Divided We Stand (A Packs Roleplay, OPEN and ACCEPTING)

[*~WolfSoul~*]

After parting ways with Amos, Amara had intended to head straight for the medicine den to seek Tanga. She had found her paws inexplicably hesitating, though, when she neared the entrance to the familiar little cave and shifted her weight back and forth for a long minute before retreating to her own den instead.
The omega couldn’t figure exactly why she had stopped; she just hadn’t felt ready – for what, she did not know. She shivered alone for several minutes in the quiet dark of her den, eyes wide and fur still damp. Her mind was unsettlingly blank – racing and still all at once, trying and failing to digest the events that had transpired so quickly, she scarcely felt she could remember them all. Quick flashes came to her: the flash of long fangs as the bear rushed forward, the hot splash of blood against her face and chest when she felt her claws slash through the predator’s nose, the wobbling of her own feet as she tried to cross the river, and then the bone-chilling splash as she fell.
Guilt found its way into Amara’s chest again as she remembered Amos having to leap into the water to pull her out. Going to Tanga would only be requiring more help – but she did need it, and she could sense it more with each passing minute, shivering and feeling both exhausted and electric at once. She was overwhelmingly thirsty.

Amara closed her eyes. Tanga would not be upset by Amara needing help – this much the grey dove had to trust.
Rising slowly, blinking back the occasional hot stinging in her eyes, Amara steeled herself as best she could and padded out of her den. Her footsteps seemed too slow, exhausted muscles heavy and unwilling. But with one paw after another, the little wolf made her way to the medicine den. She didn’t know who would be inside with Tanga, hesitating once more, before taking a shaky breath and hoping hard that at least Tanga would be here and not somewhere else.
The grey dove stepped out of the wind and into the warmth of the cave, pelt still cold and damp though no longer dripping, having been bombarded by icy winds all the way back to camp. The omega’s eyes were a little too wide, as if stuck in surprise, the intense outer rings of teal on her irises in plain view. She hardly had the energy to move her head, but her gaze flicked around to seek out the shaman immediately. She was shaky still – not quite shivering anymore but rather a nervous, smaller shaking in her ankles that belied her inner unsteadiness.


(Been so long since I wrote for Amara, I hope this isn't too rough around the edges! It's tough to get into her headspace right now)

[The Royal Mirage]

Tanga's steady working paws were interrupted in their motions by the cool breeze that swept through the den, one that always accompanied the entrance of a new wolf as they swept aside the hide that covered the med den's entrance. Wiping away excess ointment from her tiny appendages, the fae looked towards the entrance to see a slender grey figure eclipsing the last of the light to be seen before the makeshift door draped itself shut. An automatic smile began lifting the corners of her lips before Tanga realized there was something deeply, unsettlingly wrong; an unsteady shiver which wracked the omega's body was barely perceptible, her coat slick with moisture despite the unforgiving cold of the mountain gusts, and a glistening over the fae's granite orbs, like a polished shine bringing out the numb shock within.

Swallowing the slight discomfort that arose from the sight of her friend in such a state, Tanga broke from her shock and ushered the other fae inside, turning as she approached to retrieve a felted blanket of downy wool shed from the previous year's ibex flock. "What in the world happened," Tanga murmured, almost afraid to break the silence between them as she prepared a little nook for Amara, her usually bubbly demeanor effectively shaken.

((Same here, but with any luck this'll help with getting to the rest of my characters))

[*~WolfSoul~*]

Tanga’s familiar form was easily spotted, the petite dove turning readily in response to Amara’s presence. The omega watched the pixie-like fae’s smile promptly shatter at what Amara could only imagine was her rather horrendous appearance.
The shaman recovered quickly, to her credit, and Amara watched mutely as the shorter fae approached her with a thick wool blanket. Tanga’s usual cheeriness seemed erased, replaced by an unease.
What in the world happened? Amara’s gaze shunted slightly to the side, eyes still a little too glossy, none of the usual thoughtfulness or sharp observance was there. Could she get her words to work?

