Thicket of Secrets Just push play

The thicket was hushed; the birds were quiet. A fresh rain had fallen
from the waned clouds, wetting the tangled trees and bracken. The winged
creatures perched themselves in trees, preening their dampened feathers.
Below, an earthen wolf lingered, traveling silently on the soaked old
leaves lining the ground.

The smell of the air was unforgettable. The soft mosses that crept up the trees
were wet, giving off a fascinating scent. The earth's smells flowed within her nostrils,
and Pakuna paused. Her coat camoflauged herself remarkably well within the surround-
ings of the thickets. A doe walked along about forty yards away, her tawny coat broken
apart by the mangled branches between she and the wolf.

Watching carefully, Pakuna lowered herself. The woman slowly began to slink forward,
each step placed with thought. Although she did not plan on taking the life of this creature,
she wished to practice her stealth. Tail lowered, straightening out like a fresh branch of a
sapling. Dark rounded ears remained alert, standing up tall and forward. The doe froze now,
her head whipping in the direction of the hidden woman. Large, dark pools for eyes remained
glassy as the deer continued to stare into the maze of branches. With a flick of her large ears,
she turned her head, continuing to walk.

Pakuna let a small smile come across her broad face, and she carefully raised her body up-
wards. There was no point in stalking the doe. She stood now, watching the hoofed mammal
continue along. Admiring the beauty of the creature was something Pakuna took interest in.
Her knack remained with birds, but she always did like observing other creatures.

(This post was last modified: Apr 28, 2012, 12:34 AM by Pakuna.)

I'm setting this before my thread with Naira, just for the record. :]
<blockquote>The Thicket had recently been Volkan's home away from home. Like a ghost, she enjoyed appearing and disappearing as she pleased amongst the tangled branches. Much like Bramble Falls had been her favorite place when she needed time and space from Swift River, the Thicket of Secrets was Volkan's new haunt. It was close enough that she could return home as she pleased, and the hunting in the Blackberry Fields and throughout the Orchard was always promising. So today she found herself there again, exploring idly, when the unmistakable scent of a deer crossed her path.

Nose to the ground, Volk slunk silently through the twisted branches. Hung with moss, the forest was alive, breathing, and the fresh spring air invigorated her senses. The doe's scent was strong, and easy to pick out even amidst the earthy smells of the forest floor. Unless it was small, she wasn't going to risk bringing it down herself, but—

There was a wolf nearby, too. As she drew nearer, the scent of her own pack became apparent, and Volkan lifted her head to peer through the mess of emerald woods with a narrowed gaze. At once she stopped: the deer was in view. But where was the wolf? The gray female remained still, frozen where she stood, eyeing the creature. One doe, like she thought. Solo. No antlers— eh, but she wouldn't risk it. As the elegant creature began to step away from her, she noticed a canine head rise slowly out of the cover of the forest. It was a face she recognized, if only barely.

Slowly she glanced back to the deer. It still stepped gracefully along, seemingly unaware of its two stalkers. Volkan wasn't sure what to do next: if they wanted, they could probably take it down. But... did they want to? The other female just seemed to be... watching it, seemingly having thrown caution to the wind. So Volk stood there, doing the same, waiting for something to happen.</blockquote>

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Pakuna continued to watch the elegant creature. The light came through the canopy as dappled spots, casting themselves upon the doe's coat as she hoofed along. Drops of water fell gently from emerald leaves, landing on the soft earth below. Suddenly, there seemed to be a change within the wind. Pakuna scented another wolf, but it was a familiar scent: Copper Rock Creek. Blinking she turned her head to the right, observing a gray-black wolf. Her pale emerald eyes caught her pale icy ones, and she smiled in greeting to her.

She shook her head slowly now, to let her know that she had no intention whatsoever of going after the doe. With grace, the older woman slunk through the undergrowth and towards Volkan. Within moments, she was about three feet infront of her. "Afternoon, packmate" she said, almost in a whisper. She dipped her head in a polite manner towards Volkan before she parted her jaws to speak yet again.

"I be Pakuna... I don' get much o' a chance to introduce meself to other packmates." a frown pulled at her ebon lips, but she refused to let it adorn her muzzle. With a friendly flick of her tail, she looked into the female's pale blue eyes- pretty. She had not seen eyes like that since she was young.

(This post was last modified: Apr 28, 2012, 11:11 PM by Pakuna.)

<blockquote>The other wolf began to approach, and Volk remained where she stood, watching silently as the doe noticed them and sauntered away somewhere through the trees. She heard it stop nearby, just out of sight, apparently aware that the wolves were not a threat to it. Blinking, she faced the other female again, dominance entering her stance. She lifted her head and her tail, though on her colorless face was a small smile. At her greeting, Volk nodded once in response. <i>Pakuna.</i> She'd heard that name before, but couldn't remember where or when.

"Heh, yeah, I remember you from the meeting, but it seems like we haven't run into each other since then," Volk replied honestly. It was odd that there was still a Creek wolf she hadn't met, but she was glad it was happening now, rather than later. This time around, though, she didn't feel any of the odd isolation that had plagued her at her first encounter with Kano, Kashikoi, and Wille. Perhaps it was the idea that this Pakuna was subordinate to her that eased her spirits a little— or maybe it was the fact that there was something enchanting about the Thicket that helped to calm her. Still, she naturally couldn't help but keep careful watch for Pakuna to show at least some signs of submission as she spoke. "I'm Volkan."</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Apr 28, 2012, 11:38 PM by Volkan.)

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Pakuna nodded to Volkan "It be a pleasure to meet ye". She lowered her head in a respective manner, rounded ears pinning against her head. Her tail lowered, and wagged slightly in submission. Eyes flickering about, she took in a deep breath of the rainy air. "It be beautiful here...I should come more often." Pakuna released a slight titter, one that was gruff. Her voice was not feminine, but made of rougher tones- still identifiable as female, of course.

"Ye like it here, too?" the earthen female questioned, although it seemed she already knew the answer. This was her first time exploring the thicket, and she most certainly would return. The silence it provided was more than soothing- it almost lulled her into sleep. The moss that adorned the mangled branches of the trees was something that seemed almost magical. With the recently fallen rain, it was even more beautiful. Through the canopy, a small rainbow could be seen. With a grin, Pakuna looked back to Volkan, her eyes gazing back at hers.

<blockquote>Pakuna displayed her submission, and so Volkan abandoned her would-be regal posture after a moment. She liked having her rank— but sometimes displaying it seemed like such a <i>formality.</i> Either way, she visibly relaxed, icy eyes drifting to the spot in the emerald treetops where Pakuna seemed to be looking. ""Specially on rainy days," Volk agreed, taking a moment to inhale the rain-soaked air. There was little sunlight to be found in the Thicket, and what there was did a beautiful job of saturating everything in rich, earthen colors. Noticing the rainbow in the sky, she smiled a little, glad that the Thicket had delivered its promise, which was not to let her down.

Though, she couldn't help but notice the other female's way of speaking. Volk sometimes realized that she spoke differently from other wolves, and she'd encountered quite a few wolves were weren't native to Relic Lore. But Pakuna's voice was rough, and the way she chose her words intrigued Volkan. Politely, she studied her, head tilting at an inquisitive angle. "Where're you from? I don't think I've ever heard an accent like yours before," she admitted with a slight shrug.</blockquote>

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Pakuna nodded her head to the packmate's words. Words could not describe the beauty of this land; it could only be appreciated through the eyes and mind. She smiled softly as Volkan asked of where she was from. "Aye, get that a lot, I do." the gruff woman said, shaking out her tawny toned pelt briefly. "I be from a wee bit South of here. Me ol' pack spoke the way I do, ye see." Pakuna turned for a moment, eyes following two small butterflies that fluttered through the mess of branches and undergrowth. They moved elegantly, fluttering about as if they were dancing. Looking back to Volkan now, she continued her explaination.

"Dunno why me family spoke like this. Broke up quickly, they did. I be clueless why." She shrugged her shoulderblades lightly now, the muscle fluidly rolling beneath her coat. The thicket around them was quite aphotic; there seemed to be a change in light tone everywhere one would look. The sunlight was only allowed in specific parts through the moss-covered canopy. It created an almost fairy-tale sort of setting.

