, effectively splitting the organ in half.

Kova came forward to his mother's side, eliciting another whimper from Gent as motion returned to him, the leviathan now backing away from the fallen matriarch's body. To see his grief reflected in others was overwhelming, solidifying and magnifying the reality of what had so swiftly come to pass. He thought he was reaching his peak of emotional response, his chest constricting to the point that his breathing was nothing more than shallow. Then the eldest Lagina child turned his eyes upon the king and with a single question, reduced the beast to a submissive, fearful shadow of what they all knew him as.

"She... she just... started seizuring," he informed them, tongue dry as sand within his head. The man was withdrawing into himself, tail curled tight against his belly. They couldn't blame him for this. It was a reaction, it would pass. They couldn't blame him. But why shouldn't they? He already blamed himself.

"I tried," he managed, voice lost amongst Draven's wails as the boy finally was able to escape Calanthe's guard and make it to his mother. "There was nothing I could do."

His eyes searched those present, but could find no possible sanctuary other than within Raela's face. Soldering them to hers, his voice was pleading as he rasped once more, "I tried."

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 04:56 AM by Gent.)

All at once each and every Crest heir seemed to come barreling towards them, and Raela's heart crashed down with dread. Oh God no. Suddenly she wished Gent had not called; that he'd had the sense to not be so vocal, to have kept the situation to himself and to have broken the news to the children after; to prevent them from this horrible sight that she knew would be burned into their memories forever; as the death of Tolas had been. And yet she knew he had only called out in desperation, and she couldn't blame the man for that. Ari's horrid cries made her cringe. The woman's shining gold eyes turned to face them all, tearing away from the pained orbs of her dearest friend in time to hear the little girl's confusion and anger.  Still reeling with shock, Raela stared at her wide-eyed for a moment. It was easy to see that Marianna was only reacting out of grief, but the accusation still stung in the wake of tragedy. Kino moved to shelter the pup from what they'd both seen, though she doubted it would do any good. It was too late to save any of them from this now. Once Calanthe had spoken the seal on her own lips seemed to lift. With a face of stunned horror, she stared down at the orphaned girl with her tail tucked. “No Ari, we didn't do this...” her head shook slowly and she trailed off, feeling the tears as they began to stain the fur on her face. What good would her words do in the face of sheer agony?  Now she watched dumbly as Cal leaped to block Draven, and quite unsuccessfully. Helpless; that's what they were. Worse yet, was the pain she felt as Kova moved closer. Her eyes trailed his form with tunnel-like fixation. No no no... But she couldn't stop him. A whine passed her lips as the young man lowered himself to her side, and uttered the words of a child who'd lost his last parent... She grimaced again, feeling the tears flow anew as he went on. She didn't want this for him. She didn't want this for any of them. She knew what they were feeling and it tugged at her to be so certain. No, not them too... But then the mood changed. Kova's fur bristled, and he stared at Gent with a calmness that contrasted it ever so strongly. For a moment she paused, wondering at whatever he was thinking, but she didn't have to wonder long. She could only hope the anger would be directed at what happened, and not at poor Gent. Seizures? he'd said.  Raela's eyes had returned to the King when Draven's tiny, fragile voice drowned out all thought. His every word pained her more and more. He became frantic, and as she watched her face pinched together with the building anguish. By the time he turned to her she was already beginning to sob. She couldn't do anything... anything at all... In the absence of speech she only shook her head in response to him as her lips curled in despair. At last the dark prince broke, and so did Raela. His vivid agony tore her old wounds open, and she cried with a horrid; squeaking yelp as the child threw himself against the dead matriarch. Her claws dug into the dirt and her head curled downward against the internal pain. Her ears, pinned back against the horror picked up the shivering of Gent's voice as he tried to explain himself, though she barely noticed Moraxia's approach.  She turned again, finding a break in her cries to receive his gaze. His last plea was enough to move her. She turned from the rest of them, striding hurriedly to his side if only to bury her head in his shoulder and chest. Another wailing whine burst from her clenched teeth as she stood there; braced against him. Whatever had happened, it had nothing to do with him. She was sure of it. She knew Gent, and he never acted this way. This was sincere; real; and he hurt just as they did now. It was all so overwhelming, and no matter how hard she shoved herself against him there was no drowning out their cries; she just ached more and more as the knives of their loss dug deeper into her soul. There was nothing she could do...  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 03:43 AM by Raela.)