“I...there was a bear attack,” she managed after a worryingly long pause. Her words sounded thick, slow; her tongue felt like cotton. She moved her legs to follow Tanga to the little corner that was being prepared only after another pause where she seemed unsure of what to do with herself. With effort, the fae shut her eyes and found that the words came easier then. Still, she felt detached from herself while she spoke, “I was with Amos by the river and a young bear attacked us.”
Amara saw, in her mind, the flash of teeth again – remembered the warm spray of blood. That part was the most grounding, somehow. The taste and smell of it seemed to be around her still, though the cold river had washed all but the barest scent of it away. Tanga likely didn’t need to know about Amara landing a blow on the bear, though. She continued: “Amos told me to run while he fought it. I tried to cross the river but I…I fell in.”

There again came the pathetic guilt. Amara couldn’t even escape the danger – her weak legs had failed her. Grey eyes opened again to look to Tanga, still wide and shining but it seemed that Amara had returned to herself at least a little with the vague expression of disappointment that stirred behind the shine of shock in her eyes.

[The Royal Mirage]

Tanga met Amara's gaze steadily, trying to process all that she'd been told. A young bear attacked, a wolf named Amos had been with her - the shaman's head cocked slightly at the name, before setting the issue aside. She hardly got out of the med den these days anyway, it wasn't unusual for her to not be aware of a new wolf if they hadn't been injured; but then, was this Amos injured? Her lips parted as if to ask, before shutting again, figuring Amara would have said something if that was the case. Then the shock of falling into the ravine, no wonder she was still damp. With caring paws the petite healer wrapped the thick blanket around her friend. It was a wonder in itself that Amara had been able to get herself back to camp after being waterlogged in this weather. "Let me get you some hot tea, you're welcome to rest here as long as you like," she offered softly, finally allowing a tiny smile before she turned away. "I'm glad you're alright Amara."

((mmm short, sorry ><))

[*~WolfSoul~*]

The weight of the thick wool blanket that Tanga gently wrapped around Amara's slender shoulders was grounding, comforting. Hot tea sounded good; perhaps it would help her to warm up - although she didn't feel so overwhelmingly cold anymore, rather she just couldn't quite stop the subtle shaking in her legs.
Carefully, slowly, Amara let herself sit down. The light sound of claws against stone reached Amara's ears as she sank down, coming to rest on her belly against the floor. She leaned her weight to one side, curling in on herself slightly to keep warm, and supported herself on one 'elbow'.
"Thank you," Amara replied softly as Tanga turned away, though it wasn't fully clear which part of what Tanga said she was responding to. Her voice was quiet and husky, tired, and the omega blinked once although the glassy look to her eyes still lingered. Quietly, she tracked Tanga's motions as the shaman began to prepare some tea for her.

(also short, but finally had a moment to post something. also i can't remember if Roan is supposed to be in the med den right now but if he is, feel free to include him if you'd like, Goldie)

[The Royal Mirage]

((Gonna distract myself from the sadness that is my busted oven and try to get some posts done tonight - it won't be everything I owe, but I'll get through what I can))

With careful motions, Tanga's paws skimmed rows of tiny jars along one of the den's shelves, scrutinizing each vessel's contents until she came to rest on one which contained a fine greenish powder, and another with finely shaved pieces of dried root. Pulling both from the shelf, the shaman set her simple kettle over the fire, taking a moment to collect herself. Ginseng and green tea were both appropriate medications for wolves who have been exposed to extreme cold, as well as calming and relaxing the individual, effects Tanga could certainly use at that moment. It dawned on her that she could have very easily lost her friend, the incredible circumstances that had lead Amara to the medicine den became even more so knowing the sickly fae was still alive and well, with hardly a scratch on her.

A shiver crawled down her spine, though as steam began to rise from the kettle, Tanga set the feeling aside. There was no use dwelling on what might have been, only here and now mattered. Sprinkling a generous amount of soft green powder, as well as a pawful of roots into the kettle, she let the mixture seep a moment before pouring two generous cups and bringing one over to the blanket-enclosed omega. Tanga herself sat close to Amara, perhaps closer than was really necessary as a medicine wolf, and lifted her own cup to her maw, taking a long slow breath of the soothing aroma.

