[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ archives - dnp ]

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 10:28 am

groveclan cac archive

this is the post archive for my create a kennel dogs - the last sentinels.
please do not post on this thread, as it is for my use only, thank you!
feel free to follow the link to my create a clan archive for groveclan.
if anything here interests you, feel free to dm me!

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:24 am

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒

every world needs its protectors. the world of feral dogs is no different- living day to day, trying to survive against all odds. once upon a time, the sentinels were a proud order that stretched along the entire world. but as time went on, dogs became proud and foolish. fighting drove the sentinels away, as the other packs felt they did not need them. slowly but surely, the order disbanded, regional packs splintering and forgetting their past. but some dogs are not capable of forgetting. the last sentinels watch, and they wait. the world may not think it needs protecting anymore, but those who remain know that soon enough, their services will be needed again.

𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

the last sentinels reside in the taiga. life is harsh here, with extreme seasons in the woodlands. during the warm season, prey is still scarce, but their territory is vast. during the cold season, they are plagued by heavy snow-fall and oftentimes blizzard, but the hardy dogs who live here make do. their territory stretches in a vast expanse. to the north, the territory stops at the foothills of the mountains. this is where the leaders of the sentinels once gathered in the cave of many voices to speak with their ancestors and discuss the future of the order. today, the last leader still convenes with the ancestors to ask for guidance. to the east, a human loud-thing destroyed some of the trees, and lays sitting as a monumental reminder of the dangers beyond. to the west, a river cuts through the territory. it is dangerous to cross anywhere apart from near the south-west border, where long ago humans built a crossing. there are some areas where the current is weaker where the dogs occasionally fish. finally, to the south, the taiga becomes tundra. the last sentinels do not cross this border unless it is absolutely necessary. their camp is relatively close to the western border, in the ruins of a large human camp. no human has been there for years, and the structures make good shelter against the cold.

in this territory, the sentinels mostly hunt relatively small prey, such as hares, birds of both large and small variety, the occasional rabbit, sometimes fish, and if they are very lucky, deer or elk that pass through. the sentinels do not face many predators, but the predators they do face are mighty. the sentinels have encountered bears in the past, compete with wolves, and occasionally come across humans who come to study the rocks in their territory. while their existence is mostly peaceful, the sentinels are always prepared for these encounters with such formidable opponents, especially during the cold months.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐆𝐒

the sentinels are mostly comprised of very large dogs, who are hardy and tough enough to survive the harsh weather. short-furred dogs are relatively uncommon, although there are some who have adapted. primarily, the dogs are medium to large in size, with thick or long coats to protect against the winter. they have a reputation for being very serious and somewhat standoffish, but the sentinels value loyalty and kindness above all else. they are the first to come to the aide of a dog in need, and especially to help packs that they have allied with. the sentinels are disciplined and strict, and can sometimes be hard to get along with as they tend to be somewhat suspicious of outside influences. they believe in justice and fairness, and as such they have no qualms against withdrawing from an alliance, if they feel that the ally pack is being unjust. the sentinels are aware of their strength as their greatest asset, and refuse to allow other packs to use their virtue for evil.

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

the sentinels were founded for the primary function of being elite warriors. the leader of the sentinels is known as the captain, who is succeeded by their regent. the elders of the pack retire to become the council, who advise the leader and the regent on their decisions. after the council comes the healer - the pack's resident medic. after them are the champions, the most elite of the sentinels. sentinels who care for pups are referred to simply as nurses, and those who are in the nursery are simply mothers for a short time. pups begin training when they are six moons old, as legacies, symbolic of their place as the future of the pack. once they are twelve moons old, they must pass their test to become a full sentinel.

the test of faith is comprised of two elements: legacies must spend one moon surviving on their own in the territory beyond the loud-thing to the east. during this time, they must bring an offering of peace to tappituk, an old she-wolf matriarch who is an ally of the pack, and who will teach the legacy the final lessons necessary to become a sentinel. upon their return, the healer will divine the gods' intentions for the legacy, and will give them their marks accordingly. after this, they will perform a tanet- a ritual spar-like dance with their mentor and the leader, before sitting vigil in the campsite for a night.

the sentinels believe in three deities- silatsuak, who they believe is the protector of the earth and the patron of war, protection and birth; nebo, who is the god of the sky, luck, rationality and death; and tagiuk, goddess of the sea, boundaries, travel and fertility. they also believe that the pantheon represents the three essential elements: body, mind and spirit, respectively.

the sentinels can be identified by the markings that they wear, which the healer creates by making dye from natural resources around the territory. these marks are all symbolic, and the sentinels are happy to explain them if they are asked about them. the marks are given once a sentinel becomes a full member of the pack, and an additional marking is given when they become leader, regent or a council member. they also wear 'war paint' when heading into battle.

champions are selected by placing as the top three during the changeover tournaments. these tournaments occur in the first week of the new season, where all members of the pack spar. the purpose of this is for training and to keep in shape, and dogs get to choose which war paint they would like to decorate themselves with. there is even a special division for pups, and for legacies so that they can participate too. the rounds are often punctuated by tanets.

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:50 am

[ updated: 22 dec. 2018 ] [ 5 females & 5 males ] [ 10 in total ]

▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌

✧ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ✧
` captain
`` erinat | 99 moons | ♀ | ✦

` regent
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦

` the council
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦

` healer
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦
` healer's legacy
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦

` champions
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦

` sentinels
`` almas | 74 moons | ♂ | ✦
`` ryota | 65 moons | ♂ | ✦
`` vasilios | 42 moons | ♂ | ✦
`` nevada | 39 moons | ♀ | ✦
`` keezheekoni | 30 moons | ♀ | ✦
`` cadmus | 26 moons | ♀ | ✦

` legacies
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦

` nurses and mothers
`` name | age | ♀/♂ | ✦
↪ koshmar, kostya, solnyshko [4]
✧ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ✧

relationships wrote:
koshmar, kostya and solnyshko are siblings
erinat and rodzianko are the parents of
abakan and ursus
abelard is johaan's grandfather

mentors & legacies wrote:
wip

to be added wrote:
og pack members
anastasia | 28 moons | ♀ | ✦
abakan | 48 moons | ♂ | ✦
ursus | 48 moons | ♀ | ✦

note: you can bring abakan/ursus home any
time, but i would like for harley to come home
w/ abakan c:

re-adopts
keats | 20 moons | ♂ | ✦
locke | 34 moons | ♂ | ✦
abelard | 117 moons | ♂ | ✦
johaan | 10 moons | ♂ | ✦
trix | 39 moons | ♀ | ✦
yamya | 31 moons | ♀ | ✦
daemon | 41 moons | ♂ | ✦
mars | 35 moons | ♂ | ✦

extra additions (maybe)
akiani | 30 moons | ♂ | ✦
harley | 46 moons | ♂ | ✦
skipper | 33 moons | ♀ | ✦

note: let me live my fantasy... one day akiani
will be a sentinel (teary eyes)

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:04 pm

▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐
▐

●

●

●

●

▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌
▌

𝐄𝐋𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐔𝐌
xxxxxxxxxxxx `` elysium is the place where virtuous sentinels are sent.

