Ghastly Woods Here We Stand

Claiming time!

Naira
a lady might be afraid but I am not...

OOC here!

It was amazing how a few short days could feel like an age, the hollow gnawing in the pit of her stomach and the sorrowful looks of the pups had been enough to get her through. With each determined step they dragged themselves a little closer to salvation, one step closer to survival. The shelter of the trees was a blessing in itself, snow falling in drifts rather than packing evenly to stand well above her own neck. The sorrowful creaking as the tree sap froze was probably enough to put another wolfs fur on end, but this had been the first place she had dared to call home when she came to this place, so similar to the forest in which she had been raised, and she was sure that it would be her home, their home again.

As she battled forward she couldn’t help but let her mind wander - there was only so much you could focus on shifting snow before your brain began to numb. Perhaps Triell’s superstitions weren’t that far from the truth after all. She had shed the name Aquila somewhere on their long journey down, convinced the name was as cursed as the mountain itself, and while she wouldn’t have changed any of what had happened, she had had far too much time to ponder the what if’s. At least with a fresh start in a new location, if Rhysis did come looking they would have the upper hand, but what other traditions would they shed with the move?

She slowed her steps to pull closer to @Mapplethorpe as she surveyed the forest that surrounded them. It was clear that she was keeping an eye open for the perfect place for the tight-knit family to settle down - hopefully for the last time.

Gent had never before felt such exhaustion. Even the exercises his father had put him through as a child did not compare. With time, he had grown numb to the lashing cold and the ache of his muscles, enabling him to push through even though his eyelids were heavy as lead and it required an excessive amount of effort to generate even the most minor of motions. While he had thought himself well trained, this trial had proven this notion inaccurate. Gent was now painfully aware of his limitations as a yearling, both as physically immature and lacking in experience. However, his tenacity won out; Gent still trailed behind his new queen and her trio of bulldozers the entire way down, aiding in packing down the snow so as to make the way easier for his pack mates. Reaching the forest was an immense relief, despite it's questionable ambiance. He cared little for the atmosphere that Naira chose as home, so long as this test was ended. With the way growing increasingly easier to traverse, Gent felt a final wind lift his sails. As she slowed her pace, so did he, with a glance over his shoulder at the whelps. He had put in the effort to monitor both the effort that they put into the journey, and also any interactions that occurred; besides the yearling girl, they were the the shortest step away from being his peers. Gent had always held a fondness for those younger than him, most likely because of how easily they were manipulated; with the right words and actions, you could be an idol to a child and forever change their outlook on life. Gent wandered slightly to the left, on high alert as he scanned the area. Now that they were off the mountain, it was possible they would find prey, a resource that would be immediately required once the luminaries staked their claim. However, the snow suffocated every sound and scent, and he could sense nothing. Slight concern entered his tired mind as he realized that they were far from being out of the red. Thus he meandered back to the front line, dutifully trailing Naira's every step.

(This post was last modified: Dec 14, 2013, 03:19 AM by Gent.)

Though Mapplethorpe had very little to do with tunneling through the ice and snow when the wolves of Nomads Pass successfully made their attempt to escape the cliffs of the Mountain of Dire, his joints ached and his slender limbs felt as though they would fold with every other step he took. Appearing indifferent and, at best, strong and proud at the feat they had conquered over the past few days of traveling was important, and traveling very close to the front just behind Naira made the grizzled man all the more aware of his stance and poise. For most of the journey, starting after his descent from the rocky slope, he was quiet, assured that the cubs at his back were well-behaved and obedient and their superiors just as solemn and quiet. The wall of crooked trees that had come to greet them held nothing pleasant in its wake but the more the small band of nomads traveled through the Ghastly Woods, the more Mapplethorpe hoped that the wolves under his and Naira's care would trust their decision in finding them a new safe haven.

The branches above creaked and as his head and eyes went up in search of crows, he felt his queen's slow just enough to walk beside him. Leveling his muzzle, he glanced over at his mottled equal, scanning her face. She turned away to observe something off to the side. Mapplethorpe's ears twitched as they stood up atop his skull, listening over the sound of the pack's footsteps for any sign of danger or the opportunity to feed. Their caches were no longer theirs; all of their resources and means of sustenance on the mountain... gone for the sake of slipping through Death's grasp.

