Thicket of Secrets Show me the way to the foreign lands

Once the storm had died down enough, and after making sure it wasn’t just a small lull in the frosty winds, @Silver had kept her promise and had lead Rayne towards her pack borders. The storm had left behind quite a bit of snow for them to struggle through but once they reached the woods Silver’s pack resided it, it lessened considerably. There was still snow littered on the ground, however, the large dense canopy of the trees and trunks kept most of the snow away. Rayne padded alongside the dark fae contentedly, taking in the scenery around him. It had been some time since his last venture in a forest. Yet as they drew closer to the borders, the smell of the borders strong in his nose, Rayne slowed to a stop just before crossing. Even though he was with the scout of the pack, he knew not to tread on the grounds until he was invited on by the leaders themselves. There was no want for trouble and he didn’t want to have their wrath brought upon Silver for bringing a stranger into their lands without their knowledge. Nor did he want to leave her, because surely they’d send him away without question if they thought him an intruder without cause. For a moment, Rayne wondered if he should ask Silver to call for her leaders and let them hear the familiar voice of the scout telling them there was another wolf wanting to join their pack. Or if he should do it? Making his decision, Rayne lifted his head and howled his desire to meet with the leaders at their borders, the tilt of wanting to join also being added in. Lowering his head once he was done, Rayne smiled sheepishly at Silver. He hoped she didn’t mind him doing it. It was better, he thought, if he called instead because that way, it was being shown that he knew the pleasantries and wasn’t a fool that couldn’t ask for himself.

Once the storm had cleared up Silver was able to lead Rayne back to Secret Woodlands. As they approached closer she stopped as Rayne called for her leaders. Smoothly she added her own call to tell @Nina and @Hollow she was with the male. "There is no turning back now. My leaders should be here soon." Moving to stand in front of Rayne she looked him over. After their meeting not so long ago she knew he wouldn't try to challenge the Alpha's authority. He didn't have enough confidence from what she knew so far.

Giving him a soft look her voice failed to meet the way her eyes looked, her voice was more harsh. "Don't do anything stupid, not that I think you will anyways. Just don't make me look like a fool by bringing you back with me." She was concerned. This was her first time trying to impress the Leaders with something big like this. Silver had put trust in Rayne hoping that she wouldn't be made a fool of his actions. Though she could only hope that after their meeting from earlier with his lack of confidence that he wouldn't challenge the Alpha's authorities.

As much as she wanted to pace around out of nervousness she held her breath trying to keep her cool. Oh what a horrible thing if Rayne decided to be stupid. The actions would only result in punishment for them both. Or so she thought. One could never be to sure of how the Alphas would react.

This is after Ashanti goes crazy..okay. Don't mind me, just putting this here so I don't forget.

Miccah padded across his snowy borders, crisscrossing between the various routes he had made. His stare was showing nothing. But his body was attuned to everything. Every little noise, and whiff of unfamiliar scent. Ashanti was on his mind constantly, but just as constantly, he tried to push her out. He didn't want to think of her at the moment. He felt pain. He was man enough to admit that without her, he was broken. Did he let that show? Hell no.

The things he needed to concentrate on were his fellow packmates and help any way he could so that they all would survive this winter. His duty was to protect - always. Miccah had pledged his loyalty to Secret Woodlands, and he was a man of his word. There was no time for his personal feelings to mix in with his job. That led people to their deaths, and on his watch, he would make sure that that wouldn't happen.

A howl broke through his thoughts and in instinct ge turjed in the direction of the unfamiliar voice. It requested for his leaders, and the intent was of joining the pack. It didn't call for him specifically, but he guarded the borsers for a reason. His thoughts made a wry grin briefly pass across his muzzle. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. He moved quickly through the thickets, the pricks that the thorns caused on his paws ignored. He was used to the sting, and it didn't matter. Nothing compared to the pain of seeing Ashanti the other day. With a small scowl, he once again pushed her from his thoughts. It only caused him pain, something he didn' want to deal with at the moment.

As he arrived to the scene, his eyes immediately flickered to the male paws that were very close to his borders. He kept his agitation from showing on his face, but an annoyed flick of his tail said it all. He lifted his black banner, for he was higher in rank then both Silver and the loner. Nodding to the woman in greeting, his gaze flickered between them and finally landed once again on Silver in attention. His leaders would arrive soon probably, but he guessed he could gather some information for them for when they did show up. "Who's your friend, Silver?," he asked in a neutral tone, nodding his head towards the male. His tone was neither warm nor cold. For now, he would keep his emotions hidden. Well, until he sorted them out himself.