`` name | age | gender | cause of death | ✦

𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐒
xxxxxxxxxxxx `` sentinels who betray the way of the pack are sent to tartaros.

`` name | age | gender | cause of death | ✦

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:34 pm

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒
1 dogs [ f: 1 to m: 0 ]

`` the last beacons;
standing tall in the night ───

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨.
The wind shifted through the trees, howling around the dogs, making their fur fluff up around their shoulders to keep their ears warm. Still, they trudged through the fresh snow, shaking the falling flakes from their manes and trudging onward. The dogs at the front of the pack continued to glance back at their captain, her massive, shaggy form as steady and as constant as a rock. They looked away again. And then back. A rumbling, deep chuckle came from the hulking Russian ovcharka, and she shook her head, sending snow flying in all directions.
"If you do not stop looking at me as if I am delicate, I will have to keep you behind from the expedition, Anastasia," she chided, gently, making the other dog huff, and jerk her chin toward her snickering pack-mates.
"They're doing it too," she protested, and Erinat hummed, nodding slowly as she pondered this. Her packmates struggled to keep themselves together, before they all burst into laughter as their leader let out another of her deep chuckles, slow and rich like honey. One of the brutes stepped forward, worry etched into his features as he touched his muzzle to hers. He stepped back, tilting his head to one side.
"Are you sure you will be alright, mother?" He asked, which made the old fae chuckle, and nod her head, glancing at each dog individually. Each shared the same look of determination, and the same look of fear. She could understand; it was a difficult and trying journey ahead of them, but her dogs were strong.
"I am sure, Abakan," she replied, licking her son's forehead, "I might be old, but I am strong, and this is necessary. Someone must wait here for the return of the Sentinels, and you must all go and send word. Times are changing, and it is imperative that we do not fail in our mission. The Sentinels will be needed again soon, I am sure of it. I have faith in you- all of you." The dogs straightened up, one by one, proudly displaying their dye.
"Anastasia, the brave," the husky drew herself up to full height, tilted her head back, and howled, "Abakan, the compassionate," her son's deep baritone filled the sky, "Almas, the wise," the St Bernard tipped his head back and joined in the cry, "and Ursus, the strong." The last member of her pack, her daughter, tilted her head back and howled.
"Now go," Erinat urged, as the dogs got to their paws, "there is no time to waste." With one last look, the last sentinels turned and bounded away deeper into the taiga, leaving the lone Russian bear-dog standing in the howling wind, snow covering her hide like a monument soon to be forgotten.

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧.
Erinat's heavy eyes opened one at a time, blinking to bring the blurry world into focus. The gutted human-place was warm against the pervasive chill of the taiga, still bitterly cold even in the fall. Erinat hauled herself from her nest, standing up on her hind paws to push open the creaking old door. She stepped out into the day, blinking to adjust to the reflection of the sun on the snow. It took her a while to notice the shape sitting across from her in camp.
"Getting slow, old friend?" The she-wolf asked, and Erinat rumbled in her deep way, stepping forward to touch noses in a friendly greeting with the old matriarch.
"Perhaps," she replied, "but it is such a beautiful day. There is no need for me to rush. I do not have any place to be." Tappituk tilted her face back to the sun, one eye glassy and one alert, grey staining the ebony fur around her muzzle. Erinat gave her a gentle smile, nudging her shoulder her own. "Walk with me. You're about all I have by way of company since the search was sent out." The she-wolf snorted.
"Is that what that was? I was wondering who was doing all that howling." Erinat let out another of her deep chuckles, and the two old canines set off in silent companionship, wandering through the territory. It was not uncommon for the wolf to join Erinat in her wanderings. Tappituk was getting old now, and there would be a new liaison to rise in her place once she was dead. Erinat would miss her, though.
"You are thinking very deeply," she said, sounding amused, and Erinat shook her head at her friend.
"I suppose I'm worried about the pack," she replied, "we are so few. The idea of losing ranks to the search is disheartening. I have faith in my dogs. They are strong and good of heart, and I know they will succeed in their endeavours. But I love them. And thus I cannot help but worry." Tappituk's laughter was gentle as she bounded out ahead of Erinat, carving a path through the snow. The slower bear-dog loped along behind her, before the pair of them slowed to a trot at the edge of the river, watching the current drag debris downstream.
"You are a good captain," Tappituk said, settling on her haunches next to the river, "you care about your pack more implicitly than any canine I have ever met. A true hallmark of a leader is when they worry so much about others, they forget to worry for themselves." She fixed Erinat with a pointed look, which made the old fae smile and dip her head to the she-wolf with another of her chuckles.
"I am fine, Tappituk. There is strength in my bones yet."
"There had better be," she black wolf intoned, "the Sentinels will need you, with what lies ahead."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

` servings consumed:

` kennel events:

My gallery · by **solyn** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 2:25 pm

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒
1 dogs [ f: 1 to m: 0 ]

`` the last beacons;
standing tall in the night ───

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨.
Aegina, Greece -
The cool, blue water lapped at the white sand of the beach. Human families laid out across the sunny stretch and splashed in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean. A cluster of them gathered around a washed-up jelly on the shore. Ursus, however, lay sprawled underneath an olive tree, growing on the grassy bank beyond the beach. Humans pulled their small children past her, glancing with wary eyes. But this was Greece, after all, and one more stray dog did not make a world of difference. It was too hot to work in the days, even in the early spring.
The day passed in various bright colours, and finally, darkness fell upon the island. Ursus hauled herself to her feet, shaking out her feet. The search for strays would take her deeper into the mainland. And so she walked, following the path that the roaring monsters took during the day-time, up past the great structure with the colourful windows, up past the old temple and into the wilds, ducking easily between trees until she found a clearing with a spring. She took a drink from the water, soothing her parched throat. The journey had been long: days through the wilds where she couldn't hop a train, sneaking into the back of carts and stowing away on boats. But it was important. Something was coming.
Ursus tipped her head back to the moon, and howled, a low and rumbling baritone. A call, the call. She would make her mother proud. She would bring back new Sentinels to carry on the legacy. Whatever was coming, they would be ready for it. Silence descended on the night again. Answering howls came from all around. Ursus howled once more. Behind her, the underbrush rustled. She took a deep breath, and turned to the glittering eyes emerging from the trees.

