Sacred Grove don't TRUST me

prayin' for daylight, waitin' for that morning sun so i can act like my whole life ain't goin' wrong It's been quite some time since the encounter with the two females, Athena and Naira. Since then he had eaten well with Rainuh after the short-lived hunt. Things had been quite comfortable since the awkward meeting, where he was outnumbered by females. He could deal with Rainuh, but with other females he tended to be more awkward; not quite sure what to say or how to say it. Females were far more complex than males. His wound was nearly healed. There was a scab now, but soon it would be a scar and it would no longer itch or hurt the little bit that it still did. He shook out his fur, ignoring the itch around the wound, and continued onward, straight for the the border of the nearby pack. He knew where he was. When he had been in the area before he had taken the time to scope out the wolves that lived in the area and he had come across the pack borders. He did not cross them then, and nor would he now, but it was time for he and Rainuh to join a pack so that they could begin to build up their strength and start their own pack someday. It would take time - they still needed to find allies - but he was sure that they could manage it. When the smell of many wolves told him that he was at the border he came to a stop. Knowing full well that Rainuh was not far behind him, he wasted no time lifting his muzzle to the sky. A long, deep howl echoed through the trees as he sang his call to the leaders of this pack. He made his message clear; he was interested in joining. His message was not so detailed as to let the leaders know that he had brought someone along with him, but that was something he could deal with later. baby come back to me, i swear I'll make it right don't make me spend another lonely night prayin' for daylight

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Rainuh, a white female Arctic Wolf of medium build, tagged along behind the larger black-furred male. Her footfalls were silent as she padded through the trees, always following and staying close to her companion and mate. When they made it to their destination, she sat back on her haunches to rest as her tongue lolled out the side of her mouth.

As she rested, Rainuh took the opportunity to look around and take in her surroundings. She'd never been in this area before so everything seemed <span class='word'>selcouth</span> and eerie. It was sending shivers dancing up her spine as she took in all of the various sights, sounds, and smells that the area had to offer. Suddenly, she felt her ears perk up and the hair on her nape prickle as Sabre, her mate, lifted his muzzle to the sky and howled.

OOC: Hey Wolfie, just a heads up that you need to be trying to increase your postlength. We'd like to see around 250 words per post. If you need some advice as to how to beef up your posts, check out the role play tips guide. I apologize if this post is a bit off, I'm a bit burned out with joining threads. :x

Gone Tomorrow

This time, when the howl came, she knew exactly what the lone wolf wanted. He was clear on that point, anyway. It was enough for her to know that she was needed, and where, but given her recent attitude towards lone wolves, she was in no hurry to answer him. But as good fortune would have it, the gray and creme female was relatively close when the call came, having taken the day to travel out to this particular section of the borders. Lowering her leg, finished with marking a tree trunk with her scent, Corinna turned her attention to the matter at hand. The call was male, and given the time of the year, she was not particularly excited about greeting him on her own. As she drew closer, she instinctively sought out the scents of Triell or Naira, having grown accustomed to them beating her to the punch when it came to meeting lone wolves, but there were no fresh scents of them. It seemed she would be on her own today.

Pulling herself up to her full height, Corinna held herself as a leader should, head and tail up and ears pointed forward. There was nothing subtle about it, so hopefully there would be no mistake as to who she was. Though, she was surprised to find that there was not one wolf waiting at her borders, but two. It had been the dark brown colored male who had called, but no mention had been made regarding the female. While she could not know for sure if they were a couple, she was not particularly thrilled to accept another female into the pack. While their numbers were unbalanced, she was not kind to her fellow females this time of the year. No apologies for that though, that was simply how it was. "Corinna Tainn. I'm the leader of Swift River." A curt introduction was made, head dipping ever so slightly in a nod. No other words were said, it was on their shoulders to convince her to let them past the invisible marker that determined free land from claimed.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. For some reason, what Ice really disliked, was loners howling for his leaders. He couldn't quite decide why he disliked it so much, but he did - he hated it, loathed it, and wanted to bite and growl and snap at those who did. Something about it, no matter how respectfully done, just seemed so.. pushy. Arrogant. Demanding. Fur bristling and uncommon anger waking, the pale male disentangled himself from the branches of a bush, pausing only long enough to shake the debris out of it before slipping into the darkness. Paws found their way through the forest, memory and instinct guiding him along dark paths as his nose drank in every scent, picking the air apart, analyzing. Corinna was nearby, but loner drifted against him, oppressive and foul and igniting the embers in his heart and soul. There was the distinct smell of female, and of male - and, of Corinna. Two loners? That just sucked. Without introduction or further ado, the large pale wolf slipped out of the surroundings behind Corinna. Quickly, his eyes drank in the scene; a large dark male, a smaller pale female. They stank of each other, and he wanted to bare his teeth and tell them to sod off, and he didn't even know why! He blamed it all on the season; hormones was a vernal thing. When else did it rage so freely, confound so many, drive them to their limits? Not ever, but at the same time, he had no weapons to counter it with. Instinct blazed, and instinct ruled. Swallowing the violence, those dark, sick clouds that rolled just underneath the skin, he slid up behind the female half of his leader pair. Sturdy legs bore his weight evenly as he halted by her side, a dip of his head and a soft touch to her cheek his fleeting greeting. Despite his silence, despite his lack of words, there was something decidedly protective about him - the way he stood angled, registering every movement they did. Analyzing. Evaluating. Waiting. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

