Hearthwood River leave the body and leave it cold

;-; RIP Kisla. Ambiguous ending for Lekalta. I'm so sorry to have to do this, but it's long past due. <3 I wanted to leave an easter egg, primarily for @Matheo or @Risaela if they want a hint of who their father is.. of course, it's also pretty ambiguous. :o But AW to anyone who might want a hint or to have overheard Kisla and Lekalta.

“Lekalta, enough,” she wearily sighed, her ears drawing back to her skull as her green eyes once more found the stubborn gaze of her daughter. Lekalta was a spirited creature – always had been – but her persistence now had crossed the borders of personal space, and the dominant leader within was beginning to stir. Her lips curled back gingerly to flash her teeth – a warning that if the girl continued to press, the she-wolf would force her to submission.

Even with the display, the girl stubbornly kept her focus on her, and while Lekalta wilted slightly beneath her own harsh gaze, Kisla could tell she was not ready to give up on the conversation just yet. Sighing, the honeyed woman brushed past her daughter gently, nosing the remains of a rabbit toward her. “Why don’t you take this and pester Inna and Oksana with it?” The closer they got to the den with Matheo and Risaela likely lurking nearby, the more anxious the regal found herself – what if they overheard?

Yet as she continued onward, insistent that the conversation had ended, her youthful daughter trailed after her, pausing only to scoop up the rabbit before quickening their pace.

“They haff a righ’ t’know” Lekalta muffled out, coughing as rabbit fur tickled at her throat before she leapt forward, now aiming to cut her mother’s quickening pace off. Kisla’s warning growl was not missed by her – but as each day passed, she found it more unbearable – who was the father of her youngest siblings? Dropping the rabbit once more, she steeled herself. “Inna and I have a right to know. They’re our family, too. Unlike Aleksei and Karina, we’re the ones that stayed. Doesn’t that show our loyalty not just to this family, but to our pack?” She held her breath then, watching Kisla consider the words – knowing this request would be shot down once more.

“It’s inconsequential,” Kisla answered, her eyes sharp upon her daughter. “Matheo and Risaela are of Hearthwood River – they are ours.” She paused then, her eyes softening as she could sense the frustration that emanated from her daughter. “Lekalta,” she paused, hesitant. “The father is an old friend. If he knew they were his.. he might try to take them. It’s best this way.” Her words become more steely near the end – would Ice try to take her children from her? Perhaps – he would be less keen to move away from Serach to help look after them. And life was complicated enough – Matheo and Risaela had saved her from herself. They were exactly what she had needed to see that life could continue without Maksim at her side – and Hearthwood River would be stronger for it all. “It is a secret I will take to the grave.”

With those words, it was as if she had blown a kiss to fate – and had awoken a beast.

She could see Lekalta rev up to argue once more – ever so keen on receiving a name.. her curiosity unsatisfied by the small tidbit of information Kisla had given her. But more importantly – it was the flash of cream that gained her attention, and her hackles lifted, a snarl ripping past her lips as she swept forward. “Lekalta, move!” The command was spoken without the authority she usually used and with desperation instead – the cougar came to them now with a yowling hiss that made the blood in Kisla’s vein freeze with dread. So close to her den, her instincts waged.. so close to her children. She barrelled Lekalta aside – hoping the girl had enough common sense to run for the den and ensure the pups were gone – to pull them all to safety. There was no time for further instruction – no time for thought. There did not seem to be rhyme nor reason to why the attack had risen, and yet Kisla clashed with the large cat in a fury of desperation. Her fangs sought purchase to flesh, aiming to kill rather than warn away – blood was tasted, but in the frenzy of fur, snarls and adrenaline, Kisla could not tell if it was hers or the predators. She only knew the moment of the fight – and realization that the irony of a cat taking her life much like her husband’s ultimate end was not lost upon her.

What felt like eternity took only minutes – she felt victorious as she bore a large rip in to the feline’s nape – but the moment was fleeting when a swipe knocked her to the ground, and strange jaws found the back of her neck to her spine. “Save –“ The breath was stolen from her – her voice closed off with a gargle, and she knew her fight was over then. She could see the barrelling form of Lekalta – she could pray that the youth would seek her younger siblings out – would call the pack. Would do what it took. But then Kisla Baranski knew nothing more – the slump of her figure promised her death, and the blow had been swift. The Baranski matriarch had fallen, and one of the Wildwood's first daughter's had taken her final breath.