Siberian Taiga, Russia -
Erinat's ears pricked forward, watching the great white dog lap from the river. At her shoulder, Tappituk crouched down a little lower, golden eye watching the dog curiously. The pair of old females observed for a few moments longer, before Erinat began to shift, moving around the edge of the trees, keeping to the shadows. The dog didn't look threatening, but Erinat had long since learned that even if a dog appeared one way, they could just as well be another.
Suddenly, the winds changed, and the dog's head snapped upwards, sniffing the air. Erinat stepped forward at the same time that they turned. Startled, their eyes widened, and they turned, bolting. Erinat blanched for a second, but Tappituk was already streaking after them, hot on the heels of the stranger as Erinat kicked into gear behind them.
"Wait!" She called out, but the dog only ran faster. "Stop! We're friendly!" But the dog did not stop, it kept going and going until it was scrambling under a fallen tree, leaving their white underbelly sodden and sticky with mud. Tappituk and Erinat pulled up short, watching the dog disappear deeper into the taiga. They stood in silence for a few moments, Erinat wearing a frown of confusion upon her muzzle.
"Perhaps you looked too much like a bear," the she-wolf supplied helpfully, chuckling at the side-eye her old friend gave her. A moment or two later, Erinat laughed along with her, unable to contain herself. She supposed, in hindsight, it was somewhat entertaining: the idea that the poor thing had thought she really was a bear. The mistake had been made a few times, but always at a distance.
"Perhaps," Erinat agreed, "I wonder what the rest of the world makes of Abakan and Ursus." They fell silent again, before the ovcharka shook her head lightly. "Come on, we should head back camp-ways." She had taken two steps, before she realized Tappituk wasn't following, but was standing a few steps away, eyes glittering with amusement. She tipped her head a little, in confusion, watching the she-wolf watch her.
"We?" Tappituk said, finally.
"If you'll join me," Erinat said with a chuckle, "if we are going to spend some moons alone, we might as well spend them alone together."
"I think that rather defeats the purpose," Tappituk said, taking a step forward, "but I think I'd like the company for tonight."

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧.
Kyoto, Japan -
The wind whistling through the trees always reminded him of tinkling chimes. One paw in front of the other, Almas dragged his aching body the last of the way up the hill, trees swaying overhead. A delicate pink blossom landed on his nose, and he shook his great head, blinking up at the abandoned temple before him. A tinkling laugh came from his right, and he glanced across to see a Shiba sitting next to him. Her head cocked, and he nodded his head, before he stretched out, touching his forehead to the ground in a bow. When he straightened, she was standing in front of him. He ducked his head again, and she licked his forehead with a ghostly tongue.
She bounded forward, disappearing like wispy fog into the doorway of the temple, but Almas knew better than to enter uninvited. He sat near the stairs, listening to the gleeful, far-away cries of those in the beyond. Almas had never quite figured out whether the 'ghosts' here were real, or figments of his imagination due to some hallucinogen in the water, or the air. The clicking of nails on wood brought him back to reality, and his ears pricked up as a fluffy white coat appeared.
"It is good to see you, my friend," he rumbled, and the little dog let out a sharp bark of laughter, curled tail wagging above his back. Almas got to his paws, and began to climb the steps into the creaking old temple. The little Japanese Spitz trotted along in front of him, with the same tight and maintained step that he had always had.
"Why have you come here, Almas?" He asked, looking at him with dark brown eyes, deep enough to drown in, with a biting intelligence settled beyond them. Almas seated himself in the centre of the temple, watching Keigo settle across from him, watching him with his all-seeing eyes, a pinched expression on his face.
"Something is coming," the big dog said, "and without your help, we are unprepared."

Siberian Taiga, Russia -
Erinat rose to a nice morning in Spring, with a bitter chill still prominent in the air. It never quite left, except in the peak of the Summer. She shook out her fur, glancing around the empty room. Tappituk had made her way back past the loud-thing a few weeks ago, leaving the old ovcharka on her own again. But it was no matter, Spring was upon them, the snow was getting thinner, and she was sure that her pack would return to her soon.
She pushed her way out into the warm morning sun, and wasted no time in leaving camp, heading north into the wintry wilds. It was always colder up there, closer to the mountains, and if she got near enough, a thick layer of fog hung this low in the morning. Erinat liked it. It was peaceful, it was quiet. It reminded her of the old expeditions she and Rodzianko had taken their children on, watching them fumble about in the snow as pups.
A quiet smile crossed her face as she padded through the territory, ears alert for any sound that might constitute danger, but for now, she was content to enjoy the peace that her solitude brought. It was early days yet, and Erinat was a patient dog. She would watch. She would wait. Whatever was coming, she would be ready for it. She paused, tipping her head back to bask in the rays of sun splitting through the canopy. As the heat warmed her pelt, she couldn't help but let her mind wander- to her pups; to Almas who was older than the rest, and steady; and to Anastasia, young but spitfire.
Wherever you are, she thought, I hope you are all safe.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

` servings consumed:

` kennel events:

My gallery · by **solyn** » Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:07 pm

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒
5 dogs [ f: 3 to m: 2 ]

`` the last beacons;
standing tall in the night ───

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨.
fairbanks, alaska -
Anastasia's legs burned beneath her as she strained at the harness, tugging the sled behind her in the night. The pads of her paws ached, and her muscles cried out for rest, but she could not stop. She would not stop. This is what she had been trained for. This is what Erinat had taught her, what she had learned from Almas and the elders before them. She was Sentinel Anastasia; the brave. She would complete her mission, even as glowing yellow eyes followed her in the tall shadows of the trees, as they exchanged quiet howls.
Footsteps ran alongside hers, a scruffy gray muzzle appearing from the corner of her eye. She growled, lowly, ducking her head to surge along faster. The wolf kept an even, skippy pace with her, his tinkling laughter echoing throughout the night. Bitter wind tossed it around the she-dog's ears, and she snarled, shaking her head roughly, and focusing her eyes on the path ahead. It wouldn't be far now. She was almost there.
"You can't complete this mission, you know," the wolf said cheerfully, "not alone, at least. And you are all alone, little dog." Anastasia paid him no heed, forging on ahead. Behind her, she heard the injured human groan, felt weight in the sled shift. Don't worry, she thought, I will get you home. You will be safe soon. The wolf, meanwhile, continued to taunt her in his breezy, childish manner; "surely you must know that this is an impossible task? There is simply not a dog that is capable of this task. You've been running for hours, and you have hours more to go! Face it, you cannot save him."
"You have no idea what I'm capable of," Anastasia bared her teeth, snapping at the wolf's front tendon, suddenly. He yelped, trying to leap out of the way, but Anastasia's movement had been so fast he had no time to balance himself, and his jaw hit the ground hard as the husky dog surged on. She could feel them following her again, but her ears were pricked forwards, powerful muscles pulling her a step closer to her goal with every stride. The wolf was right about one thing: she did still have hours to go.
And so she ran them, the pack following close on her heels, until she crested a rise and let the icy ground to the rest, taking her sliding down the hill toward the small town. She dragged the sled into the middle of the street, and set to barking, as loud as she could. Lights went on all around, until a door smashed open, and a two-leg with a gun stepped onto the porch of the house. His dark, knitted brows lifted when he saw what Anastasia was pulling. He began to yell in his strange language, and more doors open, more people rushed to help.
Anastasia slipped from the harness, allowing the two-legs some indulgent pats, before she darted from the group and slipped under the fence. She watched through the gap as they looked around for her, wondering where she had gone, before the last of them dispersed, back into their houses. Anastasia dragged her cold, tired body back out into the street, shaking snow out of her pelt. She felt eyes on her, and turned, to see a familiar grey shape standing on the top of the hill. Defiantly, she raised her jaw to him. His tinkling laughter carried to her ears on the wind as he turned, and flounced away.