When he had once thought of Datura, Adonis, and Taima, he now thought of @Aponi, @Nova, and even @Mercy and their well-being. They had grown up on the mountain and the cozy cradle that was their playground between the bluffs of the Pass. Here, on even ground, he could only wonder just how well they would fare. He cast a look over his shoulder before turning to glance into the side of Naira's head.

"We need to go a little further," he rumbled, a quick jab of his nose towards the space over his shoulder suggesting that they could still be seen from the forest's edge if he could still see the snow-covered boulders at the base of the mountain.

Up on the mountain, the wolves of the Pass had the rocky ledges and lofty perches to their advantage; now, they had to adjust... They needed cover. Once the ideal spy and predator, now the perfect target and prey if they did not keep going. Everywhere he looked he pined to be under the dying hedges and beneath the brambles and dried vines, but often found nothing but the crisp line of white snow, leading in every which direction into the unknown. If memory served him correctly, he also hoped that Aponi would keep in mind the stories he had told her and her sister about the Yeth Hound. About how it snatched wandering cubs from their homes in the middle of the night and preyed upon the wary lone wolf with no company to keep.

Something about the thought actually made a smile crack on one side of his muzzle and he gave an airy snort as they continued to travel whitherward to their new home. With @Rhysis seemingly out of the picture for good, or so Mapplethorpe believed, the Consort now set his mind on a new vision. With Naira at his side, together, they would rebuild the life they once had on the mountain, not as keepers of this forest, but as the ravenous monarchs and hounds of Northern Eden.

He recalled his journey to this place, this expansive land that held the key to what he was missing. The long and tiring road that seemed to show no signs of ending, no traces of hope. But there, at the end of the line, was a faint glimmer in the form of an elder wolf, nameless and ragged, but a restorer of hope. It was through this man that Chulyin had found his sister, that missing piece. Yet, as they traveled down the mountain, Chuylin felt himself reliving those days and weeks of wandering with no direction. But perhaps much worse. For now, there was a physical obstacle. Snow up to one's neck, freezing drifts of frozen water that only seemed to get higher as they moved onward. Where was the hope, he thought? Over and over again, in his mind, he would tell himself that they would make it. He could not look into the faces of the children that followed at his back and think that they would all die upon this mountain, hidden in drifts of snow, never to be remembered. But there was always that nagging voice. Where was the hope? Where was the respite? For even when they slept amongst each other, nestled in the very drifts that cursed their journey, there was no rest. It was cold and blustery with the ever looming threat that one might wake and be completely buried beneath some shifted heap.

It hadn't been many days since they'd left, though each day felt like three in itself. But it was on the second endless day that Chulyin found his glimmer. While picking his way carefully down the mountain, pushing the snow aside, he spotted a glimpse of a tree. Something not all consumed by the winter, dragged down, silenced. And it was then he realized that they would be alright. Their journey would not be endless, they were so close to the end. And in time, they truly had found their end. Well, almost. The mountain rested at their backs and they stood upon solid flat earth, surrounded by trees, perhaps the very trees that he'd seen just a day or so before. Somewhere within this place they would find their new home. For the first time that day, Chulyin stopped moving. His muscles ached, though it was a feeling he'd become accustomed to. Their first night's rest had only left him with painful throbbings throughout his body, and he simply had to push on. In time, he simply ignored it. Though he was not alone in this endeavor, he could not simply heave such a burden upon the shoulders of one. His muscles hurt, but watching his family be consumed by the winter would certainly cause a much greater pain.