(This post was last modified: Jul 25, 2017, 07:08 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

Lekalta, for a fleeting moment, had ducked past her mother when she had yelled at her – surely her questions hadn’t invoked such rage? But her eyes were met with a flurry of violent motions – the hissing snarls of the large cat, and the desperation in her mother’s attack as she made to heed the feline off. It felt eternal to watch – as if her brain could not grasp what her eyes were seeing now.

But there could be no wasted time. Her mind reeled, and with her fear and sorrow, her cries went out to the pack – warning them – summoning them – anything. But it was Matheo and Risaela her mind reeled to then, and leaping toward the den, her nose to the ground, she could not tell in her panic if her younger siblings were even within its vicinity. Their scent was strong – but it was common for them to test the boundaries of their limits, and despair wrenched her heart at the thought that the cougar would find them first.

Her eyes shot back – she saw Kisla’s attack land impressively upon the feline’s figure – and then she saw her mother’s body move like that of a ragdoll to the ground, and the life from her crushed all within moments. A sound keened past her lips – a strangled sound of misery and rage, and she felt the tremble of sorrow tremble her very body. The predator moved away – not happy with this one notch of life in its belt, and Lekalta did the best she could to keep it from the den – in case the pups were in there. She rushed it, nipping viciously at the creature and aiming to lure it away.

It swiped at her – it’s own fury and experience by far surpassing her own. She felt the pain of opened flesh – could feel her blood. It pounded in her ears as well, and Lekalta maneuvered herself desperately at the cougar – and with a snarl, her own muzzle grasped it – stirring a shriek from the animal as she blinded it in one eye with fang and claw. And then she ran – the cat hot on her heels. She ran for her life – she ran for the life of her siblings. She lured it away – the world had become a blur – tall sequoias whipped past her, but she could feel the breath of the beast on her ankles. She ran and could not look back, but she did not need to – the death of her mother was forever seared in to her mind. The cat grappled her – raking claws against her, eliciting yelps. They quieted the further they got – clumps of her fur and blood shred across the terrain.

She ran and did not stop – Hearthwood River would grow quiet in the aftermath of the attack – but Lekalta nor the feline would be found.

are you deranged like me? are you strange like me?
lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?
do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

She'd heard the voices on the way back to her daughter for their afternoon nap and recognized them as her mother and her sister. The way they were speaking to eachother, Inna hadn't ever heard them speak like that to each other before. Then she heard her own name along with her and her daughter's. Her eyes narrowed as she heard her sister say that they had a right to know and the question formed. What was it that Lekalta was trying to get from their mother? In that moment Inna wondered if she should make her presence known and help her sister or remain where she was hidden. In the end she chose to remain hidden as her mother spoke, she feared that if she too tried to confront her mother that Kisla would say no more.

From her hiding place she overheard her mother admit the father of Risa and Matheo was an old friend. And the thought that perhaps she wasn't much different from her mother went through her mind. That was short lived as the sounds coming from where her mother and Lekalta had been arguing changed. At first the ebony Baranski couldn't tell what they were her view was blocked. When he moved to a position where she could finally see she saw it and could only stare in disbelief for a moment. She watched as her mother fought the cougar so bravely and then something snapped in the mother. She felt her paws moving her toward the scene, she had to help her mother and sister, they had the children they needed to protect.

Then as if she ran into a wall her paws stopped with the vision of the cougar throwing her mother to the ground before sinking it's teeth into her spine. There was a sound loud in her ears, she didn't realize it was her screaming, “No,” at the top of her lungs. Tears streaming down her face her feet began to work again as she watched Lekalta take on the beast and before she could stop her the feline was chasing her sister away from the scene.

Inna's paws carried her to her mother's side as sobs wracked her body, she collapsed at her mother's head and buried her face in her fur. She was too late, there was nothing she could do but be there for her as she took her last breath and only seconds after she arrived at her mother's side it happened. The Matriarch had taken her last breath, the great Kisla Baranski could now join her mate. The force of the younger Baranski's sobs increased as she felt her mother's body relax under her. “I'm so sorry for so much,” she cried into her mother's fur.