siberian taiga -
The puppies at her paws ducked their heads bashfully, only the solid black one staring at Erinat, ears flattened defiantly as he stepped in front of his siblings, as if his tiny bulk would defend them from Erinat. The old ovcharka couldn't help a smile at that. His attitude reminded her of Anastasia, when she had first joined the pack; spitfire and defiant, even in the face of impossible odds. Slowly, the old dog laid down, resting her head on her paws.
"I do not wish to hurt you, little ones," she said, "your mother brought you onto my pack's territory, but I have seen no hide nor hair of her. How... long have you been out here?" The glance that the black pup shared with his sister told Erinat everything she needed to know: it was too long. "I understand your mother gave you specific instructions," she began, tentatively, "but I think it is time you found new shelter. And food. We can leave a strong trail for your mother, if she comes back."
"Why should we trust you?" The black pup asked, and his sister nudged him, with a small yelp as a reprimand. He rolled his eyes, leveling his gaze with the old fae. She lifted her head, a warm smile on her face as she began to speak, intoning in her deep voice the way she once had at division meetings all those moons ago.
"I am Erinat, the decisive, Captain of the Sentinels, last defenders of canine kind." The she-pup's eyes widened, and she nudged her brother, excitedly.
"You're a Sentinel?" She said, wide-eyed with awe. As Erinat nodded, she dipped her head. "We've heard the legends. Mother would tell us stories of the Sentinels and their great battles all the time. Koshmar's favourite was always the one where the Sentinels came to help the Vyche Pack, and a big ovcharka... defended... them against... a bear..." The she-pup's eyes widened even further, but Erinat chuckled, shaking her head lowly.
"That was not me," she said, and her eyes filled with a nostalgic sadness, "that was my mate, Rodzianko. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, but he would be so happy to know that he inspired young dogs like yourself." The she-pup turned to stare determinedly at her brother. The pair of them seemed to have a discussion with flicks of their ears and furrowing of brows, while the third pup, far shyer, shrugged at Erinat, and then glanced at his siblings again. Finally, the she-pup turned to smile at Erinat, her small tail wagging against the snow.
"We want to go with you," she said, "it's the best decision. And, I want to train to be a Sentinel." Erinat chuckled.
"You're a little young right now, but when the time comes, you are welcome to train under our code." Insistently, the husky puppy reached upward to touch noses with the older dog, before she bounded forward, wagging her tail. Erinat rumbled out a chuckle, pulling herself to her feet. Slowly and carefully, she led the tired puppies back through the territory, and into the camp, where her fur bristled at the sight of another dog standing, a little lost and confused.
"Can I help you?" Erinat asked, and the shepherd turned, her head cocked to the side.
"Are you Erinat, Sentinel Captain?"
"I am. Who's asking?"
"Nevada," she said, ducking her head as a greeting, "I have been sent by Almas to join your pack."

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧.
dallas, texas -
The rickety truck pulled into another night stop. Abakan waited until the faint jingle of the convenience store bell could be heard, before he wriggled out from under the tarp covering the flatbed of the truck. The big dog shook himself out, and then trotted out of the carpark, and down the road. Abakan had learned that the two-legs in this place didn't exactly take well to a dog like himself. He looked too much like a bear, especially in the dark, so he made sure to keep to the shadows, trotting along quite happily and weaving between buildings.
He had heard no word of his sister or the other pack members who were out on the Search, but he could only assume they were okay. They were strong, and hardy, just like he was. He shook out his fur, stepping around the corner of a brick building, and trotting down the road, before ducking into a junkyard. His ears pricked forward. He could hear the faint sound of music, and two-leg laughter, but the scent or sound of dogs eluded him. Carefully, Abakan stepped over a pile of junk, looking around for the dog he had been searching for.
"Harley? Are you here?" There was a clattering to his left, and he whipped around, as a sleek looking dog emerged from a pile of cascading junk. Most dogs who met Harley said he didn't look much like anything, but Abakan happened to know him well enough to know that his parents had been a rottweiler and a husky, and Harley got the brains, the muscle, and the attitude. The large dog skittered down the mound and all but tackle-pounced on his old friend.
"Abakan!" He cheered, gleefully, "nice of you to visit, old friend. I was beginning to think that someone had finally take bear-erasing measures on you, or that you'd finally frozen to death." Abakan laughed, touching noses with the other dog, watching his tail wag back and forth rapidly.
"Well, you don't have to worry, I've still got some cycles left of fight in me, and it takes more than a little blizzard to slow me down." Harley laughed his rumbling laugh, and he turned, so that Abakan could see the slightly lighter mark where his sign had faded out. The cross-breed cocked his head, tail still wagging as he appraised his old friend. Abakan sat, knowing that Harley wouldn't mind.
"You didn't come down here just to see me, did you?"
"I wish I could say I did," he replied, "Mother instigated the Search. I need your help to send a message."

siberian taiga -
"Solnyshko!" Koshmar's outraged yelp carried across camp as the black husky pup charged after his sister, shaking snow out of his fur. The she-pup laughed airily, artfully weaving underneath Nevada's legs, leaving Koshmar to a sputtered reprimand as he crashed through behind her. Erinat laughed, lounging in a patch of snow that had been melted by the spring-time sunlight. Nevada cast Erinat an extremely pouty look, but the old ovcharka didn't seem to pay her much notice.
"You know," a familiar voice said, and all heads swiveled toward a large akita, who was joined by a slightly smaller shepherd, "when I heard word from Keigo that the situation was dire, I didn't expect that to mean I was needed for pup-sitting." Erinat staggered to her paws, a broad smile on her maw. She bounded forward as the Akita stepped up, the two dogs coming together to rest their jaws on each other's shoulders, tails wagging happily. "Hello, old friend."
"Ryota," Erinat rumbled, "welcome back. I haven't seen you since Division Eight disbanded. Who is your friend?" The two older dogs turned to smile at Cadmus, who shrank back a little, before squaring her shoulders and stepping up to stand next to the akita. Ryota nudged her shoulder, proudly.
"This is Cadmus," he said, "she was under my tutelage in our old pack. It disbanded shortly before Keigo sent word to us that Almas had found him, and that the Search had begun. I didn't think you would mind a familiar face. Cadmus chose her own name, when I told her I was going to go by my own original. Do you like it?" The long-haired shepherd nudged her former mentor, hard, with her shoulder, ducking her head as Nevada rumbled out a chuckle behind her.
"I do like it," Erinat said, "it is very regal. We would gladly welcome you back to the Sentinels, Sturdy Ryota. And Cadmus..."
"Deserves the mark of the Seeing," Ryota interrupted, "trust me."
"I do. I have some business to attend to in the cave of many voices. Tappituk is coming to mind the pups, but I'd like it if the rest of you could hunt. We need some kill stocked up if we are to grow in numbers." Ryota ducked his head, and Cadmus instantly did the same, flicking a nervous glance toward the older female.
"As you wish, Captain." Erinat shook her head, rolling her eyes at Ryota's teasing. She turned, and inclined her head for Nevada to join the group, before she watched the three dogs bound out of camp. A nudge at her ankle made her look down, to where Kostya was standing, staring up at her with wide eyes.
"Who was that?" he asked, as his siblings bounded across to settle next to him.
"Ryota is an old friend," Erinat said simply, nodding to Tappituk as she emerged from the trees, "stay out of trouble." She leaned down to touch her nose to the forehead of each of the pups, before she started toward the trees. As she passed the old she-wolf, she gave her a grateful smile. The one-eyed fae nodded back, before the moment was passed, and Erinat's powerful muscles were propelling her forward through the forest toward the cave where she would speak with her ancestors.
The trip to the end of the territory always left her out of breath, but as she descended into the cave, her worries began to wash away. In the centre of the cavern was a jagged crystal, sending beautiful patterns of light glittering across the walls. Erinat sat next to it, and lifted a paw to place on top of it. Almost instantly, she felt the rush of whispers echoing around her. She let herself take a moment to remember how it felt to be connected to so many spirits at once. Then, she spoke:
"To those that have come before, the Sentinels make a request. Almas, Marked of the Wise, had traveled far for his dedication to the Search, but now the pack requests his return, to help rebuild what once was. We will be stronger with him here then we will with him far away. May you watch over him, and guide his paws on the safe path to home." Energy rushed through her paw, and as her request was made, Erinat could feel the conscious world falling away as she descended into sleep.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

