Umbra Copse knives

11/7/2015 - Anneliese's death discovery. Cloudy, afternoon. Northern side of Umbra Copse, near OTB.

The wind whistled a cold song through the bare trees, ruffling Spieden's coarse grey and brown coat about her shoulders. A thin sheen of snow coated the forest floor, a warning that winter was on its way. It did little to deter Spieden from her usual patrol, her hungry eye on the lookout for prey.

She had not seen Anneliese for nearly a day, but it seemed that the woman seldom rested and she expected the snowy white female to be scouting for something or other. As she caught scent of Anneliese's trail near the southern boundary she idly followed after. Perhaps they could hunt together, and Spieden might amend the off footing she started out with between them.

As Spieden moved into the thicker forest of the copse, streaks of red stood starkly against the white canvas of the forest floor, the thin layer of snow disturbed in places by the narrow nicks of claws and deep furrows of cloven hooves. A strange and unknown scent clung thick to the air, a mix of feces and animalistic sweetness, tinged with notes of damp earth. But the odor of wolf's blood was distressingly familiar. Spieden's heavy gait slowed, dread filling the pit of her stomach like lead weight as she followed the grisly path.

Her ears dropped low along her head, haltingly slow steps bringing her to Anneliese's side. Not this. Not again. She stared, waiting for any telltale signs of life and finding none. The once gallant woman looked crumpled and deflated, her body oddly contorted and blood pooled into the trampled earth like a battleground. She had not gone easily.  

Gently Spieden's grizzled snout reached forward, a soft noise leaving her throat as the damp surface of her nose grazed slowly over the red gouges tucked amongst white fur of the paladin's neck. It was too easy to believe the woman had been gored by a deer in a hunting mishap. But the Anneliese she knew was calculated and experienced, this was no foolhardy accident. But just how, how could this have happened? She had no answers.

Spieden slowly raised her head, singing a song for yet another lost wolf of the Bend.

oh i pray

Spieden Coho

for thicker skin

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 04:00 AM by Spieden.)

The tension in the air reminded her of a time it had rained and the adults had kept her inside. The howls had been like this one that rose from Spieden out somewhere to the west. But Sahalie would not be kept inside this time. They would not keep her from knowing any longer.

It didn't even make any sense. She had seen Anneliese just the other day. But she looked different now, her body was limp. The pose she struck was not one of someone sleeping. Legs should not... go back that far, bend in such places. Her coat should have been white, maybe creamy with a little dirt. She was like the snow, she was pure. But now neither her coat nor the snow was white. Red, there was dark red everywhere. The struggle had torn all the way through the snow and into the dark soil which had been kicked haphazardly around the scene. And then there was a paler brown, the scent of foul, rancid diarrhea voided somewhere in the vicinity.

The girl saw without understanding. Her eyes clung to Spieden —sturdy, distant Spieden. Sahalie searched her face for answers, for anything. But it was confusing, it was murky. She could make no sense of anything. Her throat felt tight, and he vocal chord moved as if she might have been screaming and yet no sound came out. Oh, how she wanted to scream. She wanted to say anything. Her mouth was opened as if to form a howl. But only her hot breath managed to escape.


In the back of her head she heard Jessie's voice, she head Drestig's voice. They were talking about things that would never come back. The girl had nodded and thought her feelings had been the emotions her elders had referred to. But she had been wrong. This was different. 


Not knowing what else to do, Sahalie shoved her face into the thick fur of her all-dark. In her coat she thought she could smell all the sad things she had forgotten about the earliest moments of her life. Mom.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Vidarr held a nicely sized salmon from his teeth as he slowly padded along one of the trails leading to the edges of Oak Tree Bend's territory. His belly was full already, and Veed had no intention of keeping this fish for himself. He was planning on dumping this fish into one of the packs caches. Unfortunately for the white wolf he was going to walk right into a very depressing situation. For now though Veed was blissfully ignorant of the death that would rock the packs long time members. His tail wagged happily as Vidarr attempted to do well for the pack and fill up the caches with random food items.

His eyes strain to take in the blurred vision of a far off wolf in the distance. He veers to intercept this wolf a happy expression still floating upon his heavenly white face. Bits of fish meat still clung to his chin though as the Eyjólfur came closer and closer to the scene. He spots the white pelt of torn up Annelise first, though the white wolf thought she was injured and resting at first glance. His pale cloudy blue orbs spy the alpha female and Sahalie next as he ambles down the little hill. Slowing to a stop before the two females, Veed's smile turns into a frown. He quickly sees the tense bodies of the wolves around him as well as the fact that Annelise was not moving. The white she wolf's wounds looked very bad to Vidarr as his tail stopped moving and began to flicker upwards between his legs. Fright began to override the young male as he dropped the fish and began to whimper.