~Table by Jacqueline

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

This was a nightmare. It had to be a nightmare. Just the day before, Ris had taken her first trip to the Lowlands and had returned to Hearthwood River with every intention to spend time with her family. And when she'd seen Lekalta and Kisla walking together, she thought it would be a perfect opportunity to do just that. But their voices were angry, and she wondered what they were talking about. If she were to approach now, they'd stop talking entirely and censor themselves for the sake of the pup, and she wanted to eavesdrop. So, she remained quiet, slinking through the underbrush.

Somewhere in the jumble of words and grown-up speech, Ris could understand the core of their discussion. It was something she had wondered about a lot of times before - who her father was. Because mommies and daddies made puppies, and her mom couldn't have made them on her own. Of course, she and Matheo weren't the only pups in Hearthwood who didn't know of their true parentage, but that didn't really have an impact on Ris' curiosity.

Tawny ears perked as the conversation got more and more heated between the two of them, and caught the one sentence - 'The father is an old friend.' Ris' mind went to Lachesis almost immediately, but she dismissed the thought. If it were him, then why would he want to take them away? She must never have met her dad before. She turned her full attention back to her mother and sister, shaking her head. She would probably step in soon - Lekalta and Kisla were both getting angry at one another.

But then everything just went absolutely insane.

She had never seen anything like this animal. It was so different than the wolves, but its fur wasn't so far away from Ris' own color. And it was so big. Kisla yelled something, and Lekalta ran, and the giant animal attacked. Her mother fought back, and for a moment, Risaela was convinced that she would win, especially when she tore that chunk off of it. But then the tawny creature grabbed her back, and it was all over. Even Ris' puppy mind could comprehend what had just happened, and her silver eyes widened in terror.

As Lekalta turned back around to take on the monster and subsequently lead it away, Ris couldn't prevent the horrified, wordless scream that ripped itself from her throat. She ran forward, just after Inna, and slid in her own mother's blood. The pup tumbled to the ground, her breathing picking up in something near panic. She trembled hard as she approached her head. Crimson stuck to the child's paws and flank from where she'd fallen in the blood, but she paid no attention. Instead, she looked into Kisla's still-open, clouded, dead eyes, searching for some form of life or recognition in them.

But there wasn't any.

Ignoring the fact that Inna was even there at all, the girl stumbled backward, vision blurring rapidly with tears, and choked out a whimper as she found her balance once more and bolted from the scene.

After a month long absence Lorcán had found his way back to Hearthwood. They were down another member, as the absence of Splashing Otter continued, but that did not dampen the ghost’s spirits. Even if the ebony male did not return Lachesis was not worried. He was confident in the wolves that remained; they were family.

However, with the good came the bad, as Hearthwood never did have the best of luck.

The forest was unusually quiet today, causing the fur to stand on the back of his neck as he maneuvered through the trees, his brows narrowed darkly. He had returned from a patrol with the intent to check on the mothers of the pack, as he typically did. Even though he had only fathered one of the Hearthwood litters Lachesis often felt as though he had five puppies, as he tried to spend as much time with them (and their mothers) as possible. First on his list was Kisla, for she had been the most distant, likely a result of her eldest son leaving the river a second time. The Baranski had done well in taking care of his mother, and her cubs, prior to his departure. Now that he was gone Lekalta had resumed his role and spent most of her time with her mother (and avoiding him).

While his cheeks grew warm and his heart started beating erratically at the thought of Lilya and their accidental family XIX often wondered what would have happened between the river princess and him if she had not left. She had disappeared before anything could blossom between them and returned when he had devoted himself to the blue-eyed sparrow, even if he had not verbally admitted it to himself or her. Their timing had never been right and perhaps it was for good reason. He had found happiness with the war veteran, even if they still denied their feelings for each other.

As he drew closer he could hear an argument disturbing the eerie calm that settled over the Kingswood. His ears twitched as a frown cut across his lips, his paws digging into the soft forest floor as he halted his steps.