` servings consumed:

` kennel events:

almas

My gallery · by **solyn** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 11:23 pm

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒
10 dogs [ f: 5 to m: 5 ]

`` the last beacons;
standing tall in the night ───
mod: w0ah - stars: any time

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨.
fairbanks, alaska -
Anastasia's paws carried her over the damp ground without much issue, hare dangling from between her jaws as she made her way back to the abandoned human place she had been sleeping under for the past few moons. Her pelt prickled along her spine, but she ignored it. The feeling had been coming and going in fleeting moments for a while now. She knew he was watching her, but she knew he would stay out of sight. A wolf in broad daylight this close to humanity wouldn't bode well. And so she continued over the land, still wet from the last night's rain, dew dripping from blades of grass, and bees beginning to buzz through flowery fields.
Anastasia crawled on her belly under the house, settling into the little nest she'd hollowed out and warmed with a blanket she'd stolen when the winds had blown the door open. Glittering golden eyes appeared at the front of the structure, peering under the raised foundation to try and find her. Anastasia gave him a quizzical, if not a tad smug, expression, tilting her head a bit. After a moment, the wolf too crawled under the house.
"Hello?" She said, not bothering to keep the blatant amusement out of her voice.
"I've been watching you," he said, settling a safe distance away from her. Anastasia stretched, languidly, keeping one paw on her hare, possessively. It might have been close quarters, and the wolf might have had size on her, but Anastasia was a sentinel. He would stand no chance against her, should he choose to fight her for the hare.
"I've noticed," she said tersely, and the wolf laughed his merry laugh.
"I thought I was being more subtle," he said, "you surprised me, that night. No ordinary dog could have made a journey like you did. So I have been watching, waiting. Trying to understand what makes you special, but you've produced more questions than answers. Questions about why you help the humans- you are not a companion of theirs, and yet you go out of your way to ensure their safety. I have seen you gentle with pups but viciously rough against those that cross you. You're an enigma, frankly, and I don't like to be left in the dark. I doubt you'll answer all of my questions, so I have just one: why do you choose to help the humans if you were not born indebted to them, like the dogs they keep restrained?" Anastasia hesitated, eyeing up the wolf suspiciously, before she blew out a sigh.
"Because it's the right thing to do," she said, "it doesn't matter that I owe them nothing, I see the opportunity to help them and I take it, because that's what my mentor taught me to do. She said, in this life you have a choice: a choice to look out for only yourself, and to look the other way, or to stand up and fight, to help those who cannot help themselves, and to do good in the world without asking for anything in return. She is a good dog, and she believed in me when no one else did. I value her wisdom, and I wish to follow her teachings, and so I do."
"Her goodness extends to strange humans?"
"Her goodness knows no bounds," Anastasia snapped back at the tone he took, "she believes that doing good will result in good things coming to you. Perhaps in time, I will be in danger, and that human will help me. I do not know, but I don't do these things because I desire some reward. I do them because they feel right."
"You are still so strange to me," the wolf tilted his head, curiously, before he shook it, with another merry laugh, "but I suppose I have asked my question. If I may have one more... what is your name?"
"Anastasia," she drew up taller, in her seated position, shoulders square, "a last sentinel, marked of the brave."
"I'll pretend I know what that means," the wolf winked, drawing himself into a crouch so that he could shift around in a circle and head toward the front. A second from being out from under the house, he turned back, his golden eyes meeting her own mismatched ones. "I'm Akiani, by the way. I'll be seeing you around, Ana." And with a toothy grin, he was gone, leaving Anastasia to ponder his strangeness in his wake.

siberian taiga -
Erinat blinked at the strange dog, with Ryota at one shoulder, and Nevada at the other, the three husky puppies peeking out from behind her leg. Cadmus shifted nervously, glancing at the beauceron in front of her. Erinat glanced between them again. Cadmus averted her eyes to the ground. The beauceron stood, unblinking. Solnyshko blinked up at Erinat, lightly nudging her back leg. The large she-dog blinked at her, smiling fondly as the husky pup nodded at him.
"Well? Aren't you gonna say anything?" She prompted, and Erinat chuckled, bending to touch her nose to her forehead.
"I was getting there," she assured her, turning back to the dog, "I am Erinat, captain of the Sentinels. You didn't give Cadmus a name?" Her head tilted a little, as the dog let out a sigh, and then a nod.
"It wasn't Cadmus I was looking for," he said, blinking at Erinat, "I was told by Ursus that I was to find an 'Erinat', captain of the Sentinels, so I suppose I am in the right place after all." He turned, and gave a nod to Cadmus. "I am sorry if I caused you any trouble, Cadmus. My name is Vasilios, I am here to train as a sentinel, sent by who I assume is your daughter?" He gave a curious look to Erinat, who let out a relieved breath of air and a nod.
"My daughter," she confirmed, "thank you for bringing me news of her, I'm relieved to hear she is well." Erinat gave the dog a warm smile. "We would be glad to have you, Vasilios. If we are to rebuild the order, the Sentinels will need every member they can get. For now, you should rest. I am aware you must have come a long way to find us." Vasilios' face stretched into a warm smile, and he nodded. Ryota stepped forward, nudging his shoulder lightly.
"I'll show you where you can sleep. If you're hungry, we can find you some fresh kill." The beauceron murmured his thanks as he followed the Akita off, leaving Cadmus facing Erinat and Nevada alone. She ducked her head a little, ears flattening back against her skull. The elder shepherd stepped forward, touching her nose to the other's shoulder.
"Hey, head up," she said in her usual gruff tone, "Erinat isn't mad at you, you didn't do anything wrong. Have more confidence in yourself." She nudged her shoulder against Cadmus', before she turned to blink over her shoulder at Erinat. "I'm going to go for a hunt, if we've got more dogs we're going to need more- gah!" Nevada jumped, turning her head back just in time to avoid smashing into a tan and white pelt. Erinat gasped from behind her.
"I don't believe I've seen you before," Almas said, before his eyes lighted on his old pack mate. He ducked around Nevada, revealing an amber-coloured dog who started to protest his leaving, before her face softened as the saint bernard met the old ovcharka in the middle of camp, both of their tails wagging as they rested their jaws on each other's shoulders. "But you, my dear," Almas said with a rumble, "are a sight for sore eyes."
"Almas," Erinat's voice was little more than a soft sigh, "welcome home. I see you've brought a friend with you." Almas turned to look over his shoulder, blinking at the strange dog. Her tail perked up a little, and she gave Erinat a bright smile, as Nevada stepped around her suspiciously, and continued on into the forest. Cadmus looked between the two groups, and then bounded off after Ryota, leaving the two old friends in the centre of the camp with the stranger and the pups.
"Whoa," said Koshmar, "you're so... red."
"Thank you," said the dog with a laugh, meeting Erinat's eyes, "I'm Keezheekoni. I met Almas on his way back here, and I figured I would come along for the ride. It seems like you do good work here, and I... well. I don't have much place else to go, so if I'm going to head somewhere, it might as well be somewhere I can make a change."
"That's exactly how I feel!" Solnyshko exclaimed, before glaring at her brother as he stepped on her paw.
"Welcome to the Sentinels then, Keezheekoni," Erinat smiled warmly at her, before crouching to talk to the pups, "why don't you show our new friend around, hm? I have some things I need to talk about with Almas." The pups nodded excitedly, bounding across to the estrela mountain dog and shepherding her in the direction of the old barn where most of the sentinels slept. Almas watched them go, waiting until they rounded the corner to turn to Erinat with twinkling eyes.
"There's nothing serious to discuss, is there?"
"Not a thing at all," Erinat confirmed, amused, "I'm just glad to have you back. I thought we should catch up on your travels."
"It seems like you've had an interesting time too, Erinat. I'm excited to hear about what's been happening with you." The ovcharka laughed, shaking her great head a little, as she leaned against her old friend, letting the younger dog support her weight.
"Well... I suppose time is on our side here, Almas."