Moving stiffly through the drifts, he approached Naira, moving up to her other side that was not occupied by Mapplethorpe. The man said nothing as he approached, but only pushed his nose against her cheek for a brief moment. Withdrawing then, he turned his gaze towards Thorpe who had uttered something. His eyes followed the man's display, nodding slightly at the notation. They would need to move a bit deeper into this place before their journey was done. <b style="color:#a51919">

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

Karp had trekked through the expansive venture over the mountains in silence. He put all his energy into moving every step of the harsh snow. When they had made it to the other side, he was more than relieved. The entire time, he tried to stay as close to Aponi as possible, she was the only one, apart from Mrs. Naira, who he knew more about. He knew her the best though, and she was already amassing to be his best friend. The dark forest, whistling trees in the wind, it all reminded him of the forest he was born into. It reminded him of Spectral Woods, on the other side of the mountain. The other side, it was the haunted side and he could never return there.

Karp looked up to Mrs. Naira, to him, she was fearless and reminded him a lot of how he saw his dad. Even though his da was dead, he still lived on in his mind, Ana, Lachesis, everyone he use to call friend or packmate. Karpos gave a small smile, the journey would soon be over, and he was out of adventure for a while. The trek through the snow that was as high as him was one he cared not to relive. But he could now learn, learn the things he had not been taught in Pitch Pine Trail. He was so busy learning to run away that he knew no proper way to hunt. It was just what he could manage to catch. Mostly old mice or something of the sort.

NOMADS Pass

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

The journey through the ice and snow, through the only, small tunnel leading off the mountain was harrowing for all involved. Sagacity moved along, keeping an eye on the youngest members of their group, doing whatever she could to motivate them to keep going. Gone were the days when a tired pup could simply be lifted by the scruff and carried for he remainder of the journey. All four of them were seven months of age, and far too large for even the largest among them to carry. The stronger wolves led the way, carving a path through the snow but their backs and faces were still unprotected from the howling gales of wind that cast snow into their eyes.

At times she lost sight of Naira and the vanguard, so she hurried the young ones forward, knowing that all it would take would be a strong wind to cover their trail and the only way to find them. The closer the group tuck together, the better- but the adults could not afford to sacrifice their pace simply to make the pups more comfortable. They had to push forward and beg their bodies for any strength it had to give, and take a journey that was tough enough on adult wolves.

She was grateful for the thinner snow and the shelter from the wind when they finally reached the forest. They'd reached the land of their new home, but it would not be their until it had been claimed and the borders marked. Mapplethorpe urged them onward and reluctantly they moved forward. Looking at Mercy, though, she knew that it would be safe, soon, for the young ones to rest. Having not been a part of the leaders who had forged the way through the snow, she stepped forward drearily to offer her services now. "I'll take one direction and start marking the new borders," She said. It wouldn't take many wolves to set out and begin establishing the pack, and that way, a few could rest and stay with the pups.

Avatars by Arla!

While the distance would have been enough to sap his strength, the pace at which they moved, combined with the battering wind, really began to wear the young male down. The adults had done a good job of creating a pack, but whenever he began to tire and slow down, the snow was quick to fill the trail ahead of him, making it hard for him to slow down as well- not to mention the fact that his mother would not allow him or any of the other pups to lag behind. Very rarely did he lift his head to peer forward into the whirling mass of white, but more often than not he found himself checking over his shoulder to make sure that Nova was still close at hand.

It took him a few moments to notice the change in the atmosphere when they entered the forest. He felt himself grow stronger, and lifted his head to see that they were sheltered by towering, creaking trees. He shuddered at the sound, and flattened his ears to shut it out. Once Naira paused, though, the boy took no more steps forward and instead flopped to the ground so that he could catch his breath. His body was still warm from the long journey so the feeling of snow against his underside didn't bother him at all. He vaguely heard Mapplethorpe say that they needed to go further, and wasn't sure he could get his feet underneath himself again- he wanted just a moment longer to rest. He struggled into a seated position, and looked over his shoulder to Nova, and gave her a weak smile. "Guess we're really nomads now," He said. With this chance for a pause, he looked around, with hopes of seeing the faces of all the wolves they'd left with, his eyes searching even for Aponi, hoping she too had made the journey and was in good health.

(This post was last modified: Dec 15, 2013, 07:01 PM by Mercy.)

Look Out!

