Spectral Woods I can't help this awful energy

for @Ice , sorry for the delay. Set early afternoon, not long before Askan plans to leave and head back north. Backdated 2nd of December

If he had his way, Askan would have already left. He would have already started his long trek north. But much to his dismay,  Sahalie had asked for him to wait so she could tell the others that she was leaving. A reasonable request- even he knew that- but Askan didn't like being held up, he wasn't the patient sort. And he certainly didn't like standing around and wasting time. The journey south had taken him about five days, give or take, but he had a sinking feeling that Sahalie would just end up slowing him down. 

She'd give him some company, but it wasn't as though he had gotten lonely on the way here. He had been so focused on getting the job done he had little time to worry about things like that. And at this point, all Askan wanted was to go home, to be with his packmates. Askan hadn't grown to hate her in the small time they had known each other, but he had already concluded that she was the chipper annoying type. The type that couldn't travel in silence. He had a sinking feeling that she would want to make small talk, and that she'd make an effort to point out ever interesting little detail she noticed in the scenery they passed through.

Askan was dreading it. It was like his worst nightmare come true. Oh how he hated chatter boxes.

So of course he was feeling crabby, a little on edge.  He paced back and forth beside the territorial line, waiting for Sahalie's small form to emerge through the trees. He was on his tenth turn when movement caught his eye. He expected to see a small brown wolf, his travelling companion to be, but instead he was greeted by the sight of a large, grey- almost white- wolf. That was not Sahalie. Nor was it Leotie. And neither was it the alpha he had met the day before. So who was he- he could tell it was a male- and what the hell did he want? 

"Can I help you?" Askan asked, his voice low and gravelly. As unwelcoming as he could manage.

He hadn't met any other Bend wolf, but he knew fully well that the rest of the pack were aware of his presence. So it was easy to conclude that this wolf had sought him out, that he wanted to chat. Oh wonderful.

(This post was last modified: Dec 07, 2016, 02:53 AM by Askan.)

lol this sucks but here you go...
edit: 1/3 guarding

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

Ice had lived on the borders of Swift River—always pacing, always looking, waiting, watching, a pale shadow to the coppery red male he had so adored. It was the only thing he knew how to do. Daunted by the life he had left behind, he slipped off to the edges of the territory, kept them safe. He circled the area all too often, as if walking could make the thoughts spill from his mind.

It didn't. Well, anyway—Ice had been on the other end of the territory when the stranger had come knocking, and a result, he'd found out of the male lurking on their borders by word of mouth. Apparently it was a pack wolf from some newly formed pack further north, but Ice hadn't stuck around long enough to get more information about it. Instead, he had set off towards the borders again, pacing along them and searching for the scent of the stranger.

He found it shortly after noon, and veered away from the border. What he found a little later was a black-and-tan wolf, smaller than Ice himself, and looking about as friendly as a prickly porcupine with a toothache. His voice set Ice on edge, and he paused dead in his tracks, tail raised high and ears forward. He suppressed the growl but bared a hint of teeth before he could stop himself—or even figure out if he wanted to stop himself. Why should he give a damn about some other pack's wolf?

"Doubtful," he said stiffly. "Where are you from?"

until the ice breaks.

(This post was last modified: Feb 05, 2017, 08:14 PM by Ice.)

let the stars above shine in your soul

Askan watched the white wolf bristle and stiffen at his prickly words. An understandable response of course, but the Rye wolf did not see it as such. The instances in which Askan was in the wrong, were few and far between. Or at least that's what he believed.  He hadn't posted a little sign to say, 'come on over and lets chat!' He'd deliberately kept himself away from the pack lands, but the wolves kept coming. Kept wanting to talk, to pester him. To socialise. It was his natural inclination to try and push them away, to cut himself off, so they'd leave him alone. So yes, he was being rude. Yes, he was sorta asking for trouble. And yes, he did deserve what ire he received. He just would never see it that way.

He rolled his eyes at the white wolf's question, but decided to just get it over and done with. He'd repeat this little song and dance as much as he had to, even if he hated it. Maybe then he'd leave him alone.

"Wild Rye Fields. Up north, on the edge of the Lowlands. Drestig sent me." He explained, his voice monotone and dull, just to show how tired he was of repeating this. "Jessie sends her regards too."

She hadn't worded it quite so formally, but that about summarised her feelings on the matter. Despite her being his alpha, his Queen, Askan didn't know that much about her. They didn't mingle much and that was okay, he understood that she was busy. That she might not even want him around. He didn't kick up a fuss. He respected her and gave her the space she likely desired. Despite her stature, he knew full well she was a force to be reckoned with. That she was kind and compassionate but wouldn't tolerate any threat towards her family. Truly a Queen in every sense of the word.