prayin' for daylight, waitin' for that morning sun so i can act like my whole life ain't goin' wrong Sabre remained on his feet, waiting patiently for the appearance of a pack leader, or even of another member of the pack. He made it a point to stand slightly ahead of Rainuh, as if to show that she was under his protection. He felt confident that the pack would take them in, as they each had skills to offer and neither of them had any ill will towards this particular pack - or any other pack in the area. He and his mate just wanted a home for a year or so, where they could be a part of a pack and feel useful again. Of course, there were his other goals of growing stronger and gaining some experience in how a pack worked. The other packs he had once been a part of had been very loosely organized, some hardly even packs at all. It didn't take quite as long as he had expected for someone in the pack to appear. When she did come into view, Sabre was certain that she was a leader. Who could have missed it? She held herself like one, as he sometimes did when he was challenged by a loner. However, today was not the day to be strutting around like he owned the place. And, if things went right, he wouldn't be doing that for quite some time, unless he met a loner at some point or another. Sabre quickly lowered his head to a respectful position, showing submission to the dominant female, though deep inside he hated the gesture. He lowered his tail down to his legs, but did not go so far as to put it between his legs. His ears were almost flat against his skull. He needed this to go right, and he was willing to do almost anything to make it work. Almost anything. He discreetly glanced at Rainuh, hoping that she would copy his posture. Before he had a chance to respond to Corinna's introduction, another wolf appeared. This one was male, but clearly a subordinate and not the male leader of the pack. Sabre paid him little attention, putting his focus on Corinna. "My name is Sabre, and this is Rainuh," he said, ending with a gesture towards his mate. "We've been searching for a pack to call home, where our skills can be put to real use." As a loner, his skills were hardly useful. Hunting was difficult on your own."We can both hunt, and I can fight if there's ever a reason. Rainuh is good with pups." He desperately hoped that was enough to convince Corinna, though he somehow doubted it. Though he didn't show it, he did not like either of the pack wolves, and he instinctively moved closer to Rainuh. If she had anything to add, now would be a great time. Anything would help their case. baby come back to me, i swear I'll make it right don't make me spend another lonely night prayin' for daylight

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Rainuh sat near to her mate, but remained behind him as she could sense his wish to remain in front of her. She was enjoying the crisp, pre-<span class='word'>vernal</span> weather when her ears picked up the soft sound of footfalls which broke her from her trance. She stood to her paws when she saw the newcomer step into the clearing that they sat in. Rainuh could tell from the scent that the wolf was a female, and she could tell from her stance that she was the leader. She bowed her head, lowered her ears, and tucked the tip of her limp tail respectfully.

She listened silently as her mate spoke to the leader, her ears slightly perking instinctively as her name was mentioned before resting against her head again, and nodded her agreement with his words, adding her own after he finished speaking. <b>I can hunt, as Sabre said, and I would enjoy helping to look after pups if it's necessary.</b> She did indeed have a soft spot when it came to pups and would immensely enjoy caring for them if given a chance to. She had to fight to keep her tail from wagging in joy at the thought of it.

She stiffened slightly and her hackles fought to rise as yet another stranger approached, this time a male. She forced herself to focus her attention off of the newcomer, whom she could tell was a subordinate, and focus back on the alpha female. It was a difficult task, however, as the strange male's presence made her edgy and she longed to move closer to her mate but kept from doing so.

Gone Tomorrow

Her guard was not long in joining her, and there was no doubt that Corinna was somewhat relieved to Ice there, backing her up. While it was not likely that she would be attacked along the borders, she would not disregard the possibility completely. And given the pack's current situation...her injury could be detrimental to the overall moral of the wolves she led. It didn't ease her any to discover that there were in fact two wolves waiting for her, so the situation was made better by the presence of Ice behind her. And as it came out that the two were mates, well, that hardly made matters easier on her. The time of year was not friendly to mated pairs who did not have a place of their own to call home.