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”I know,” Rayne murmured, all of a sudden very nervous and feeling just a little foolish. Though the look in Silver's eyes was soft, her voice were not when she spoke next, warning him away from stupidity and from making her look the fool. And he completely understood why it was like that. She had mentioned wanting to be a scout for her pack back in their tree shelter, back when the storm was raging and they had no where to go until it wasted away. ”I promise, I would never make you look like the fool for bringing me here. I’m forever grateful for you being so kind and pattient to me thus far.” If this was to go wrong, if anything happened that made Silver’s leaders question her position in their pack, they surely would do something terrible and that would make Rayne feel guilty and horrible for being the one to bring whatever punishment they brought upon her. Even if he wasn’t there when it happened, though he desperately wanted to stay by her side, his heart would break in his chest and his stomach would do guilty flips whenever he thought of the kind fae who tried and failed to find him a home because of whatever wrongdoing he had committed. His attention was drawn away when another wolf arrived, studying them both before his eyes were on Silver and he was asking her who Rayne was. The pack wolf was holding his tail high, though Rayne had noticed the annoyed flick before. Realising just howclose he was to the borders, the russet wolf took a few steps. He didn't want to incur the wrath of a wolf who had a pack behind him. Opening his muzzle, while lowering his body closer to the ground with his tail tucked close to his body, Rayne introduced himself. "I am Rayne Flint. I hope to join your pack and help guard its borders, for as long as I am able."

}

Hollow awakened at the howl from his borders, he had been in fitful sleep where he wandered through a forest of uncertainty, whilst chasing a shining light, Nina, his most true friend, to no avail. The longer he ran the further away she seemed to get. Shaking the sleep from his eyes the dark male moved along the well trodden path to his border, so well trodden by himself and the other woodlands wolves that it bore their scent. As if it had become ingrained into the foliage, and the flowers that would bloom in spring would be Secret Woodlands Flowers. He pondered what the meaning of this could be, especially while so much else weighed upon his mind. With Ashanti's breaking, it seemed he had a darkness hanging in the back of his mind. A cloud of worry.

Soon however he was materializing before all three of the gathered wolves. Miccah, Silver.... and another. Hollow did not recognize the male and so his already proud stance spread a little wider and stood a little taller. His head too raised up to it's full height while his lips parted and words came forth. "What is your business on my borders stranger?." He spoke in a commanding yet neutral tone, his eyes sliding over the other two wolves there with him. The male watched to be sure that everyone was at their proper stance. That every wolf present knew he was in command, after Ashanti's fiasco, Hollow needed something to feel right again. This was just the thing to take his mind from it, though it would not last, the normality would clear his head and help him to better asses the problems the pack was currently facing.

Permission to skip Silver :)

The russet wolf had responded and Miccah turned his atention awat from Silver. An angry scowl was already etched onto his features and his hackles rose slightly. Miccah obviously had been directing his question to his fellow pack mate, not at this insignificant loner. Right when he was about to be a smart ass, 'did I ask you? No? Then shut the fuck up!' his alpha appeared.

Forcing himself to shake off his anger, he lowered his tail a fraction until it was lower than Hollow's but higher than Silver and the russet idiot. His features were soon replaced with a mask cool indifference, covering his anger. He bowed his head in respectful submission to his King and then turned back to the scene in front of them. Hollow had asked the wolf, @Rayne, what his buisness on his borders were. Keeping silent, unlike the russet wolf had earlier, he waited for the man to repeat his intent to join to his alpha.

Miccah wasn't really angry at Rayne. At the moment, he was the perfect target for Miccah to let loose all the mixed emotions of fury and pain he was feeling. A personal punching bag, a human would have said. But Miccah also knew this wasn't his usual behavior. He was hurting, and the hurt was quickly morphing into anger. Outwardly, he looked as calm as could be, inwardly, he was just a volcano ready to explode at any given moment. It wouldn't be his mind that would break, like whatbhad happened to Ashanti. One of these days, his bottled up feelings would explode. He just hoped it wouldn't be in the presence of someone he cared for, because in that state of mind, he didnt know what he was capable of. And that scared him.

"speech"

(This post was last modified: Feb 17, 2014, 06:59 PM by Miccah.)

(With permission to skip Silver.)

When he answered and the last words dropped from his mouth, Rayne felt like he had made some kind of terrible mistake. It had been obvious that the question had been directed at Silver, not himself but Rayne wasn’t about to let Silver answer for him. Better have someone see him in anger then to think he’s unable to think or speak for himself. With anger, and it was with anger the pack male turned to him with, hackles raised, it was easy to beg forgiveness later on with anger. Still low to the ground, lower than the two current wolves gathered, Rayne’s attention was drawn to a new arrival and with it, his posture spoke of proud leadership. Knowing that this was the wolf that would either reject or accept him into the pack, Rayne rolled to his side with his stomach and throat bared at the coal black wolf and his eyes averted. Rayne wasn’t like Neoma, who was too full of pride and contempt of other wolves to show any kind of weakness to them. Even though having just announced his name and intent to the other wolf, the leader surely hadn’t heard him so the russeted wolf repeated his words when asked who he was and what he was doing here. ”I am Rayne Flint. I am willing to pledge my life to your pack and guard its borders and members within for as long as I am physically able to, if you accept me. Though I understand this winter has been hard and will not begrudge you if you wish to turn me away.”