After his half-hearted search had yielded no results - it seemed quite a few of the Mountain residents were either out of camp or in the medicine den, unable to assist - Amos had gone off on his own to search for the bear from earlier. It wasn't such a bother to follow the trail of blood from the ravine, though he had flinched when he first spotted the fast-flowing water. These lands were not his forest home, but they were treacherous all the same, worthy of his apprehension. A ghost of a shadow flickering in the running water had him blinking his eye, curious, before dismissing it as his imagination. Amos had been following the bear's trail for some time now, backtracking a fair bit, his task made easy by the sparse brush and downward descent of the injured creature, climbing over jagged lips of mountain rock and evading sharp chips of shale.

After what seemed like forever to his tired being, though in reality had been only moments, the warrior laid eyes on an unassuming mound of dusty fluff - it reeked of the bear's blood, there was no doubt the one-eyed wolf would have missed it without that stench. But now he faced the problem of getting it back to camp; he wasn't so far from the canine settlement, but it simply wasn't possible for him to move an entire bear, even just a young one. If he left the creature out here, he risked scavengers getting to it... but all he really wanted was the pelt, right? And perhaps some of the teeth and claws, would Amara like them? No, Amos had left the world of trophy kills behind, he needed warmth, and surely Amara wouldn't appreciate a reminder of this incident. But then, it wouldn't be right to leave the meat behind, to be wasted.

With a sigh of exhaustion, Amos carefully turned the bear onto its back, beginning the skinning process. He would take back the parts in order of importance - if scavengers got back to it before he could, then at least he would have the necessities.

Maia's lip trembled as she watched Lilith go, frightened and thankful all at once that, even in her state Lilith had helped her make a vital decision for the pack. The quicksilver fae's heart dropped, she really wasn't fit to lead if she couldn't do these things on her own... But self-pity wasn't what was important just then. She gave a solemn nod to Sparrow, letting the tracker know that it would be appreciated if she would accompany Lilith, and that she would be fine; or at least, that's what she hoped to convey. She then looked to Kirsten, feeling an entirely different ache in her chest as the once-proud beauty before her resembled more the likes of a trampled blossom, bent beyond repair. But with any luck, Tanga would be able to do something about that. With a reflexive motion of her wrist, Maia released her bangs from their messy ponytail, using the stretchy ring of fibers to sling Lilith's discarded mask to her foreleg - it would be easier to carry that way, before motioning to the trail the faes had followed down the mountain. "Please come with me Kirsten, I.." she paused, unsure again, before looking away with her head lowered in defeat. There was nothing else she could offer, nothing but the hard work and skill of those she claimed to lead.

[*~WolfSoul~*]

Amara watched in subdued quiet as Tanga prepared the tea, her keen nose drinking in the warm smells of the brewing kettle and fire - it helps to wash away the cold numbness that had settled into Amara's senses, waking her up bit by bit. The omega extended one dark paw to carefully pull the cup nearer to herself, pale eyes glancing shyly to Tanga as the shaman took a seat directly next to her. The two faes weren't touching, but Amara thought she could feel phantom warmth from the proximity. There was a moment's pause before Amara hesitantly let her weight shift to scoot a breath or two closer - still not touching, but nearly. She didn't have the courage to move any closer, but her subtle shift was a tiny mirror of Tanga's own choice to position herself close to Amara.
Shutting her eyes briefly, Amara took a slow, deep breath of the steam that rose slowly from her cup before carefully taking a sip. The lingering taste of icy water was all that Amara had on her tongue, but the drink washed that away, too, and the omega felt the warmth of it sink into her belly. She gave a small shiver, but it was one of muscles finally relaxing a little bit. Letting her eyes open again, Amara was just a little too shy to look directly at Tanga, so she fixed her gaze on the fire instead, letting comfortable quiet settle in between them, though it was not so absolute that any words would have felt intrusive.

[The Royal Mirage]

((Letting myself respond to Amara's adorableness before I start the dreaded room cleaning.. wish me luck <3))

Taking a quick, testing sip of the tea after letting the sweet aroma sooth her senses, Tanga's ears flicked in a moment of surprise as Amara seemed to move closer to her, as though she knew how worried the shaman had been, as if reassuring her. Lips trembling at the subtle shift closer, Tanga felt a tightness in her throat, aching for the catharsis of letting out her fears, wetness pricking the periphery of her peridot orbs. She tilted her cup as if to take another sip, to assume some normalcy, but didn't let the liquid pass through her lips, simply going through the motions before relaxing onto the floor, her small form pressed lightly to Amara's as she let her chin rest over tiny paws. She could always make the excuse that it was to provide any extra heat that she could, but really, the small fae was taking whatever comfort she could in the physical proof that Amara was still here, still okay, a tiny smile crinkling the glistening corners of her eyes. The quiet of the small den felt warm and inviting, soothing almost, accentuated the homey crackling of the fire.