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

At first the princess had held her head eye and her icy blue eyes had been locked ahead of her, refusing to break eye contact to look around or behind her, there was only forward. This had lasted perhaps the whole first day, though Aponi's muscles ached she had refused to slow down or fall behind, but this demeanor vanished throughout the night. The girl had her side pressed on one side against @Karpos and the other against @Nova's but still shivers had racked her body all night long. Waking up with little sleep to be almost once again buried by snow with all signs of their effort vanished their trail had quickly filled in, it almost broke her. This was the moment when the truth finally sank in for the Aquila princess, it was a very real possibility that they could die trying in vain to escape what had become a very real prison. A silent sullenness had sunken into Aponi, she refused to speak to anyone choosing to merely stare at her paws as they trekked along. More often than the other pups she would fall behind, being the smallest of all the young ones and would have to be ushered forward by Sagacity. Once and only once the princess had irritably growled at the woman, and instantly shame had set in, she was only helping. Sagacity was somewhat of an idol to Aponi, always adventuring and running, she was part of the pack and yet she was so free. Whining slightly as an apology Aponi quickly hurried along to catch up with the others, trying her hardest not to fall behind again. The thinning of the snow allowed the smaller princess much more freedom and this was when the light returned to her eyes. They had not died and they would not die the Nomad's were stronger than that and they could withstand anything, this journey had proven it. When her mother slowed Aponi glanced around, a slight grin spreading across her features as she recognized the area, this was near where she had ambushed her father on one of his rounds. It was also supposedly where the yeth hound lived, but the girl no longer believed in the story, the only real enemy was the winter. A delicious scent reached her nose then and the princess was quick to abandon the group to pursue it, rabbit. Before long the princess had her prize, a scrawny underfed hare who had foolishly fallen asleep with the wolves around. Sinking her teeth into the prey the girl could feel the blood running down her chin and all thoughts of the others disappeared from her mind, all she could think about was this food.

The once dubbed Nomad's Pass wolves journey had not been easy, to say the least, but their path stayed steady and not for one moment did they abandon their conquest. While the appointed wolves headed the pack Faol kept a mind on their tail end. Often watching as Sage encouraged ruffled and exhausted pups into keeping up with the group. He had searched for sheltered areas in order for them to rest and even the slightest scent of nearby prey, but it was to no avail. The wind and snow had buried all in it's path with a fury and so they had to move forward with nothing but hope to inspire them. The black male had stayed quiet the entire way down the Pass reserving his energy for survival; as did the majority of the group. It was a somber trip, but he knew that their sense of joy would return when they arrived at their final destination.

Yellow eyes had spotted the dark line in the distance just as the other's did. Their heads, ears, and eyes raising as they realized their days of constant travel and sore paws were soon to be over. As thick and heavy as Faol was he still felt the cold as it lashed across his face, pelting him with snow, and seeping its icy fingers into his joints and bones. He could only imagine how the young ones felt, as he could still feel their bodies shivering and jolting as they lay in a mass at night. He always making sure to lay on the outer rim, falling in and out of sleep, always keeping one eye open. He too wanted to feel the warmth of a den with enough warm bodies to create a reliable heat source.

The dark line grew near in the shape of trees. Tall, unsightly, gnarled trees. They were coated with a thick layer of snow, and the snow on the forest ground was not nearly neck high. For this he was thankful. The pack could now at least thaw their chests and legs to better quicken their pace. The group head stopped, as did the remainder, and all he could hear were muffled words. They were not far enough into the woods and so they would press on. It wouldn't be much longer for the nomads. They would claim these woods just as they did the mountain and it wouldn't be for naught. He watched as Sage moved to the front of the group and took off, surely to fulfill her duty as scout and to start marking where necessary. However, he stayed behind to usher the group forward and make sure they were covered from behind.

Naira's daughter had dissipated into the trees for a moment and Faol watched her carefully as they leaders spoke. Surprisingly she had returned with a small morsel of food. A mangled hare with only enough meat to feed one. He could feel the pit in his stomach instinctively begging him to take it from her. Yellow eyes turned from her as she devoured it. At least there was some game still available in this storm, and in the forest things were always plentiful. The pack would surely set out for a cache building hunt as soon as their plot was settled.

(This post was last modified: Dec 16, 2013, 04:55 AM by Faol.)