Sitting down in the snow, he turned his attention towards the Bend wolf.  Might as well get it over with as soon as he could."Anything else you want to ask?" 

(This post was last modified: Dec 13, 2016, 04:07 PM by Askan.)

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

At times, Ice was a judgmental asshole. At times like now, because the one combination Ice loathed the most was wolves not of his pack, on his borders, being creepy, sneaky, or just plain rude. While this lump of charcoal was neither creepy or sneaky, he was being rude, and Ice had the urge to smack him in the face with a paw just to show him how hard white wolves hit. It wasn't some love of violence driving him, but the plain fact that this was his pack (well, sort of—) and he did't have to stand here and take somebody else's crap and smile while doing it.

Like, if you have business here and want to return to your own pack, why not act in a way that makes sure no one is going to kill you? Why act like somebody had shoved a stick up his arse and elevated him to the heavens? Ice's teeth ground together slightly as the other male rolled his eyes, a dry noise in the winter air, and his silver eyes hardened like metal.

Drestig? That was the wolf Serach had mentioned as Oak Tree Bend's leader, at some point between Triell leaving and returning... Someone who had wanted to uproot the lost wolves and throw them yet another place where they did not belong—something Serach had refused. One of Ice's ears flicked sideways. He was glad they hadn't moved. The idea to leave Swift River had mostly been his at the start, but once it had taken root, Corinna had seized onto it firmly and here they were, she dead and he a ghost. He hadn't been able to forget Rissa, or Torrel, Rihael, Indru... Had anyone else?

Then the male said something magical. Jessie. And the reaction in him was unmistakable; his eyes, which had begun to drift into the forest, snapped back to the stranger, and he took a jerking step forward as the other sat down. Part of him wanted to pounce on the wolf, grab him by the neck and shove him over in the snow, press them nose-to-nose and yell where is she?! but he had the feeling it wouldn't be taken kindly to.

Did he care? No, not really.

"My, aren't you a ray of sunshine..." he said in a musing voice as he took another step closer, still proud, ears forward, tail raised. Serach's pack now or not, Ice would never back down from ..well.. being proud. Showing that he was proud; that he was old and tough and sort of broken but not dead. He still lived and that had to be worth something, right? "So that's where she went. How is she?"

until the ice breaks.

2/3 guarding

(This post was last modified: Feb 05, 2017, 08:14 PM by Ice.)

let the stars above shine in your soul

It was clear to see that the white wolf didn't like Askan, at all. His loathing was obvious, his eyes burned with contempt and his posture radiated a sense of barely subdued aggression. If Askan stepped out of line-even by just a little- the white wolf would strike. The Rye wolf had no intention of fighting him, he hadn't come here to for that, but it was clear that it might end that way if he wasn't careful. If it meant Askan had to bite his tongue and play along for the sake of peace... Well, he'd do it. He'd hate it, but he'd do it. Not for them, but the sake of Wild Rye Fields. For them he'd do anything, even if it meant his pride would take yet another beating. "You're not the first to tell me that." He told him, holding his ground. He wouldn't back down, or shrink back but he wasn't holding his head high either. His tail hung neutrally behind him and his gaze was level. Askan was still a sour puss, but he wasn't challenging the white wolf's position or claim on the land, his subtle shift in demeanour made that clear. "Doubt you'll be the last either." At least the white wolf's next words were more agreeable ones. He was willing to say what he wanted to hear, he'd talk about the Rye Queen. It was quite interesting though, how he asked about her and not Drestig. They had history then? Probably. She hadn't mentioned him, but then again maybe she hadn't realised he was at the Bend still? Times changed, people came and went, how was she supposed to know? Still, he assumed that she would be happy to hear from him. She'd be grateful that Askan took the time to speak to this grumpy old bastard. That thought made this situation all the more tolerable. He could do this. "She's doing well. She's a firm but kind leader, has my complete and utter respect. She has a daughter now too, Phoenix Avalon. Gets into a lot of trouble she does, likes keeping her parents busy." His voice turned soft, fond. He truly did like Percy. He wondered if this wolf would be interested in visiting the north to see Wild Rye Fields for himself. Askan wasn't going to extend an invitation, like he had with Sahalie, after all why would he want to spend more time with this foul, grumpy old man. Cheerfulness was one thing, he could sort of deal with that, but this? No, he wasn't sure if he could.