He recognized that stillness now.

Death had followed him from home and taken one of his newer family members.

"It's all my fault..." He whispered breathlessly before sitting down and glancing over to Spieden with a guilty look on his face. Would he ever out run that corporeal form of death.

.

.

Once she had returned with @Triell empty handed she had busied herself gathering what herbs she could before the snows set in. Once they had a familiar ache had returned to her hips, extending along her spine and sometimes as far up as her shoulders. The realisation she wasn't as young as she once had been hit her hard, no matter how many frustrated snorts or growls she voiced. Someone, somewhere was laughing at her.

Soon after the aches had returned, a buzz had taken up residence in her right ear. This had slowly grown to a humm, much like when she accidentally got water in her ear. Unlike these occasions however, the buzzing didn't cease no matter how many times she shook her heavily furred head. 

The combination had left her terribly grouchy and antisocial, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to pull her own (rather considerable) weight. It was pure coincidence she was walking along the southern border when Spieden sung out. Her steps were stiff and slow, relying on her nose to direct her more than her failing ears. 

The corners of her mouth were pulled taught, though weather bought about by worry or pain was anyones guess. With the scent of a foreign animal thick about the ground, laced with the familiar tang of wolfs blood she had drawn her own conclusions before her eyes fell on the crumpled wolf. There was no point to her presence. She couldn't cure this. But Spieden had called, and so she had come, ears tucked respectfully and tail held low.

It would cause her too much pain to sit so she stood instead and waited, not hearing the young males comment about this being his fault, too consumed by her own guilt. Hadn't she been shuffling along that same border just yesterday? Had this pack mate called for help and she simply hadn't heard?

What good was she to anyone in this state?

With so much of the pack away, Spieden wasn't sure anyone would hear her call, let alone come. She stood silently, watching Anneliese's body and willing her to move, to prove her wrong. Spieden's ears folded back at the sound of small, quick pawsteps behind her, turning to small, slow pawsteps, knowing just who they belonged to. She turned, watching the expression of desperate confusion shift across Sahalie's face. This wasn't something she wanted Sahalie to see, but at the same time she had no right to keep it from her. A cold nose pressed into her plush fur, her chest heaving a heavy sigh as she ducked her thick neck over the child.

Spieden's attention shifted as Veed approached, painfully oblivious to what had happened. The edges of Spieden's lips pulled downward, feeling sorry for the male as the reality of the situation finally dawned on him, the fish he had been carrying sliding to the ground with a sad plop. He appeared rather shaken, and while Spieden was comfortable with Sahalie, she wasn't quite comfortable reaching out to Veed. One more wolf, the tawny friend of Triell's, slowly shuffled towards the small gathering. She was quiet, but respectful, obviously aware of what had happened.

Spieden snorted sharply at Veed's whispered comment, her ears still sharp enough to catch his words. "Don't say that," she grumbled, caught off guard at how the words out of her mouth sounded so much like they'd come from her mother. "It's nobodies' fault." She stated, her lips pursed. Guilt was toxic, a poison that was hard to shake and she would be damned if she'd let it take root in her pack.

Not wanting to wallow in grief any longer, knowing how easily it could consume, catching fire to every other loss on it's way, she straightened. "Let's put her to rest," She said with another sigh. Gently she pulled away from Sahalie, walking in small circles while testing the ground with a light touch of her claws. Finding a portion of earth that wasn't as frozen as the rest, she dug in. Methodically her muscular shoulders worked, huge paws lifting clods of dirt from the hard ground and pushing them out of the way.

oh i pray

Spieden Coho

for thicker skin

I'll be the bright, and black, that's making you run

A chill ran it's cold fingers down his spine, made his throat tighten, and the rest of his body still as a familiar sad song from afar reached him. He had no want to see, but he had to know who was it. Who had they lost. It was with a long draw of air, he worked his way through the heart of the territory, and to the out bounds where they were.

The Tainn was first greeted by the blood trail, and it overwhelmed him. Shoving him back in dark times, black body began to quiver, and for a moment he couldn't go on. He was held hostage by the sight before his eyes, and old memories forever burned onto his mind. Spieden's voice rang out, breaking the rapid speed of his heart. It had been years since they had lost Marsh, and with a jerk of his head he scurried toward the real sad sight. Anneliese. Face fell, her pale form looked so wrong, too dreadful, as if it hadn't even been a living creature at all. It was hard to believe it was her. Why Triell hadn't known her greatly,  she had been a strong woman who had easily become a part of the Bend. For her to go like this...