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧.
phoenix, arizona -
"Thanks for coming along," Abakan smiled at Harley, watching the dog jump up onto an abandoned car in the middle of the desert. No lights from cars lit the highway, leaving them shrouded in darkness. Harley itched his shoulder against the placard that had been attached to the car, giving the humans some kind of a sign to look at as they passed on the highway. It was really the only thing to look at for miles around, but Abakan liked the open air and the open land. It was nice to see the stars twinkling overhead, like they did at home.
"It's not a problem, Abi," Harley said, leaping down from his perch, and padding along next to his bigger companion, "you know I always like an adventure. Besides! You just popped up again, it's not like I'm willing to let my friend go after such a long time apart. And you know, you'll need someone to protect you." Abakan laughed as Harley jostled his shoulder playfully.
"Oh, is that right? You're going to protect me?" He gave Harley a curious albeit amused look, and the rottsky stuck his tongue out at him briefly, before bounding ahead, leaving Abakan to streak after him. The two of them ran in companionable silence, eating up ground as they sprinted across the open land . Neither of them really knew where they were going, only that there was somewhere over the horizon, somewhere where they would find dogs, somewhere where The Call would take them. As they passed a rock outcrop, Harley skidded to a sudden halt, making Abakan scrabble against the hard dirt underfoot.
"Hey?" He said imploringly, head tilting a little. Harley's eyes glittered pensively in the dark, as he turned and looked out across the highway. A car slowly made it's way past, roar kicking up dust on the edges of the highway before everything settled, and the night was quiet again.
"What's coming, Abi?" Harley asked, staring at his friend. The ovcharka sighed, heavily, and then turned to look with Harley. The night was still. The stars kissed the tops of the hulking red rocks. Abakan closed his eyes, letting the light wind pick up his fur and rustle it around.
"I don't know," he said, softly, "I just know something is. I don't even know if Mom knows... but either way, it's better to be safe than sorry. So I'm here, taking up The Call, so that when whatever it is comes, she won't be facing it alone." He turned to find Harley staring at him, mismatched eyes even more serious in the darkness. Abakan tilted his head, feeling an urgency come to his tongue, certain words desperate to be said, but stuck in his throat.
"And you're sure?" Harley said, voice quiet. "Above everything else, you've got a conviction about all of this?" Abakan nodded.
"Yeah."
"Then I'm with you," Harley took a step closer, squaring his shoulders, "where you go, I go. Where you stand, I stand. We're a team from here on out, Abi, and I won't hear any arguments. Your mother shouldn't face this alone, but neither should you." Abakan's eyes widened in surprised, before his features softened. He let out a gentle laugh, and nodded slowly, ducking his head bashfully at the open affection Harley had showed him.
"For what it's worth," he said, "there's no one else I'd rather have in my corner." Harley snorted and nudged his shoulder with his own, before he took off again. Abakan's long legs easily caught up with him, and the pair of them ran on together, shoulder-to-shoulder, silent against the stillness of the night.

siberian taiga -
"We're big enough to go with you!" Koshmar complained, giving Erinat a sulky look as the older members of the pack splintered into their respective patrols. Almas and Ryota shared an amused look as the old ovcharka chuckled, nodding sagely.
"You are," she said, "but according to the pack's customs, you have to be six moons old before we can give you a mentor." Koshmar and his siblings made annoyed whining sounds, making the old she-wolf who had graciously descended from her den to pup-sit again chuckle. Erinat and Tappituk exchanged fond glances, both of the elder faes having bonded quite closely with the young pups. She leaned down, touching her nose to Koshmar's forehead.
"It's not too long now, little one," she said, "if you like, I can show you some battle moves while the others hunt." The idea was met by excited cheers from the pups.
"That sounds wonderful," Erinat said, grateful for her friend's help, "we should be back before the sun sets. You three be good." She gave them stern looks, and once she had their promises, and had exchanged fond goodbye gestures, she and Almas turned tail and headed into the forest areas surrounding the camp. The last moon had been wonderful for the pair of them: Almas had told Erinat of all his adventures, and in turn Erinat had filled him in on the newcomers in the camp. Most, excepting Ryota, could not gain an official mark due to their lack of healers. Although Ryota and Cadmus were trained, both seemed happy to settle in as sentinels.
"But you do have ideas for their marks, correct?" Almas asked, walking shoulder to shoulder with the captain as they neatly skirted one of the pack's far-off borders. Erinat chuckled that amused little chuckle she had, the one that seemed a little offended anyone would ever think otherwise about the question they'd just asked.
"Of course I do," she said, "Cadmus is nervous and shy, but good of heart and quick on her feet. She should be marked of the intelligent, the sigil of a thinker. Ryota is, of course, the mark of the helper- I'm sure you remember his ceremony as well as I do. Nevada is gruff and impatient and a tad bit temperamental at times, but she cares. She should be marked of the resilient, for her willingness to do whatever she needs to. Vasilios and Kee are a little harder, since I've known them less time. Vasilios seems stalwart and steady, and for that I think he should be marked of the true, someone who knows the right thing to do and who will always stand strong to defend justice. Kee almost glows with optimism, she's positive and bubbly and genuinely sees good in the world. She should be marked of the bright-spirit, to remind her that hope is simply a beacon of light in impossible darkness."
"You have given this a lot of thought," Almas teased, nudging Erinat's shoulder with his own. She nudged his shoulder back, rolling her eyes at him, "although I do suppose that's a facet of your job." Erinat heaved a great sigh, and nudged him again, this time hard enough to throw him off his paws, and send him sprawling into the snow.
"Indeed it is," she said, voice laced with amusement as Almas sputtered, "and another job of mine is keeping you pups in line." She and Almas exchanged a look, before they burst into merry laughter, voices floating up into the cool spring air and settling overhead like a warm blanket. Finally, in the cold and isolated taiga, the territory began to feel like home again.