            

Draven's cries shattered whatever was left of the uncaring world and the cold, lifeless sky with its grinning moon and its knife point stars. Calanthe bowed her head, unable to make herself look behind her as the boy went on and on. There was nothing they could do. No cries, no promises or apologies or what could we have dones would make his mother wake up ever again. She wasn't going to answer him. She wasn't going to lift her head and soothe him or any of them, no matter how much anyone pleaded, no matter how much they hated her for not being here with them. Everything was wrong. Everything was broken. You should never have come here! her mind shrieked at her as Raela's cries joined Draven's. You should have stayed away! You should have burned! You stupid, selfish, worthless runt - you were fine before they found you! Another ragged cry tore through her jaws; for one wild moment the world spun again and her legs threatened to break beneath her - not fold or fail but shatter into a thousand tiny pieces, just like everything else had just done yet again. She wanted to run. She wanted to flee from this place and never, never, never look back to this wretched place with its ghosts and its already dissolving pack. Couldn't the others see it? They were already beginning to turn against each other! Their family was dying! She didn't realize she was moving again. Her movements were jerky, mechanic, but something she could neither name nor control dragged her to Draven's side, kicked her legs out from under her so that she lay curled beside him. She couldn't... He shouldn't be... Her pale muzzle came to rest on the sobbing boy's back, the contact her only means of comfort as the body beneath her shuddered and wailed and continued to rip the world asunder. She could do nothing. No one could do anything. Not even Gent could have stopped it, and so what chance would anyone else have had? “I'm so sorry, Draven...”

Draven Lagina
". . ."

Everything was wrong and dark and cold and nobody mattered and nothing was okay and MOMMA WASN'T EVER WAKING UP AGAIN AND IT WAS HIS FAULT FOR BEING A BAD SON and if she could just open her eyes and move and say something and tell him to be quiet or that it was okay and she was okay and everybody and everything was going to be okay again forever he could stop but she wasn't and he couldn't because if he stopped crying she might not hear him and if she couldn't hear him she wouldn't ever come back and he needed her and everybody needed her because she was their momma too even if she was his first and why did she leave all of them behind when it was getting colder and they were all afraid and alone and nobody else knew they were here why couldn't she come back why couldn't she look at him and “WHAT DID I DO WRONG, MOMMA?! I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I PROMISE, I'M SORRY! COME BACK! COME BACK! DON'T GO AWAY, MOMMA! I'M SORRY!”

It got dark. It got dark and warm and there was a pressure on his back that was safe and good but wrong because it wasn't Momma doing it, it was somebody else and he didn't want somebody else, he wanted Momma, he wanted Momma to wake up and tell Calanthe to go away because nothing she could do would bring Momma back no matter how hard she tried because she wasn't coming back for Draven so why would she come back if Cal apologized when it wasn't her fault?

It was dark and he was small and scared and all alone, and the world was never going to be okay again.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 04:26 AM by Draven.)

There was so much going on, so much confusion and chaos raining down at once and his heart was beating so fast in his chest that he was certain it would stop. He couldn't breathe, couldn't seem to suck in enough air to sate the burning that he felt in his chest and head. He clutched onto Ari as best he could, ears pinning go his head as she screamed. Then, Draven joined in. His words cut like a knife, and suddenly the whole world was sent spinning off its axis. Everywhere moans of pain rose up, the bodies of the adults crashing to the ground in sobs as the dark boy raved on and on. Kino himself closed his eyes, trying to steady himself, trying to block out his brother's cries that seemed to never stop.

Fire filled him, an extreme anger so strong that he started physically shaking. "Draven, stop!" He finally gasped out, air filling the cavity in his chest and suddenly everything was whooshing out. "Stop crying! Stop, can't you see you're hurting everyone? You're not the only one here, she was our mother too! Stop being so selfish," he said, his voice a stunningly low and cold tone. He had no patience for it, no patience for the crying and the screaming. He just wanted to sleep, wanted everything to be quiet. Wanted everything to go back to the way it had been, but it never would. Nothing would ever be the same again.

@mobile, edit later. I hope this is okay? Pm if not so I can change it^^

The night had been filled with blissful sleep for the ignorant. No one would have expected the tragic that happened to disturb their family. His dreams brutally shattered as amber eyes opened as a shock went through his body. His white form already half standing before Alphinaud was even aware what had woken him. Several others around him woke as well, the Artic listened to the sad cry of despair that slashed the night like a gust of winter's breath. A chill went through his bones as he saw Raela leave the Den in a hurry. He was fast in her tracks. Gent. Gent and Minka. Something had happened. What had happened? An ambush, an attack from one of their enemies? But as his legs started to sprint he heard te distressed calls of the children. Their young. His paws scrambled to find ground on the floor as he stopped his speed. He would be a fool to try and stop them to run right to their parents, but at least he should keep an eye on them as they went to the unknown place their parents would be. Who knew what would have made Gent howl like that.