(This post was last modified: Feb 18, 2014, 01:05 PM by Rayne.)

The lone male that Hollow came upon promptly rolled onto his side and exposed his vital parts to Hollow. Something that, while flattering, Hollow could do without. It made him feel almost too powerful knowing that he could lean down and end this wolves life, in the time it took for a rabbit to escape a wolf's jaws. "Rayne Flint, you need not remain on your back." Just like with all the other new joiners Hollow kept his voice firm yet kind, enough to show that while he was not going to be a ruthless leader, he was not to be taken lightly. He took a step forward allowing Rayne to rise but so that he would still be "in his place" so to speak.

To Raynes string of words, promises and concessions Hollow's response was just as strong and sure as ever. "If I accept you I would very much expect those things of you. You are right Flint. I can easily turn you away in this harsh winter and sleep soundly knowing that my pack doesn't have another mouth to feed. But a true leader considers the value of extra paws and teeth as well. By your words I assume you will strive for the role of guardian?" Hollow was satisfied with what he had said to Rayne for the male seemed to have articulate thought and from time to time, Hollow thought that the pack should know of the inner workings of his decisions so that they may have a better idea of who he truly words. After all Hollow Nite beleived that ruling through kindness and respect would always outweigh fear and constant domination.

(Permission to skip Miccah :3)

When Hollow’s kind words told him he didn’t have to remain on his back, Rayne felt reassured. Some part of him feared Hollow was the kind of wolf his parents warned him of on occasion. The kind that would take advantage of a wolf on their back, showing submission, only to have sharp fangs dig into their soft flesh. This leader sounded far kinder than the stories that old pack members used to tell the pups, of horrid wolves who murdered those below them if they so much as looked at another the wrong way. Though Rayne half expected the elders only told those stories to scare the pups into listening to them. Rolling onto stomach and then his paws, Rayne kept his body posture lower than the other wolves around him accordingly. His ears were lower, his tail hanging low and his warm amber eyes rested on the snow around the paws of the gathered wolves. Despite the fact that it sounded as if there was half a chance Hollow was going to accept him, the rust coloured wolf wasn’t going to take the chance and blow it completely. “Yes, I wish to prove myself and become a guardian of the pack. To protect and serve is what I must do, to feel as if I am living my life the way it should be lived.” It was true. Every part of Rayne lived to protect and serve. Nothing would deter him from protecting those even though it never crossed his mind before, if he were to ever become a leader of his own pack, the urge to guard every member of the pack would still strong. To look out and care for everyone he held dear... Rayne flushed slightly when the memory of him and Silver curled up in the roots of the tree, during the storm flashed before his eyes, the emotions and need to protect her still running deeply in his blood and making themselves even more strongly known at the thought of the beautiful fae, who had been standing beside him silently and patiently waiting for her leader's verdict along side him. “I shan’t let you, and the others down, if you do accept me. The mere thought, either willingly or unwillingly, of allowing any harm come to pack mates makes me ill.”

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2014, 01:07 AM by Rayne.)

Not my best work

The midnight shaded male listened to the lighter male. A half smile crossed is facade, almost an evil grin just because of his futile attempts to hide such a face. Hollow was actually quite thrilled with Rayne, he reminded him of himself, ready to pledge his utmost loyalty, flying only by his heart. The Nite male knew that the Flint was taking a chance on this home, for he could be totally wrong, and Hollow could easily be a cruel leader, of course he was not but Rayne didn't know that. Hollow rose to his full height, knowing that Nina woud approve of this male, and therefore was unneeded in this act, he leaned forwards and firmly grasped Rayne's muzzle, and followed it with a smile.

"You will make a strong guardian I feel, I am quite proud to take on a wolf such as yourself Rayne." Hollow nodded to Miccah. "Secret Woodlands is a family and we act as such, just as, we protect our strongest from our weakest, from all threats, outside of our borders and within our hearts." The dark leader truly hoped his judgement held true, for Hollow did not wish to make another bad choice... it would seem that some of the wolves he had chosen over the winter had failed him only to leave. But with any luck Rayne would not be one of those wolves. Hopefully, Rayne would prove as strong and true as he seemed to be. The dark male waited now, to see the older male's reaction.