-

Kee stood out ahead of the hunting party, casting a glance over her shoulder. Behind her, Ryota and Vasilios walked shoulder to shoulder, engaged in some pleasant conversation, with Cadmus trailing just behind Ryota and Nevada bringing up the air, her nose pressed to the ground, trying to pick up some scent against the wetness of the ground. It didn't matter what season it was, the ground always seemed damp from the spring snow-showers melting within seconds.
"Getting anything?" She asked, the question making Nevada lift her head and fix her with a stare. Even after a month here, Nevada still unnerved Kee a little bit. The short-haired shepherd was so serious and gruff, it was hard to get a fix on what she was feeling. Finally, Nevada shook her head, and then went back to scenting the ground. Kee blew out a relieved sigh. That was about as amicable as one could get with her, as far as she could tell.
"Maybe we should split up?" Cadmus suggested, as the party pulled up to a stop.
"I think it would be more beneficial to be together in the event we come across large prey," Vasilios said, and Nevada made a humming noise from behind them that said she agreed. Kee turned to smile brightly at Ryota, the old Akita looking bewildered to suddenly be the centre of attention.
"You're the ranking sentinel," Kee said cheerfully, "your decision."
"I say we stay together then," Ryota said, after a moment of contemplation, "you're all a little fresh to this, and I'd prefer no one gets lost in the territory. We don't exactly have the numbers for an effective search party. And Vasilios is right, if we run across bigger prey it's better to have all of us together. And," he added, with a large smile, "it'll be a bonding experience." Nevada groaned.
"You just had to put it like that, didn't you?"
"Absolutely, my dear. You'll love it." Nevada rolled her eyes, and Kee exchanged a shocked glance with Cadmus. Neither of them had realized that Nevada and Ryota had had such a good relationship. The short-haired dog was even smiling, shaking her head in a good-natured fashion, with a pantomimed heavy sigh.
"I highly doubt that, but... the rest of the plan sounds good. So I'll try. For you." They knocked shoulders affectionately, before the she-dog trotted forward, brushing past Kee and turning to blink over her shoulder. She gave them all a flat but quizzical expression, cocking her head to the side just the slightest bit. "Are you slowpokes coming? I wouldn't want to leave you in the dust." Ryota laughed, bounding forward to catch up to Nevada, with the rest of the party close behind him.

-

All was quiet in the campgrounds. It was warm enough to sleep with the doors of the old human places open, so that Erinat could see the sleeping forms of her sentinels across the way. Ryota and Cadmus slept back to back, with Nevada stretched languidly on the other side of him. Vasilios and Kee slept quietly by themselves, and Almas lay as a mid point between them, his snores carrying across the still spring air to where Erinat was curled around the three pups who had taken to her as a mother figure.
And then suddenly, there was another figure, more spectral this time, but ultimately familiar. His paws did not left indents in the fresh snow, but Erinat could never forget the way they looked. She unwound herself from around the puppies, stepping forward to meet him, the thin layer of white melting under the heat of her pads. She did not stop until they were almost nose to nose, the starry eyes of her mate twinkling fondly.
"Hello again," he said warmly, "fancy seeing you here."
"Zian," she sighed, leaning forward to touch noses with him, "I wish I knew you were here under better circumstances. I've been feeling something- a build up. What's going on?" Her mate's eyes were sad as he pulled back, motioning for her to sit. And so she did, shoulder brushing his starry fur.
"You always did have the intuition for it," he said, "perhaps you should have been marked with the Sight, instead of with the mark of the decisive. But... you are correct. The sentinels are needed again, to help a pack in Greece. They call themselves Mount Olympus' Calling, and they are being troubled by a bear. Not a problem for the sentinels, but for a pack inexperienced with that kind of a threat... well."
"The first test," she sighed, "almost like a trial by fire for the new ones."
"Everything will be fine," he assured her, placing a starry paw over her own, "you've been leading the last of the sentinels for a long time now. Almas will fight diligently beside you. Ryota will bring you all home. From what I have seen of your new recruits, they are strong and good of heart. The sentinels will survive another day, and the dogs of the Calling will be safe, too."
"You always were so rational," she smiled, leaning against him, "I wish you were here. And I wish the others were, too. I always imagined that the next sentinel battle would come with our pups by my side, and Anastasia... well. She'd be devastated to miss this, but the Call has taken them, and they will only return when the stars decide that they are ready."
"I will bring them home to you, Natti," Rodzianko pressed his nose to her cheek, "I promise you that."
"I know you're watching over them," she nuzzled into his starry pelt, missing his familiar scent, "but I ask that for this next chapter, you watch over this pack. Abakan and Ursus are strong and diligent. Anastasia is stalwart and determined. They will come home. This pack is still fresh, and I do not wish anything to happen to them."
"They will be safe. Elysium watches for you." He stood, then, and Erinat watched him as he pressed his nose to her cheek, and took a step back. They exchanged one last mournful glance, before he turned, and began to pad away into the snow, stars fading into the minuscule snowflakes that fell as the spring-time taiga tried to produce a pathetic amount of snow. Scuffling behind her made Erinat turn, to see Solnyshko standing in the threshold of the human place, yawning.
"Erinat?" She asked, voice sluggish with sleep. "What's going on? Who was that?"
"Just an old friend," Erinat said, getting to her paws. "Go back to sleep, it's late." The little husky pup nodded, allowing herself to be ushered back to her sleeping brothers. Erinat sat with them until she was sure she was asleep again, before she crossed the snowy campground to the den of her sentinels.
"Almas," she whispered, using her paw to push him awake. He sat up, eyes bleary, but quickly sharpening as he saw the solemn expression on her face. She didn't have to say anything for him to understand what she was trying to convey. He nodded, bowing his head, before he lifted it again with a slow exhale.
"So," he said finally, "the time has come."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

` servings consumed:

` kennel events:

mount olympus' calling

this

My gallery · by **solyn** » Thu Dec 27, 2018 1:59 pm

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐒
12 dogs [ f: 6 to m: 6 ]