Alphinaud wasn't wrong as he soon saw the younger generation run like life depended on it, right towards the cry. A silent prayer went over his lips as he too continued his sprint. Oh god, please let them be alright. Let someone be in time to help with whatever had happened. Little did he know that disaster had striked like lightning.

The white male closed his eyes, reality was too cruel to look it in the face. As the lovely Queen looked oh so peaceful in a beautiful place, yet her eyes were empty of shine. Her body lacked presence. A man who had loved her next to her mourning in distress and them, the family all whined, shivered and cryed on her dead body. A shivering breath was taken, oh how he wished he could share the air with his Queen. The cries. It cut through every soul, cause nothing was more tragic than a child crying for his mother. Alphinaud opened his eyes as he saw Draven screaming, crying as he begged for his mother. Standing behind the kids he looked at the other adults. This was reality. Harsh, cold. Oh so painful reality. Silently Alphinaud walked forward towards the two boys who both held their own in different ways. Why had this happened to them? He wondered but it wouldn't matter. He bowed his head as he gently nudges his head to theirs. "Cry for she was your mother, we will cry with you. Please don't fight, not in front of her." He smiled sadness as he moved on and licked the Queens crown one last time. His eyes went to Gent, his friend and his leader. Worry troubled him as he watched him in distress more than he ever imagined seeing him. The white male moved like a shadow, so silent he moved and sat down next to Gent. He dipped his head as he gave the man silent comfort. As he didn't believe any of his words would save the man from the pain he was feeling.

I'm sorry Alphi :( Kova's still being a butt.
Link to the song Kova's singing. Try to imagine a younger teenager voice though  ><  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ft_uYkZZ24

She's gone Kova.. She's gone... Not here within this fur anymore... He cried within his thoughts while wiping his tears onto Minka's fur. He would get no warmth, cuddles, or kisses from his mother now.

His attention on Gent faltered, but Kova felt his hackles lower as he half listened and watched Gent. The dark wolf's reply didn't satisfy the silver wolf, but his submissive stance at least quelled the urge to strike out at him. Taking his eyes off of the black lead the prince snuggled against the stone cold body of his mother. Seizures.. He repeated for the seventh time within his mind. Somebody had taught him that word a long time ago. Whether it had been Minka, Tokino, or one of his other pack mates Kova was not sure. However it meant that his mothers death had been violent at the very end. His eyes turned to glance to his siblings who were having a worse time than him in accepting their mothers death. He whimpered for them, feeling the same ache in his heart and mind as they likely felt. Then he grew quiet while inhaling Minka's scent one last time. Maybe it was because he had already lost a parent that he had been close to? but he couldn't sit still and cry for too long. Or maybe it was the harsh laws of survival he had learned while living alone lost after that bad winter storm? Either way Kova knew that he shouldn't be so attached to a hollow body. Even if it was his mothers.

Wrenching himself away from the still form of the rusty cream and gray she wolf, Kova sat near Gent. He ignored the black wolf mostly and kept his eyes on Draven, Kino, and Marianna. The gray wolf didn't know how to console them, and he didn't know how to deal with everyone else around him right now.

Alphinaud moved closer to Gent eliciting a deep growl from Kova. He let his hackles rise once more but kept his hooded gaze on the pale male. The gray youth didn't know this white wolf much at all and did not like him being so close to those he still considered extended family. Even if he hated Gent the man had still been more than helpful with his siblings after Tokino had died. Plus the Lieris wolf had saved his own life. Kova respected the lead, but he didn't feel an inkling of those feelings for the white wolf who tried to join in with the family in their mourning. He didn't know Moraxia either but felt no need to try and shoo her away while she was near his brother. If Draven really didn't want her near he would give her a nip and a growl that Kova was sure of.

A few moments later Kova was distracted again by Kino. In part Kova agreed with the little silver ghost who garnered the exact same eyes as their father. There was no use in crying anymore, but Kino was rather blunt about it. Kova knew that Draven wouldn't react well to his brothers words. How do I distract them? He thought quietly while watching the pups trembling forms. As he thought of his mother eternally sleeping, Kova couldn't help but think of the lullaby she and Tokino used to sing him and Noble. It was a song his siblings may have heard a few times as well. Kova found himself choking as the urge to sing this particular song flooded into his heart. More tears fell as his hackles flattened entirely and his head lowered.

 “Close y-your eyes... It's okay.” Kova faltered a bit as he tried to get the tune right.

 “It's just the end of a long long day... Go to sleep, everything's alright and I'll sing a lullaby...” He paused a second between versus letting his ears pin against his head. It was hard for him to resist the urge to whimper, whine, or howl.