Dawnthieves.de

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

Jessie kept this grumpy codger safe. Not that Ice would've done overly terrible things to him, anyway—it wasn't like that idiot he'd ripped apart years ago, the one who had crossed their border, hunted on their lands, and tried to mouth off at them. No; that wolf had found himself taking a long walk off the short pier, and drowning in a lake of blood. Ice didn't let that kind of thing slide. You didn't do that and expect to make it out alive. Where certain transgressions were concerned, Ice didn't believe in teaching people a lesson they could remember.

But Charcoal here belonged to Jessie, someone who had been his friend for years and years, someone who had gone with him over the mountain on that journey with an unspeakable end. He respected her, for her spirit was ten thousand times larger than her body, and she had always been there for them. To know that she must've left recently...

No matter. He'd make the trek up north, either when the winter weather entered a lull, or in spring, once the season wasn't so crucial anymore. Besides, they were a large pack—surely they could spare him for a week or so, as he visited his old friend?

Questions for another day. Seeing Charcoal check his tongue was, in a sense, a bit pleasing. Ice didn't fancy himself a bully, but some of the lesson 'don't be a butt on another pack's borders' seemed to have gone through his thick head. Allowing himself a small smile, Ice padded a little closer, and plopped his butt down in front of Charcoal, setting them sitting almost nose-to-nose. "A daughter?" he said, softly—the one thing Ice did not have, for Rissa was dead, Aiyana was gone, and Kisla had been too old to consider him her father. "By Drestig, I assume?" His gaze sharpened again, but it lacked a promise of swift, violent retributions. "And who are you? And what are you to them?" If he was here on a diplomatic mission, of sorts, he had to be more than just a peripheral member.

until the ice breaks.

3/3 guarding

(This post was last modified: Feb 05, 2017, 08:14 PM by Ice.)

let the stars above shine in your soul

Had he not heard him the first time? Askan had to resit the urge to tsk, and instead he simply nodded in confirmation. Phoenix was most certainly a girl and a fine one that. He knew that most-if not all- parents felt this way about their children, but she was the apple of their eyes. She had grown up an only child but that hadn't made her spoiled or demanding, in fact she was an absolute pleasure to be around. He would have told this grumpy old codger that, but he doubted the old man would appreciate his opinion on the matter. For what it was worth Askan's opinion was about as valuable as a grain of dirt to the Bend wolf. So he refrained, even if Ice was missing out. "Yeah, by Drestig." Askan once again confirmed, his voice neutral. Who was this guy, captain obvious? Seemed like it. But then he moved onto more prying questions, ones with a bit of a bite behind them. A sort of judgemental air that made Askan's fur bristle and stand on point. Who the hell did he think he was? What gave him the right to be such a dick? Such a scathing and arrogant dick? Askan had said nothing, had done nothing, to warrant this interrogation. If he wanted to know he could ask, he didn't have to pry and yank the questions from him as though he were an interloper who had lingered too close to the borders for too long. Askan was willing to play ball, or at least he had been til that point. But then again getting frustrated did him little favours. And perhaps for once he managed to nip his temper in the bud before it truly reared its ugly head. "Askan Selwyn. I'm their second, a founding member. Drestig recruited me last summer and I've been with them ever since. Intend to spend my days in their service." He explained, his voice calm and monotone, and yet with a hint of pride just below the surface. It was his turn to be questioned now, it seemed only fair. "And what about you?"

Dawnthieves.de

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

Sometimes Ice came across wolves where it felt like no matter what he did, or what he said, things would only get worse, whether he wanted them to or not. He had the upper hand in this—he had to have the upper hand, because he was old and giant and on the borders of his homeland—but the irritation which had lingered in him had since long evaporated. Once he'd found out, for himself, who the dark wolf was he was content to let him be here, and Charcoal's attitude had improved. That Ice was a bit of an idiot wasn't on his head.

Regardless, something hung in the air, and it made him wary. He couldn't pinpoint it, for it wasn't very obvious, but it was just.. something, a trace of the tension from before, like an unspoken threat or judgment. The wolf's voice was neutral when he confirmed Ice's suspicion, and he began to give up on ever finding out what it was, when it became obvious: his next two questions made that dark fur bristle. Apparently he didn't take kindly to being asked about who he was.

So again, the redeeming factor was Jessie: suspicious loners on his bloody borders had better find the best shortcut to the other side of the mountain, but this was not a loner. Suspicious, yes, but he belonged to Jessie and that soothed him enough to merely watch, and listen, with a neutral expression on his face. Askan Selwyn, a founding member. The wolf's pride did not fall on deaf ears, and Ice stored it away for later. See, he wanted to say, was that so hard? You told me your name, you told me your position, was that so dangerous?

