Spectral Woods Lost in everyway

Post dating for Friday April, 21st, 2017

Arnaq by all means had no clue where she was going. She wanted to find a home, wanted to find a place that she fit into, a pack, a family somewhere. She had traveled for days, maybe a week? She wasn't sure, the days seemed to blend at this point. It had been over a month now for her since she lost her family, her birth pack. She had worked hard at her hunting and though she couldn't pull down anything large, she had made three kills on smaller creatures. The first was in a gorge of some sort, a hare. The second attempt was near this long river that lead back up into the mountains, but she didn't manage to kill anything, instead she ended up tripping and rolling down a hill into a valley of some sort. She did manage to find an injured fox at one point and she chased it up into an area she didn't recognize. After tracking it for several hours, she manged to bring it down. It may not have been a fair hunt, but it was successful and if she recalled she remembered her father telling her that going for the sick, injured and weak were always her best options. When she finally started to get hungry again her ears had picked up some sort of clawing like sound. It was faint and under the snow but she was determined to find the source. After many attempts at digging into the snow, she recalled watching foxes doing this pouncing thing into a snow and pull out small rodents. This must of been what she was tracking. So with the careful steps she followed the sound, laying low to the ground, waiting and when she heard the sound again, almost under her, she jumped up into the air and landed pretty clumsy into the snow with her front paws. It wasn't graceful by any means but it did the job at least enough to stun the rodent she found.


But now she was in a place filled with such gloom that it send chills down her spine, looking at the ever so light bluish glow around the area.  In some spots the trees gave way to the sun and it came through and she warmed in the sun as often as she could. She had only caught very faint scents of wolves and she felt utterly alone not finding a stronger scent. Spring still hadn't come to where ever she had gone. She was sure she headed in a southern direction, away from the tundra of her birth. She needed a change and there were far more smaller prey here then out there that she could practice on. She was tired, so very tired. She crawled up on a small boulder and sat there looking around. Nothing around but the birds in the trees squawking at her and that odd blue glow and the mist that seemed to shroud it. She was lost utterly lost. She wondered if any wolf was close enough to hear her if she howled. She knew that was how communications were made over long distances. She needed company. She needed to not be alone anymore. She wasn't sure she could survive on her own. It wasn't that she couldn't learn, it was the lonely emptiness inside that would be the end of her. With that final thought she let out a long loud howl. One of calling, it sounded odd to her, her own voice painful and lonely and sad so very sad. With the last of her howl complete she laid on the boulder she was on and rested, her ears perked and turning listening for any response. She needed to have learned more from her parents, why didn't she pay attention. 

(This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2017, 01:59 AM by Serach. Edit Reason: Changed locations )

sorry for the delay!

Given how late it was in her pregnancy the expectant mother was often found napping in the oddest of locations, and now was no exception. Somewhere between the medical den and the borders her exhaustion has taken over and with a yawn Aponi had spread out haphazardly and fallen asleep. Nausea had plagued her with these cubs and she had only wanted to get herself a little ginger before doing a border patrol but the second half of her mission had been waylaid by her nap.

Legs laid out behind her in the snow, twitching and digging little trenches as the Donata woman slept fitfully. Her naps were frequent while not particularly restful, no matter how hard she tried there was no comfortable position left for her to be in. Her typically sleek sides had ballooned comically out to unseen proportions, her stomach churned in a way that it never had with a previous pregnancy and overall Aponi just couldn't wait to get these pups out of her belly. Still, even with her eagerness to physically return to normal her caution and paranoia begged for the weeks to drag out and postpone her birth. Despite the way the pups now moved and danced within her, visibly prodding her sides the queen shied away whenever anyone came to close, even @Serach had only been allowed to feel them kicking a few times.

Waking with a start at a howl from the borders Aponi lifted her head with a grunt, so much for that nap. It took her more tries than she would ever admit to get her paws back beneath her and hoist her bulk into the air but in the end she accomplished it. Moving into vision through the blue mist in a way that could only be described as an attempt at graceful waddling she lifted her cranium and tail high. She might be ridiculously pregnant but that would not stop her from demanding the respect she deserved. The loneliness and desperation in the howl left no question as to why this stranger had come, now all that was left was to prove that she was worthy of what she wanted.