… the father is an old friend …

His brows immediately shot up as he realized he was intruding on a private conversation, his tail falling slack between his legs.

… he might try to take them …

Curiosity consumed him but he forced himself to take several steps back, distancing himself from the Baranski woman. Kisla had not shared the identity of her children’s father with him and he did not want to know. Not unless she wanted him to. It was none of his business, regardless of the ranks they held and the friendship that had developed between them.

He was about to retreat when he heard Kisla shout, commanding Lekalta to move! before a growl ripped through the air. Panic surged through him as he propelled himself through the trees, ignoring the branches that tugged at his fur, threatening to slow him down.

A familiar metallic scent filled his nostrils as he watched Lekalta flee the scene, his chartreuse pools wide with fear. No! came Inna’s voice from beyond the trees, causing Lachesis’ ears to fall against the back of his crown. A tan, feline shape followed close at her heels—and with a flick of a long, slender tail, they were gone. “Lekalta!” He shouted after her, his paws stumbling against the dirt as he stared at the spot where the tawny Baranski had disappeared. She is fast, he thought frantically to himself, she will escape. She will lead the cat away and return.

She had to.

His mouth became dry as he dragged his feet toward where the stench of blood was the strongest. Lachesis knew what had happened before he arrived on the scene but he refused to believe it… even with the blood that pooled upon the ground, it couldn’t be true. “No, no,” he sobbed, not noticing Risaela sprint from the scene, leaving a trail of bloody pawprints behind her. He slumped against the ground, his chartreuse gaze desperately searching Kisla’s tawny frame for any sign of life—but there was none.

Words stuck in the back of his throat, unable to fall from his cherry tongue as he pressed his forehead to her bloodied shoulder. They were doing so good. Hearthwood had begun to flourish… Kisla was finally moving forward from her husband’s death… She did not deserve this.

stick with those who stick with you

It had been the commotion of the feline that had first caught the veteran’s attention, her head snapping up as the scent of blood drifted in the breeze and a shiver ran down her spine, alarm instantly hinting at her features as she took off towards the scene without a second thought. She was far from the first to arrive, however… Inna and Lachesis had beaten her to it, Risaela too… that was where her concern first took her, to the pup looking at her lifeless mother. She felt torn, between the child and the man she loved, even if she’d never admitted her feelings to him.

Or maybe she was torn in three, between the emotions she felt herself staring at the lifeless form of the woman she arguably respected the most in this life… the one who’d been there to talk, and taken worries from her shoulder without a second thought on what those worries might do to herself... She felt pain radiated through her heart, squeezing uncomfortably in her chest as she let out a soft whimper. Why did such painful, gruesome deaths have to happen to the best of wolves? First it’d been her sister, and most of her family for that matter… and now it was Kisla.

The child sprinted from the scene, and Lilya almost went after her… she forced herself to remain, though. She pressed her muzzle against Lachesis’s shoulder, trying to offer what little comfort she could to him. “She ain’t hurtin’ anymore, Lach…” She promised softly as she glanced between everyone who remained. “She’s runnin’ free, watchin’ us from th’clouds along with her mate.” She had Maksim back, and eventually, when their times came, they’d all have them back too… they were still there, just in spirit. She had to be the source of comfort for the daughter who’d just lost her mother, and for the man who’d just lost one of his best friends.

A desperate howl echoed through the trees. A moment of quiet followed – and then a blood curdling scream shattered through the eerie silence.

Lorcan arrived too late.

The scene that greeted him was one that the male had never thought he would ever have to witness. Pale paws slammed to a halt and the contents of his stomach threatened to erupt up from his mouth as his gaze came to settle on the lifeless heap of the fallen matriarch. The dark fur along his spine bristled and his eyes widened as he noticed the dullness of Kisla’s once bright apple green eyes and the blood which pooled around her awkwardly splayed limbs.

The scent of the cougar still lingered in the air and the thought of what the honeyed woman had endured before her final breath caused a shiver to crawl up his spine. His attention then shifted to those who had gathered around her and his heart froze when he spotted the dark hunched figure of Inna as she wept over her dead mother.

Instinctively the male found himself sweeping in towards her. He came to linger silently by Inna’s side, his own paws stepping into the blood which the grieving daughter had slumped down into. His heart raced inside his chest as he drew a blank about what to say, his mind completely overwhelmed by the entire situation to be able to offer the woman any consoling words. He chose to remain silent, not wanting to make the situation worse, and instead sat down and carefully leant forwards to gently place his muzzle over hers in an attempt to comfort her.

A single kiss was then placed on Inna’s forehead as his eyes drifted down to gaze solemnly at their fallen leader.

(This post was last modified: Jul 26, 2017, 04:22 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

It had all happened so fast and even though it was happening right in front of her Inna didn't want to believe it. That her mother had been struck down by a cougar, her mother was so strong. How could this have happened to her and now when she seemed to be finally getting back to her life after Maksim had died. She saw the flash of her sister's pelt as she led the cougar away but all In all could think about was her mother. The Raven ran to Kisla her scream still ringing in her ears reaching her just before she took her last breath and then her body relaxed as the life left her.

Inna curled up against her mother like she had as a pup with tears streaming down her cheeks. Kisla couldn't comfort her anymore like she always had when she was younger and even as she had grown older. She was aware that Lachesis had come his voice calling to Lekalta, it was a noble thing to lead the cougar from the territory. She could only hope that she would not lose her sister now after she had just gotten her back and when she needed her most. Inna was worried about the pale man she knew that he had grown close to her mother in past months. They had been a team working together to keep Hearthwood alive. She knew she could not let him give up but she still worried for the future of the pack.

How could they go on with such a great loss? How could she go on now that she had lost both her parents. As she buried her face into Kisla's bloody fur she heard Lilya's voice, her words only a small comfort for the Raven. Maybe someday they would be worth more to her but in that moment all she could think about is that she had lost her mother the one who had raised her to he the woman she was. How was she to cope with that? Silent sobs wracked her body as she tried to move closer to her mother's body.

It was the touch of a muzzle on her own that caused her to open her eyes and met the golden gaze of Lorcan. He didn't say anything to her then, no false 'it's going to be okay’s’ or 'you’ll get through this’. It was probably best that he didn't say anything in moment. Inna didn't care if he did all that mattered that he was there and showing his support for her the best way he could. A whine escaped her that she hoped he would understand how thankful she was to have him back with her in that moment.

She wasn't sure anyone could say anything that could make this better. The only thing that could make this better was for it to not be true was for her mother to wake up and tell her she was okay. That this was all a nightmare she would wake up from soon.

~Table by Jacqueline

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

@Lilya @Lorcan feel free to suggest moving the body -- we can get this wrapped up in one more round :B

The blue-eyed sparrow’s words barely reached him as he lay with his forehead pressed against her tawny fur, hoping—praying—that the fallen matriarch’s eyes would flutter open. That Lekalta would return, her cherry tongue lolled from the side of her mouth as though nothing had happened. It couldn’t be real. Every time things started to go well for the river wolves tragedy would strike once more. Lachesis was beginning to wonder if they were cursed; if they had done something to anger the wolves above. Had they settled on some ancient burial grounds and were dealing with the repercussions of settling on hollowed ground? Was it him? Was he the bad omen? All the deaths were linked to him… Maksim had been a long-time friend, Naia the mother of his first litter, Laddeus had been the son he’d never meet, and now Kisla, his co-pilot and confidant. Was he the cursed one?

Lorcán arrived shortly after the sparrow, but Lachesis did not acknowledge him either. Part of him wanted to chase after Lekalta and the cougar, and punish the estranged feline for the pain it had caused the river wolves. He swallowed the angry growl that threatened to form in his throat, his brows narrowing darkly as he remained pressed against the fallen queen.

He knew they had to bury her—move the body before the blood stained the ground. Move her so she could finally be with her mate once more. But he could not move—not yet. His paws remained rooted to the ground, his eyes squeezed shut as he did not want tears to spill. The ghost needed to be strong for his pack, even if it hurt. Even if it felt as though his heart was being ripped into dozens of pieces and his lungs were on the brink of collapsing. Showing weakness was not an option. 

stick with those who stick with you