 “It's time for you to get some rest...but you know who we loved the best.” Kova changed the I to we on a whim. It sounded better, with all of them gathered here like this.

 “So come on darlin' breath a sigh... and I'll sing a lullaby... Good night, good night let the moon pour down his light. Good night, good night 'til the morning comes..” He faltered between each verse barely keeping himself visually relaxed and calm looking.

 “Close your eyes and drift away, it's just the end of a long long day... Anytime the worlds not right. You can sing this lullaby......” He finished not even aware if the other wolves were listening or not. He didn't care if they were or weren't. It was his turn to sing his mother to sleep. Even if Kova didn't want to let her go...

Kino, she wanted Kino.  Thrusting her face into her littermate’s neck, she shut her eyes, but the image was still burned into the very lids.  She would never forget her mother’s empty gaze as long as she lived, and all at once the princess wished she’d stayed curled up with her brothers in their safe little nest.  The ruddy cub began to shake, only visible in the tip of her tail (and perhaps noticeable to @Kino as well, the girl pressing her body against his as chaos swarmed around them).  She couldn’t--  They didn’t—

“Shut. UP!” she screamed suddenly, whipping her head back to face @Draven as her youngest brother screeched.  How dare he – how dare he make it about him, when it was everyone that was suffering.  It was as if the other two agemates didn’t exist, or as if Kova didn’t need their mother anymore, either.  Still leaning over Kino’s back, the girl bared her teeth as a low growl rolled from her throat, ears pinned against her head as shock quickly boiled into something much more violent.   “This isn’t about you!”

Glancing at her Da just once, Marianna quickly decided she’d ben unable to do anything to help him.  She would talk to @Gent later, when everyone else went away, when the useless women weren’t around.  Still pressed against Kino like the other pup had become her blanket, the princess’ demanding gaze fell onto @Kova as the yearling sang.   “I wanna go back,” she demanded, grey eyes searching his face.   “Kova, I don’t wanna be here anymore.  Take me back.  Please.”

(This post was last modified: Sep 29, 2015, 08:07 PM by Marianna.)

 

A wild dissertation appears!

OOC: Poppin Rae in here ahead of schedule with permission from Cade/Carol/Freeman ~

Draven's wails echoed her own and resonated with the tears of Calanthe she heard in the background. As Raela stood pressed hopelessly against her dearest friend, she was shocked when her sensitive hearing brought Kino's voice over the rest of the melancholy atmosphere. At first it was hard to pick up on, and the clash his tone presented with everything that was going on left her grappling to understand. He was... angry? At Draven? She instantly remembered the encounter with the mouse and pulled her wet face back from Gent's fur. What had he said? Her golden eyes searched the one tiny and innocent child in disbelief. He was yelling at Draven. Fire replaced the emptiness and anguish she'd felt before. How could he say something so horrible to his brother? Once the confusion passed she was glaring down at the silver prince; tears still leaving her eyes.  Before she could muster much of a retaliation Alphinaud appeared and seemed to offer his own brand of peaceful diffusion. It was enough to stay her for the moment, though by now her face has twisted into a stunned but angry half-snarl. But it was not to last. She watched in equal measures of horror as Ari turned on the dark child as well. This time  she did not hold back. She couldn't; not in this atmosphere, not under these conditions. They were scolding him even as he wept over the body of their mother. It was an outrage. She saw the boy crying; and the other two children screaming at him; she saw herself and she saw the pack punishing her for crying over Tolas, and she snapped.  A vicious snarl tore from her lungs and roared between parted jaws; sounding over all the others as her hackles spiked high. She was only a foot or two from them now, her previous oaths against anger forgotten in the heat of the moment. “STOP IT!” She bellowed, standing tall over the Crestlings. How dare they. How dare they. There was magma in her golden eyes as they showed wide and furious. If there was one thing she would do in this life it would be to stop someone else from feeling like she had that day. She would. She would. There were so many things that could have flung from her mouth at that moment, things she might have regretted, but only one made it through. “LEAVE'EM ALONE. Both of you!” She spat, her teeth still slightly agape should any retaliation arise.  Never would she have guessed that the two children were capable of such cruelty. Never. And what had prompted it was much a mystery to her; for even if they were upset there would be no excuse, no reason in the world to do what they had just done. “How can you act this way right now?!” Her ears arched forward as far as they could manage. In her eyes the question burned. ”This isn't about you!” That's what she'd said. The hell it wasn't. “If I've ever seen selfishness its when two children gang up on their brother for crying over his mother. He has as much a right to cry as you do. Don't you dare say otherwise!” Her body was hot with anger, but her tongue came to a rest now. It was as good an idea as any for the other two to leave. She wouldn't tolerate any more from them. Not another word.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra