Secluded Spring A New Day

Dawn was breaking over the foothills of the mountain pass. It started slow, a subtle graying. The sun rose suddenly, drenching the mountain in soft light.

With the light came a fine drizzle. It heralded the coming season. The mountain-born wolf could sense the snow that would begin falling in the coming weeks. Iopah extracted herself from the rock crevice where she had spent the night. She whined anxiously, the sound swallowed up quickly by the rain. It would be her first winter alone. The honey and gray woman looked forlornly up the mountain. She remembered Tlarx's advice, <i>seek shelter in the forest for the winter.</i> Iopah turned her lithe frame to look into the still dark forest. Blunt, thick nails dug into the rock, and Iopah stretched her limbs. Without another sound or hesitation she started down into the forest.

Iopah had been through a lot in the past year and a half since she had left her birth pack. There had been no way for the young girl to know that she was to be the only survivor of her parents pack. She continued deeper into the forest as the rain continued softly around her. The she wolf looked at the sky visible through the canopy. She sincerely hoped it would be a mild winter. It would be embarrassing, after everything, to fall to the weather.

The scent. It was faint, at first. The scent of many wolves woven together. She sighed inwardly. A pack. She was about to turn away when she noticed. Something was off. It didn't smell right. She padded closer to investigate.

Finally, heart pounding she reached the border, or what remained of it. It was old, hadn't been freshened in a couple weeks. Iopah's instincts were screaming. She had not been this close to a border since she had belonged on the other side of one. She didn't belong here. She was breaking a promise just by being here. Agitated, Iopah paced along the decrepit border. Part of her longed to turn away and run. Yet the gray and gold she-wolf hesitated, Iopah was torn. There was another soft and insistent part of herself that urged her on. There was something she needed to find. Something was calling to her.

Iopah walked over the border, she stopped and looked around. All was silent. Iopah continued her steady trot, intent on her search. The female made her way deeper into the forest and closer to the heart of Copper Rock Creeks territory.

It had been weeks since the small wolf had felt the <span class='word'>beatitude</span> that came with being in a pack. He had chose to stay with the former pack. It was after all the only home he ever knew in his short life. The days were quickly becoming cold as it was starting to show on him. Having no pack to help him hunt large game he had to revert to small game and plants. He looked a bit thing and a tiny bit frail in his current state. The smells of the pack were slowly leaving his nose that knew it so well. Even if there was no pack anymore he still circled the borders without marking it. In his mind it was still his duty even if he was no longer a second in a pack. He was nothing with out a pack, he was in a word, "Scrap" again, the small frail form that he had left behind. After walking for a bit a fresh smell of wolf met his nose leading him to investigate. When the wolf came into sight his hackles raised with a growl before promptly ending as it would be pointless. Seeing nothing else to do he admitted the simple truth to the wolf. "The pack has disbanded, I was former second and one of the few who are staying here, I'm Kashikoi."

With death comes life and with life comes hope.

It had been long expected of her to scout for new territory and she has in fact been doing so. The thickets had proved to be the most useful for the time being. Offering plenty of protection and warmth for the winter, along with plentiful prey and water. She had even gone as far as searching for herbs and he hunt had turned up successful, though not as plentiful as the herbal sanctuary in where Copper Rock Creek had settled down. It had been completely out of thought as she walked back towards the territory, wanting to catch in with Kashikoi and tell him of her knowledge and news. From the wolves gathered, if Kashikoi was to stay with her and Sloane become alpha male as she had planned for right now, then Kashikoi the second.

When she arrived at what used to be the borders of her former back her posture straightened out, her ears strained forward, and her fangs flashed over slightly before re-hiding themselves as she carefully and slowly made her way to Kashikoi's side. She had once again regained her size, towering over him slightly as she looked at the loner across from her. Parting her lips quickly, she spoke, <b>"Greetings. I am Nina Reinier."</b> She spoke with a strange confidence, her one emerald eye scanning over her carefully.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Iopah was nervous. Despite the fading smell of wolves, her skin prickled. There was something she needed to find, though she could not put a name to it. It compelled her on. She had not gone far when Kashikoi found her. Mid-step, she froze. Gold eyes stared in shock. When his hackles went up she carefully, slowly set her foot down.

She was terrified. He must have been on patrol to have found her so soon. And only packs have borders to patrol. How could she have made this mistake? She had done what she had always been careful to avoid; She had trespassed on pack land.

Just as she was about to turn and run his hackles dropped. Iopah blinked. He spoke before she had a chance to reevaluate the situation. His words answered some question, while creating others. She opened her mouth, reconsidered, then closed it again with the question still locked inside her. His words had done little to reassure her. She remembered the unexpected attack when a fellow pack mate had realized the alpha position was up for grabs. In that instant, Iopah became nothing but competition.

Her body was tense, expecting anything from Kashikoi. It was at this point that Nina arrived. Iopah saw the flash of ivory directed at her. She took a step back. Pack or no pack, Iopah knew she was in trouble if they decided to take offense at her intrusion. She watched the new wolf approach Kashikoi. Iopah eyed both warily as Nina spoke. She studied Nina in surprise upon noticing her eye. To have recovered from what must have been a terrible injury was amazing.

<b>"I'm Iopah. I didn't realize that anyone would be here. Very sorry to hear about your pack. I know what it feels like. I was just passing through, I thought there was..."</b> She stopped in confusion. Just what <i>had</i> she been doing? How could she explain it when she didn't understand it?

<b>"I thought there was something in here."</b> She looked at them, envious of their trust in each other. They were both lone wolves in actuality, yet not alone. Iopah felt a pang of loneliness, she turned her head away. <b>"I guess I should leave. I'm sure you don't need me in the way."</b> Iopah slowly turned from the pair.

It soon became apparent that he had caused the female a bit of fright. To be honest he wasn’t sure why he would be considered a threat. He was a half-starved runt to be honest; he didn’t even have a rank now. If he had taken the time to look at himself he would have realized that he looked rather feral. His fur was sticking out in every which way and had thorns and briars tangled in it. He felt a warm body press against his smaller, thinner body causing more than a little jump. Looking over he was a bit surprised to find Nina at his side but appreciated it none the less.

After acknowledging Nina’s presence with a curt wag of his tail he turned his attention back to the lone female wolf. Her comment raised a hair of curiosity in his mind. What was it that she was looking for exactly? He supposed that it could have been the copper rock in the creek from which the late pack got its name. He soon found that the wolf had turned her back on the two of them to leave. Even if she had not encountered a pack before that was a very brash thing to do. He would not have something like that happen. He quickly leapt forward and turned around quickly till he was facing the she wolf. “It is very unwise to turn your back on another wolf, especially since you don’t know if we are friendly or not.” He said this with a small snarl to get his point across, “With that said, stay and tell us what you were looking for.”

With death comes life and with life comes hope.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;"> Her ears twitched slightly, her steely gaze directed upon the other lone wolf in front of her. She seemed to be around the same age as her, and quite thin, though that was expected from a lone wolf and Nina watched in an eerie silence. She patiently listened to the words she had said, and was surprised to hear her words. She was backing away. . .that had perceived Nina in the wrong way. She had definitely flashed her fangs at Kashikoi in warning to be polite. . .this was no longer their land and it was definitely up for claim. There was no longer any need to be territorial. Not long after Iopah turned around did Nina watch as a brown blur flashed by her eye.

Kashikoi was soon in front of the female, a snarl escaping his muzzle. Nina’s own lips pulled back slightly, directing it clearly at him, his words startling her. What was going on here? Her strong shoulders pushed forward so that she was standing next to the female, their build very similar in size. Her words were strong and clear, as if telling Kashi mentally that he needed to calm down, "Might I add onto that. . .we are quite friendly." Her chin lifted slightly as she stared at Kashikoi, a question in her eyes as she stared at him.

Iopah did not expect Kashikoi to react so swiftly. She heard nothing, simply found her self staring directly at him. Her body reacted without thought. A low rumbling growl came from deep in her chest. She managed to stop herself from displaying her canines, but her lips tightened in a blatant warning. Her eyes were hard as she listened to Kashikoi speak.

The truth in his words did not placate her. Her tail lashed in irritation. She <i>should</i> have known better. As Nina padded towards her she kept her full attention on Kashikoi, stealing sidelong glances at Nina as she approached. When Nina came to a full stop beside her Iopah looked fully at her. She was surprised at the unexpected ally. Her tail twitched in a confused wag. What was going on? She returned her attention to Kashikoi. Iopah nodded stiffly at him, <b>"You are right, I should not have done that. So, are you going to be friendly or not?"</b> She spoke evenly, without a trace of menace in her voice. With her attention so focused on Kashilkoi, she did not notice Nina's direct stare at him. A tense moment went by as the gray and gold wolf gave him a chance to think it over.

Iopah looked at Nina, her eyes softening, as she started to answer Kashikoi's question. <b>"It's hard to explain. Kind of like deja vu. It felt like somewhere I'm supposed to be."</b> <i>Like home.</i> Hollow had said her heart would guide her. She was wondering if her heart had taken a wrong turn recently.

(This post was last modified: Nov 07, 2012, 04:11 AM by Iopah.)

In his heart he knew what he was doing was for this wolf’s own good. He could also almost guarantee that Nina would let him hear no end about how he was acting. He rather be an enemy of this wolf and keep her here where she could live for a while, rather than be a no body and let her leave where she could die from starvation. He would not have another wolf live a repeat of his live, it was something would not allow. Ignoring Nina’s warning glance he listened to what this she wolf had to say.
He figured that he better explain himself here and now as the wolf explained why she was here.

“Well you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want.” He let his body relax and look non-threatening to the female. “I only acted the way I did because no wolf deserves to be left to live alone and it was the only way I could keep you here instead of running.” With his explanation out he bowed his head a little. From aggressor to the judged, that was how he felt right now. If the female left there was little he could do, but at least he knew he had tried in his own way. As for Nina he would leave it up to her whether or not she wanted him to be part of the new pack and let their friendship continue or if she would send him on his way.

With death comes life and with life comes hope.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/NinaTable.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 312px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; text-align:justify;"> Her good emerald eye watched the two to of them in silence as they conversed with one another. Their words permanently marking themselves in her brain. Kashi’s words were true but he had not to have been aggressive to keep the female in front of them to staying. Nina’s head lifted slightly as she waited for them to stop speaking. The other loner’s words left a mark in Nina’s brain. She was following her heart and what it was leading her to. This was what Nina appreciated. Someone who knew what their heart longed for and tried to fulfill its longing. Her head tilted slightly to where she could see the other female straight on. She was about the same size as Nina with golden eyes and grayish fur. She didn’t seem too thin for a loner and they were about the same age. She could be a good addition to the forming pack.

She was unsure of how she wanted to approach the topic. She did want to ask her if she would join them and Nina finally considered her words silently in her head. She cleared her throat gently before speaking, "If it is family you seek, I can offer that. I am going to be alpha of a newly arising pack. Kashikoi. . .is my second male. If you are ever interested send word and I will do my best to seek you out." Her tail wagged behind her comfortably as she watched Iopah in confidence. Not confidence in whether the girl would agree or not, more of which in herself. She had finally gained her pride back.

Iopah was conscious of Nina's silent prescence at her side as she waited. <i>What must she think of this exchange?</i> Iopah flicked an ear in her direction for a comment, but none was made. She had to trust that Nina was true to her word. Iopah did not have long to wait for Kashikoi to speak.

She listened impassively to his words. Her eyes were fixed intently on him, noting his relaxing posture without reaction. When he fell silent, lowering his head, Iopah let out her breath all at once. <b>"You sure have a direct way of getting somebody's attention."</b> She relaxed, letting her fur lay flat against her form. Her words had a hint of sarcasm, but there was no mistaking the amusement in her eyes as she spoke. Iopah considered his words, she lowered her gaze, her words soft and earnest. <b>"It is the loneliness that hurts most, more than the hunger and risk."</b>

The gray-hued wolf turned to find Nina regarding her intently. Studying her. Iopah tilted her head, curious. She waited patiently, a gentle wind ruffling her thick fur as she stood with them. Her curiosity turned to shock at Nina's offer. Fear and longing burned in her golden eyes. <b>"More than anything I miss companionship, a sense of belonging."</b>

Suddenly, she sat back on her haunches and looked away from them, not wanting to see their indignantion and pity. <b>"I don't know if I have any trust left in me. I trusted Kavik and Kaya, and they left all of us. What if it happens again?</b> Her question was a whisper. She looked at Nina. <i>Please understand. I don't know how else to say what I feel.</i> She continued, her voice uncertain. <b>"I would like to stay here. I can hunt or whatever else you may need help with."</b>