"What about yeself?" She asked now, ears perking a bit. "Ye don' have to say much, I ain't a nosey beast." A slight titter rumbled in her chest, and her pale eyes glowed with a rather friendly expression. Pakuna's tail flicked, and she waited to see what the woman before her would have to say.

(This post was last modified: May 01, 2012, 12:16 AM by Pakuna.)

<blockquote>Volkan shifted her weight, pale eyes wandering around the whimsical forest scene as Pakuna explained, in her odd voice, where she was from. South, huh? Interesting. The Aquilas had encountered quite a few packs, usually on less-than-friendly terms, but Volk had never heard any accent quite like this female's before. But then again, most of the Aquilas' exchanges with other packs hadn't really involved much talking, and one couldn't really determine an accept from the cries of rage and pain that accompanied battle. At this thought, she studied Pakuna's face, though she seemed like any other wolf, and not from a family she recognized.

Pakuna described the breaking up of her pack, and Volk nodded once, familiar with the task of having to explain why she'd left. At least she had an excuse, and could say that her pack was no longer in tact— a fact which Volk noticed she had admitted pretty casually. Volkan couldn't say the same about her family... they were still very much alive and well somewhere far South, despite the fact that she didn't necessarily want them to be.

The other female's question caused her to shrug; she'd been expecting it. Though she didn't particularly like having to talk about her family, she figured a few details couldn't hurt. After all, it was only fair, since she'd asked the same question of Pakuna. At her second words she grinned, laughing a little, though it faded quickly. "I'm from a place South of here, too. Though... pretty far South," she replied, her expression mostly blank. There weren't a lot of smiles to be had at her memories of her old home, though it wouldn't make sense to burden her pack mate with a barrage of angry words about the Aquilas. "Not like this place at all. It gets cold here, and there's no sea... makes me miss home sometimes," she concluded, aware that the temperature and the location of the Aquila Clan were the only things she missed. "Although, I do like it here. Never been in a forest quite like this. Even Copper Rock Creek is pretty special."</blockquote>

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Pakuna's ears twitched at the word sea. She had met another wolf who lived by it, and she had called her "wolf of the sea." Gladius. Pakuna missed that friendly wolf, and for a brief moment she stood, wondering where she had dissapeared to. Shaking her head, she gazed at Volkan "Ah. Once met a wolf 'round here that lived by the sea, yes, she did. Friendly girl." Although Volkan probably did not care for her relationships, she thought that this specific relationship would provide her with a bit of comfort.

Pakuna turned a bit away now, side-stepping towards a puddle. She looked down slowly, pale eyes gazing into the small pool of liquid. Water dripped steadily from a leaf above, adding to the puddle below. A soft smile crept across her muzzle, and she sighed before looking back to Volkan. "I miss me family. Nay, ye prolly don' wish to hear a wolf blab, do ye? Jus' sayin'...they were kind. Dunno why they parted. Lived with me ma for 'bout half a year. Wonder if she still be alive." She swallowed hard now, slightly bothered by the thought of her mother out on her own. What if she had stumbled upon another wolf's territory and was torn to bits by them, left like an ort from a kill?

(This post was last modified: May 01, 2012, 07:35 PM by Pakuna.)

<blockquote>She wasn't sure how to respond to Pakuna's story about her mother— not that she minded the discussion, but just that she didn't have any words to offer her. Pakuna seemed like a mature adult, which meant her mother would be pushing old age, maybe Marsh's age. So the likelihood of her finding success as a lone wolf would be small... Although, if she'd come to Relic Lore, perhaps she'd fallen in with one of the packs? Instead of mentioning this aloud, Volkan only shrugged, offering a small apologetic smile.

"How do you like Copper Rock Creek so far?" She asked curiously, eager to change the subject; family was never one of her favorite topics to discuss. Volkan still didn't know much about her pack mates other than the original founding four... she still wasn't even sure who'd recruited Pakuna, or the others. She knew it was her duty to know these things, especially if she was interested in ascending the ranks. A pang of guilt constantly seemed to haunt her, even noncommittal as Volkan tended to be, for not being closer to her pack mates. So now, this was her chance, right?</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: May 08, 2012, 10:25 PM by Volkan.)

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