As expected, she was informed that the two wolves, Sabre and Rainuh, were good hunters. No wolves who walked the lands of Relic Lore were poor hunters, at least none that had come to her borders seeking refuge. At the mention of cubs, Corinna's green eyes narrowed, and she shot a look to the other female. She might not know it, but nature dictated that they would be rivals, until breeding season passed. What was it that made her good with pups, exactly? Experience of her own? "You realize," she began, the edge in her voice clearly noticeable. "That by coming into my home, you are forfeiting any rights of cubs of your own. This pack only has the means to support one litter, and pack hierarchy dictates whose litter that is." And it was clear, by her posture and tone, that this particular issue would be the breaking point. Provided how they reacted would determine if they were invited across the invisible, though powerful, border, or if they were told to leave.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. He couldn't quite keep the irritation out of his system, smothering a ragged sigh with great difficulty. He didn't mind not being observed, so that this Sabre kept his eyes off didn't bother him... but it was the way he did it that set his hairs on edge. Of course, it was Corinna he had to impress in order to be admitted, but the only thing Ice had felt was disregard; arrogance. If he wanted to be a part of a functioning pack - a pack Ice would kill and die for - he had to fit the hierarchy. Desperately the large River male fought to keep a rein on his temper. Likely, Corinna wouldn't appreciate him flying at loners.. even stupid, arrogant loners who didn't even know how to tuck their tails. His cold eyes were narrowed, the reflected emotion chilly. They didn't need discordant wolves in their pack - they needed harmony. They needed what they already had, and not someone else to disturb that balance. That this rogue pair was mated didn't make it better. Would they truly be a part? Would they belong? Or would they just sit in the protection and moon about each other? Could you truly devote mind and body, soul and heart to a pack that wasn't your own, if you had a mate? If you had a mate, wouldn't the drive for children of your own - a pack of your own - drive you away in the end? Questions lacking answers flashed through his mind, posture rigid and betraying little. Sabre was protective, that much he could tell, and Rainuh didn't seem to mind - she seemed to enjoy it. Coward, his mind hissed. Ice was much too independent - and Corinna too, for that matter - to ever cower behind someone else, to ever let someone so visibly, publicly, claim him. He'd seen Indru and Corinna together.. two solid halves of an even more solid whole. They fit, so neatly, and both were strong - she wasn't an ornament in his rule, she stood shoulder to shoulder with him, not hidden behind his large frame. Though Indru.. damn, where was the man? Ice's heart hardened, gaze flinty, and barely caring he pinned Sabre with a long, cold stare. He didn't want these loners. He didn't want anyone that came begging at their borders. And that was why he was digging up every reason he could of why to not let them in. But, at the end of the day it still wasn't his choice. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

prayin' for daylight, waitin' for that morning sun so i can act like my whole life ain't goin' wrong Sabre sighed inwardly. Were wolves really so stupid these days? Did Rainuh even look as if she could carry a litter of pups right now? They had been separated for so long, and he had no idea what Rainuh had even gone through. As it was, neither he nor his mate were fit enough to raise pups of their own. Even if they tried, chances are any pups that were born would be few and either stillborn or near death. Breeding season would be over soon, anyways, and Rainuh would not be well enough to raise pups by that time, even with the assistance of a pack. "As you can see," he said clearly, looking directly at Corinna, though avoiding eye contact. "Neither of us is in a position where we could successfully raise pups of our own. We have no intention of breeding this season, and the next season is a year away yet. Too far ahead to think about just yet." He was doing his best to be respectful. His ears were pulled back, his head was low and his tail was right down along with his legs, if not quite between them. He and Rainuh needed a home. "Besides that, when we tried for pups before.....nothing happened. We're not so eager to try again right now. For all we know one of us is barren." There was some pain in his voice. They had tried, once, back before they were separated. It was a long time ago, but he wasn't going to tell them how long. "We're only looking for a home right now," he said, making his voice as sincere as was possible. He had ulterior motives, but he had kept them hidden perfectly. He was telling the truth. Right now they did need a home. He simply was not telling the whole truth, and they had no way of knowing that. "We've both been alone for a very long time since our last packs, and we just want to be a part of a pack again." Throughout all of this, Sabre was thinking in his head that these wolves were blind. Both he and Rainuh had been a part of packs before, and they were well aware of the hierarchy that existed. The one time they had tried for pups they had been loners, and nothing had come of it - not even a pregnancy, as far as he had been able to tell. And they had been separated not long after that, by the fire that ravaged the area. baby come back to me, i swear I'll make it right don't make me spend another lonely night prayin' for daylight

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Rainuh lowered her ears until they laid flat against her head which was bowed respectfully. <b>Yes, Ma'am. We understand that.</b> She couldn't really think of anything else to say, so she kept silent as she waited to see what would happen next. Every muscle in her body was tensed, though she forced herself to look relaxed, and her senses were heightened to their maximum potential. She was hoping beyond hope that they'd be accepted, but so far things were tense and rigid between them all.

As she stood silently, waiting for the Alphaess's decision, she heard birds all over that were either flying overhead or singing in the trees. She also heard squirells and chipmunks skittering across the tree branches and heard rabbits moving through the underbrush. She could even hear the breathing and heartbeats of the three other wolves in the clearing. The light breeze carried all kinds of different scents to her nose. She could smell each of the animals that she heard as well as the earth and the plants around them.

Turning her attention back to her companions, she forced herself to focus back on the situation at hand. She had relaxed a bit when she allowed her thoughts to drift to her surroundings. Now that she faced her current situation once again, however, she had to fight to keep herself from tensing up once again. Her ears wanted to stand upright, but she forced them to lie flat. The last thing she wanted to do was offend the Alphaess. They needed a home and couldn't afford to make any mistakes.