"Aponi Donata of Oak Tree Bend." The words were formal, but not cold. The woman could be cruel when provoked but she was not utterly heartless, and the Bend could always use more members if they were capable.

Arnaq laid there for some time not really sure when the other wolf managed to come up on her, she heard the voice, but she didn't register the steps in snow as another and to top it off when she looked up the wolf seemed to be rather large around the waist. Arnaq jumped off the rock with a bit of excitement, her tail wagging and her body low as she crawled on the ground. She couldn't believe she finally saw another wolf. Containing her excitement seemed hard to do at the moment for the youngster. "Hi, Hi Aponi." Her voice was squealing with vibrations she had to get back under control. She kept wagging her tail like a hopeless pup, though she couldn't really be a pup anymore could she? She had to live up to the wolf name right? She could maybe think her father and mother looked down on her and though her mother would of enjoyed seeing this fun side of the girl, she knew her father would be displeased. 

Willing herself to calm down as much as she could, she looked up but not directly into the wolf standing by. The white female looked heavy, puppies maybe? This would be the right time wouldn't it? She was born around this time last year herself so it only made sense to the foolish girl. "Um, um Oak Tree Bend? A pack? Do you have room for another? I can hunt small game, I can do...do uh anything around that you want." She really could only get the small game, she wasn't self taught enough to take anything else down and she really would do anything she could to get into a pack, a family, a home. Some where, any where to belong. Her voice almost sounded pleading and she knew it probably didn't shine a good light on her begging voice but she was at a lost on how to act, only ever meeting one other wolf outside of her birth pack.

Aponi watched as the stranger leapt down from the rock that she had been laying on and began wiggling to and fro. Blue eyes widened in surprise but she held her position, despite the writhing the loner was displaying submission, belly to the ground as she crawled. This was enough to appease the leader slightly, over eager but willing to follow the rules was fine with her as long as the young girl could pull her weight.

Nodding her head once in response that Oak Tree Bend was in fact a pack the mother was left wondering how much this wolf knew about life outside where she had born. Their borders were clearly marked and could be scented from here, the stranger who had not given her own name was practically a child. The pros and cons weighed within her mind but frankly Aponi knew that they needed members, even if they were a bit of a diamond in the rough.

Sighing slightly the alpha gestured with her muzzle that the other girl had permission to stand instead of pressing her belly deep into the snow. "The Bend is always looking for members that are loyal and willing to pull their weight. What is your name and what can you offer the pack that should earn your keep?" Loyalty would get the girl far, as would small game but Aponi was curious if she had any other skills within that wriggling body of hers.

Arnaq gawked inwardly her yellow eyes bugging a bit, how could she be so dumb to not even give her own name. She bashed herself inwardly, great start Arnaq. She scolded herself. She stood keeping herself slightly bent, her tail still wagging of it's own accord but low to the ground. Loyalty, she can do that. She can stop acting like a pup only exiting the burrow. She could hunt game, she can help right? What else could she do? She could learn, learn, yes she can learn to be anything they needed her to be if they were going to let her in right? Her mind was reeling a mile a minute as she stood there with no immediate answer. That was rude right? Yes, yes it had to be considered rude, her father always expected an answer right away. 

"Arnaq, my name is Arnaq. I uh, don't have a lot of skills though. I am willing to learn, to be loyal, to put all my energy into anything you need of me." She racked her brain with other thoughts. "I am fast, I can run very fast. I was the fastest member in my birth place. Not that helped in the end." She hung her head, would this female, this silver toned wolf even let her near if she knew her history. Arnaq dropped her ears and her tail stopped wagging the weight of her past hanging heavy on her shoulders. She sighed and did her best to keep her eyes from watering. "I am willing to learn, hunt, that is all I have to offer. I did not pay much attention to the lessons my father taught." Her voice dropped to a low whisper as she realized she was more of a disappointment to herself and her father, if he was looking down at her from where ever his spirit moved onto. Her only hope of survival though was a pack, she knew that deep down and she would be willing to do even the smallest of things to prove she could be a vibrant and loyal member if the she-wolf took a chance. It was slim, she looked well into a pregnancy, which meant her first responsibility was to the pups coming not to a wolf that couldn't hold her own in a fight. But hope was somewhere in that heart of Arnaq. 