[*~WolfSoul~*]

(Life is stressful; these two are exactly the soft cuteness that I need)

If Amara had been her usual, perceptive self, she surely would have noticed the minute movements that signaled Tanga's emotional reaction to her little shuffle closer to the shaman. With circumstances as they were, however, Amara was simply too tired and still a bit in shock to register the nuances of Tanga's movement. The omega simply had her eyes upon the fire when she felt the light sensation of Tanga's side resting against her own. Shining grey eyes blinked in Tanga's direction in sluggish surprise, noting the shaman's pixie-like profile as the copper-furred dove rested her head on her paws. Amara noticed suddenly the unusual glistening in Tanga's eyes, contrasted by the near imperceptible smile at the corner of her mouth.
Amara was confused, but vaguely so, lacking the social know-how to truly make sense of the situation. Nevertheless, she felt a gentle bloom of concern for the shaman - who she had spent enough time with by now to cautiously consider a friend. Mutely, Amara mimicked Tanga's motion, taking another sip of her tea to further warm her chilled bones before resting her head on one foreleg. She let her head lean to one side, her cheek and ruff nestling more decidedly against the warmth of Tanga's fur. Her eyes closed automatically, as tiredness sank more solidly into her muscles, spiky black lashes fluttering shut against ashy cheekbones.

[The Royal Mirage]

The hints of a smile that had twitched at Tanga's lips blossomed into a sweet grin as Amara laid with her, the motion causing a few tears to escape the corners of her eyes. Tilting her head slightly to wipe away the salty trails against her forelegs, the shaman returned her softened gaze to her exhausted friend, tracing her simple yet charming features into her minds eye before letting her own lids slip shut. The soft press and release of each breath against her side was reminder enough that all was well, letting the soothing aroma of the den and the warmth of the fae beside her lull Tanga into a state of meditative rest.

---

With mild interest, Abaddon watched as the pup visibly corrected his countenance after an understandable outburst; the senior delta maintained a wan smile which strengthened as the pup righted himself; Phaedrus’ lessons took time, but it was clear the pup was trying. With time, young Hamish would certainly improve.
Dark amber eyes lifted to behold Elia as she appeared from the back of the shop, where Abaddon knew the kitchen to be. “No need to stir up a fuss for me, Elia,” he replied politely with a faint dip of his chin in greeting. “I’m only passing the time before the party, and should be on my way soon.”
Dipping his muzzle in Hamish’s direction, the senior delta added with a gentle look of pretend concern, “I hope you don’t mind I purchased young Hamish a snack; I’d hate for him to have to serve everyone else on an empty stomach this evening.”

Elia nearly rushed to reassure Abaddon that it wasn't necessary, but Hamish had already begun reaching for the sweet sticky bun, taking a deceptively polite first nibble at the honey-glazed treat. She sighed with a little smile, heart warming as her baby brother took such delight in a little treat, perhaps more than he otherwise would have because it was from someone he respected. "That's very generous Abaddon, I'm sure Hamish is quite grateful," she replied, giving the dusky brown pup a pointed look.

It wasn't a look Hamish missed often, as excited as he was over the sugary treat. "I said thank you like Phaed taught me," he piped in, not entirely a lie - he had indeed thanked the senior delta for the treat, though with much more exuberance than the tutor would have approved of. To mask his fib, Hamish turned hazel orbs back to the shadowy figure, licking a bit of sugary syrup from his lips. "Ellie says I can help her with the meals for the party tonight, I hope you'll like them," he grinned, tail resuming its cheerful puppish wagging at the thought, the idea that it was improper to show so much excitement being improper completely slipping the boy's mind.

((I was going to do my other replies for the shores, but realized I'm at a loss - Opal, Delano, and Phaed are all done with their interactions, I have no idea where I last left Aron, and Mel is still waiting on Sham. Soo.. gonna pop this up and start re-reading in earnest to see if I can track down anything else I need to post))