"And what about you?" "Ice," he said mellowly, almost instantly, trying to figure out if the question meant, who are you to Wild Rye Fields or who are you to Oak Tree Bend. Understanding what others meant had rarely been his strong point. "Second of Oak Tree Bend, and very old friend of Jessie's. It's likely she thinks me dead or lost," he finished, a note of regret snaking through his voice. There had never been enough of him, and always too much of the world.

until the ice breaks.

let the stars above shine in your soul

They were on equal footing it seemed, at least in rank. Which made this situation a little easier for Askan to swallow. He could understand why Ice was being so prickly, as he himself was often like this when he stalked the borders of the field, but being the hypocrite he was he didn't like the taste of his own medicine. It was foul, sour and more than irritating. But he could grit his teeth and bare it, for Jessie he would, as apparently they were old friends. By no means was he one to judge, but he couldn't help but question the Rye Queen's choice of companion. Perhaps he was different when they knew each other, but from what he could tell hanging out with this man would be as enjoyable as spending time with a slab of ice.

"I'll let her know that you're alive and doing well then. I'm sure she'll be happy to hear it. And like I said to the others, you're more than welcome to come up and visit, if you feel like it. It's an open invitation, no deadline." He informed the white goliath, reiterating the words that had been passed onto him by his alphas.

As much as Askan wasn't so fond of this one, he didn't think having him come up to visit would be all bad news. Jessie would no doubt be happy to see him, and introduce him to Percy. Askan on the other hand would be free to do as he pleased and could put as much space between him and Ice as he wanted.

It wasn't exactly personal, Askan just didn't like him or the way he looked down at him as though he was something foul he'd stepped on. Well okay, maybe it was a little personal. Just a tad. A smigde. But at least he was doing a semi-good job at hiding it, right? Sort of, probably not. Ah well, he was trying. Clearing his throat, Askan glanced about the place, his brows furrowed in thought, instead of contempt.

"What made your pack decide to settle here? It's rather..."He struggled to find a polite way to describe these foggy, depressing woodlands and ultimately came up short. "I can see where it gets it name from."

(This post was last modified: Feb 03, 2017, 12:05 AM by Askan.)

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

Bit by bit, things cleared up, didn't they? Properly introduced, not quite properly sniffed, and while he'd heard it in passing that a wolf from another pack was sitting on their borders—what was he waiting for? Miracles? For the cloudland to fall down on their heads? Comet storms, disasters..? It was likely he had already, in his capacity as a coarse diplomat, spoken to Serach, who had passed on the word to the rest of the pack, so why did he linger? He had the aura of one who wanted to be elsewhere, but if it was the setting or the company, Ice did not know. He had a niggling feeling he hadn't made a very good first impression.

Did it bother him? No, not really. Ice could live with that. His butt and paws shuffled over the frozen earth until he was not sitting quite so much in Askan's face anymore, but rather more to the side. He nodded a little. "Thank you. I might," he replied quietly, breath smoking into the air. Not because he was dying to see Askan's surly face again sometime soon, but for Jessie's sake—and, he admitted, because it would be interesting if he could catch Askan unawares, watch him in the pack dynamic. He had the feeling.. well, it sounded cliche, but that there was a heart of gold beneath all that coal and darkness.

Why else would they put up with him? Ah, well, he was likely nicer to his family than he was to his inquisitors.

Talk moved on, to the Spectral Woods; home, but not quite home. Ice followed the other's gaze, trailed the outline of the tree trunks and the banks of fog drifting between them. It was a forest quite unlike any other he'd ever been in, but then again, pretty much everything this side of the mountain was like that: other. Sometimes, he even thought he'd seen the shapes of wolves in the mist.. a faint smile curved his lips as Askan couldn't found the words, and his head dipped slightly in acknowledgment. It was not a place of bountiful sunshine and colorful flowers, but it had a kind of eerie, ethereal beauty he had come to enjoy—the kind of beauty that is steeped in sorrow.

"I don't really know," he said after a moment, thrown back to the days of Rissa's death, the war, Aiyana leaving them, their flight for something new, new dreams, new hope, new life, and eventually, the founding of the pack, the death of Marsh... "We came from the other side of the mountain—Swift River, in the Sacred Grove. Memories haunted us, but more than anything, they haunted Corinna.. so we left. We had sent two scouts ahead, they found the large oak tree, marked it, disappeared chasing the last of a sick band of savages. Only one of them ever returned." He let out a soft sigh. It hinted of secrets. "Truth to be told, the clearing where the pack den is.. it's brighter, less trees, less fog, more sun. It's almost up in the red foothills."

until the ice breaks.

let the stars above shine in your soul