Orange-yellow eyes drifted over the small group, noticing the figure of Sahalie beside Spieden.  He didn't want her to see this either, but it sadly was a part of life. In such a dire situation he did not call attention, preferring to be quiet. Once his gaze rested on Naira, wondering how she was doing. Again he didn't say these things. Maybe, later. Instead he barely noticed the other male. Since he hadn't properly met the other pale wolf he figured it was best not to pay him too much notice as he already seemed distraught. Instead when their peppered leader began to dig, Triell took up a spot beside her to do the same. Heavy paws dug away earth he couldn't help wonder why the scent of the attacker was familiar, and yet the name could not be recalled. If only he could remember that hunt.

Triell Tainn

are you with me through it all?

Just how many other wolves had met this fate in the forest? It was so clear now that this was not the first time: Spieden's resigned, slow movements, the tired sigh as her neck arched over her. Sahalie clenched her teeth, herself harder into Spieden. Just how many other's had met Anna's fate? Something about this forest had always suggested something unspeakably sad, but suddenly it all made sense.

What didn't make sense was why did they live here? Heavy, silent sobs overtook the girl as somewhere far away Spieden was talking. Her dad spoke too. And since nothing made sense to her anymore, Spieden stepped away and tore a piece of the girl's heart with her. Her father and mother began to wordlessly churn the hard earth near Anna. Her mouth hung open. She wanted to scream at them, to ask what they were doing, but nothing could come out. There was a ringing in her ears. Beseeching, her eyes swung left and right to her father's friend and Veed, as if to ask them to help her. Help Sahalie. Help Anna.

Where was Drestig? Where was Serach, Fenru, or Jessie? She had more questions and tumultuous emotions than she knew what to do with. And for what, some silly mission to a pack up north? To some "family" that Sahalie had never met? Her small body was shaking now. The only outlet was the one offered by Spieden and Triell. The dark girl's breathing was rapid and shallow as she took up a space beside her family members and she felt her paws rake against the ground.

Sweet release.

@Triell @Sahalie

Spieden tried to focus on the feeling of icy, rough soil against the pads of her toes. It was the only thing that was tangible, giving her something to think about besides the gored remains of her packmate just behind her. At her side her the makeshift family took their places, together slowly opening the earth to swallow yet another one of their own.

As they finished the grave the sky had darkened, a few stray flakes venturing to fall from the iron grey clouds of late autumn. Spieden looked over to Anneliese's remains with apprehension, her stomach twisting in bitter knots. As many as the Bend had lost, this was the first Spieden ever had the 'privilege' of burying. It was not a responsibility she took lightly, but coming face to face with a death brought out a cold sweat across her skin.

With a heavy stride Spieden moved to Anneliese, teeth clamping onto the stiff, cold skin of the woman's scruff. It was a short, unceremonious drag across the snow-spattered ground into the earthen pit. Tongue flicking to rid her mouth of loose fur she stepped back, yet another sigh leaving her chest as she stood at the edge of the grave. She glanced to those gathered around her, finding some strength in their presense before setting her amber gaze back upon the deceased.

"Annaliese," Spieden said, blinking stinging eyes as old words conjured up through memories. She didn't know what Anneliese believed, but the rites of her homeland would have to do. "From dust you came and to dust you will return. May your spirit find peace with the Great Wolf." She said with a voice distant and not quite her own.

oh i pray

Spieden Coho

for thicker skin

(This post was last modified: Feb 06, 2016, 07:33 PM by Spieden.)

I'll be the bright, and black, that's making you run

Attention was split between the mud he strewn behind him, and Sahalie. Yes, Halie, he wanted to say. This, this is where the sadness comes from. When there are no words, no knowing of goodbye, just a finalization that things won't be the same ever again, but you must continue. He did not, for she surely must feel it.

The dark brute let the sounds of their work drum against his ears, wishing he could have prevented this. It could have been Drift, it could have been Sahalie in pieces instead. But, there was no happiness found in such thoughts. It should have been no one, and he was afraid. What did this mean? What was out there now lurking?

The Tainn dug well till his paws were numb, his throat sore, and his eyes no longer dry. Their breaths streamed roughly from their mouths by their last efforts into fading light. Beside Sahalie he stood, finding comfort in her form as Spieden placed Anneliese in her final resting place.  It was rather fitting what the Coho woman spoke, and he murmured an, "Amen." Then solemnly dipped his head, a final good bye.  It was in silence he helped cover her figure. Then he found his daughter. How much he wanted to return home, and hold her close.

fade

Triell Tainn

are you with me through it all?