The mother looked over the other wolf warily, before she sighed again. Perhaps it was her pregnancy hormones sending her brain on a trip but some part of her felt bad for Arnaq. Hear eagerness boded well for her but the alpha was still concerned about her lack of knowledge. Standing and shaking her silver pelt back into its proper place Aponi took a step forward to properly examine the girl. Thin sure, but she was still alive so obviously she had been able to hunt adequately for one in the time that she had been alone.

Raising her muzzle as she came closer to her decision she had only one last question to ask, "Arnaq, if I accept you it is expected that you pay closer attention to your lessons than you did to your fathers, understand? With our own litter coming in the next few weeks we only have so much time to teach."  If she was as quick as she said she was the Bend could use a trained scout, so they didn't have to send Lena and Lila on another question. Or if hunting truly turned out to be Arnaq's talents she would be a fool to turn a huntress away when soon they would have pups to feed.

Arnaq looked upon at the she-wolf as she shook her out and walked towards her, looking her over. Arnaq knew she wasn't bulking by any means and her slender form lacked that of a well fed wolf but she would get there in time. Arnaq was a nervous, she lowered her head down even more as the silver wolf looked at her, observing her. She wasn't sure what would happen in the next few seconds. Her breathe held hoping the wolf wouldn't attack, she didn't seem to have an attacking stance about her but she did come rather close and Arnaq wasn't sure what to do in that moment. 

When Aponi spoke to the yearling her ears perked up, her tail wagging slightly. "Yes, yes I would pay attention. I would not deter at all from what knowledge was given and taught." Litter? So she was right in assuming that she looked swelled with pups in that growing belly of hers. Arnaq would do whatever she could to help, she would prove that she wasn't a perfidious wolf. "I will help with your young as well. I can baby sit or catch small game if needed." Again she repeated herself to the Alpha that stood over her. Arnaq was eager to learn and become apart of something bigger than herself, because let us be honest, Arnaq wasn't by any means anything when she was by herself.

One more post each and we can archive :)

Well that pretty much sealed the deal then. Arnaq seemed grateful and eager to do as she said, offering to pup sit if needed and hunt game for the children. Aponi would most likely pass on the offer to watch her cubs as she had just met the girl but hunting of small game was always welcome. Nodding her head in response she moved forward to press her sides against the newcomer, first her right side and then her left methodically. This way when she moved through the territory the others would know that she had been welcome by the female alpha.

Moving backwards she paused, "I will allow you to join the Bend, under the condition that you will hold the lowest position until we are sure that you are learning sufficiently. At that time you will be moved into a normal ranking position. Are you still willing to join even if you must hold the position of lowest?" This would allow Aponi to test how well she could truly contribute to the pack as well as test her loyalty. Those willing to hold the lowest position to prove their worth to a pack were taking a hit to their pride for the good of the overall. These were the types of wolves that the Donata wished to have within her ranks.

OCC: Okay sounds good to me! ^.^

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Arnaq listened to Aponi speak to her and then she touched her fur, rubbing her scent on both sides. The contact itself brought just joy into her as she hadn't had contact with any in so long. She watched as the wolf back up in front of after she finished and spoke to her. The she-wolf's scent on her filled her with more emotions than she could express. She was accepted, scented, marked part of a family once more. 

"Yes, yes I will take whatever you deem me capable of until I have proven my worth to you and yours. I am just beyond grateful to be allowed this chance."  Arnaq bowed her body towards the Alpha showing her respect for the wolf and her position over her. She would follow and do as was requested, learn and grow and do her best become a working member of the pack even if her rank never rose, she would hold it with her own pride to be allowed in. She would not do what she did in her original pack, she would obey, listen and not run off just because she wanted to have a little bit of fun. She would hold the duties given to her with the utmost importance.

(This post was last modified: Apr 27, 2017, 02:59 AM by Arnaq.)

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health