`` the last beacons;
standing tall in the night ───
mod: w0ah - stars: any time

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨.
athens, greece -
Nevada's strong legs surged the rest of the rise and into the camp of the other pack, seemingly just in time. The Sentinels were a good home, she had to admit. Erinat was strong and resolute and the other members were kind and had good hearts. The captain, however nice she was, did unsettle her a little bit. She had no way to know how Erinat had sense this kennel in Greece of all places needed their help, and had managed to get them here in just the nick of time. She had no time to ponder it, however, as Vasilios darted around her nimbly and forged ahead, directly into the fray.
From there it was mayhem. Dogs from the strange kennel seemed to not know what to do about this bear, but the braver ones approached Erinat to ask for direction- what should I do? where do you need me?- and so battle plans were barked, formations were formed, squadrons defended the weak, the elderly, the young and the sick. Ryota bared his teeth and barked at the bear as it teetered toward some pups, and then evidently thought better of the gathering platoon of canines. Instead, it turned, and began to lumber toward a small australian shepherd, cowering back against a rock. Her ears had flattened against her skull in fright, and she turned her face away from her inevitable doom.
Nevada leapt into action on pure instinct. Her paws carried her across the campground, swift like the wind, and with a powerful push of her hindquarters, she flew through the air and sank her teeth into the raised forearm of the bear. The creature roared in pain as her strong jaw crunched around bone, and with a dismissive flick, it send her body across the campground. She landed hard in the dirt, the force of it bouncing her over and giving her the opportunity to skid back onto her paws, ears flattened back as she barked at the creature to keep its attention.
"Hey, you big lug!" She barked, watching as the massive animal turned and began to move toward you. "That's good, Nevada!" Erinat's voice sailed over the campground as the shepherd jumped back to avoid a furious swipe. She could vaguely hear Erinat barking orders to the other dogs. The bear rose up again, ready to bring both paws down upon her, when it roared in pain. Nevada spotted several dogs nipping at it's heels, an arc of them having settled around it. Nevada skittered sideways to join the endmost position of the semi-circle, next to a snarling Vasilios, as the arc slowly advanced.
The bear looked confused, and then furious for all of a second, before it chuffed and turned tail, lumbering back into the woods. Erinat straightened up, nodding to Almas. The large St Bernard seemed to understand the signal, taking off after the bear. Nevada found herself panting heavily as the adrenaline wore off, dull throb settling in her shoulder. The dogs cheered, splintering off to find friends and loved ones, as Erinat turned to the leader of the kennel to speak.
"Are you okay?" A voice next to her made Nevada jump a little, and she found herself looking at the australian shepherd from earlier. "I'm fine," Nevada said, roughly. The dog seemed unbothered, her pretty blue eyes glittering as she stared up at her in awe. "You... saved my life. And you could have been injured, because of me." The misery in her tone sent something shooting through Nevada, and she felt her heart soften. "I'm fine, really," she said, touching her nose to the dog's forehead, "I landed a bit hard on my shoulder and I'll definitely feel it tomorrow, but I'll be right as rain in a few days."
The dog made a fussy noise, taking a step closer to lick at Nevada's throbbing shoulder, and the shepherd sat down hard with a sigh, suddenly exhausted. "Do I at least get to know the name of my hero?" The dog asked, looking quizzically at her. Nevada let out a tired laugh. "Nevada," she said. "Penelope," the dog replied, with a smile, "thank you for your bravery, Nevada. I would have been lost without you." Nevada couldn't help the warmth that made her pelt go hot in that moment.
"Don't mention it."

siberian taiga -
"A bit rusty are we?" A panting Erinat received only a sulky glower from Almas as he wandered alongside her, occasionally ducking his head to soothe the fresh scratches on his nose against the last remnants of the measly spring snow. "I fought a bear two weeks ago, if you'll remember correctly," he said indignantly, and Erinat let out a laugh, nudging his shoulder in a companionable way. It had been a remarkable trial by fire, really. She was proud of how her back had handled it, each dog escaping relatively unscathed. Nevada had had a bit of a limp on the journey home, but the ache in her shoulder had subsided quickly, and any scratches or bumps seemed to be only superficial.
The badger they'd met on patrol, however, had been more intent on ripping Almas to ribbons.
"I don't blame you," she soothed, "the whole pack has done well. I am very proud of you all." Almas shook his head a little, but a fond smile had crossed his features. It was nice, Erinat decided, being back with one of her old friends. She'd missed the company of her last remaining pack members, and as the moons wore on, she felt the nagging fear that her pups wouldn't make it back before she passed. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, reminding herself that she was still young yet.
A rustling noise made both of them pause, before Erinat turned to blink at the underbrush. A smaller dog- a norwegian elkhound- tumbled out of the shrubbery, starting when she noticed the two larger dogs staring back at her. She blinked. They blinked. Almas turned to look at Erinat, Erinat just looked amused.
"I assume you're looking for Erinat, captain of the Sentinels?"
"Yep," said the dog, nodding slowly, "and I assume that's you?"
"Yep," said Erinat, and the two she-dogs exchanged a friendly laugh. Almas smiled a little. "I'm Almas," he added, "it's nice to meet you. Which one of the others sent you here?"
"I'm Yamya," the dog supplied, "and I was sent here by Abakan. Well, mostly by Harley, but Abakan was with him." Erinat startled in surprise, turning to face Almas, who looked just as shocked. "I didn't think he'd gotten that far south," Almas said, "but he must have if he found Harley, who I didn't know what still active. I thought he'd gone underground since his parent's division disbanded." Yamya shrugged a little. "It depends on what you mean by 'underground'. He's mostly been coordinating a group of strays in a city way down south. He's got a lot of pull down there, but on my way up I heard through the grapevine that he took off with a bear."
"So he's travelling with Abakan, then." Erinat and Almas hummed, and nodded, before Almas winced. "As nice as this is, could we talk about Abakan and his ability to re-enlist Harley back at camp? That badger really did a number on my nose." Erinat chuckled a little, before motioning for Yamya.
"Come on then, before he starts complaining like his nose is going to fall off."

-

Kee blinked at the Great Pyrenees. The white dog blinked back. Kee put her fish down, and called over her shoulder: "hey Ryota? You're going to want to see this." The dog winced, clearly unhappy with the idea of facing more strange dogs in his current position, but soon enough an akita, a beauceron and two shepherd dogs were peering over him. Ryota blinked at Kee, and then blinked at the others.
"Nevada and Cadmus, you two can stay here and help me. Kee, Vasilios, can you get the fresh kill back to camp? Tell Erinat we'll be along in a second." The two dogs in question nodded, ducking out of Philippe's line of vision. His eyes slid instead to the Akita, who looked quite grim. "My name is Ryota," he said, "I'm a healer- or, well, I used to be- and I can reset your shoulder. It's dislocated, right?"
"That it is," the dog said, "you have a good eye. Who are the ladies?" Nevada bristled a little bit, but Cadmus nudged her, shooting her the 'Please Don't Start A Confrontation' look. "This is Nevada," she said, "and I'm Cadmus. I was Ryota's assistant, and I assume Nevada is sticking around because even if we re-set your shoulder, it'll be a little sore to walk on, and she'll be a pretty good crutch."
"Nevada, Cadmus, Ryota," the dog gave each of them a smile as Ryota circled him, sussing out the best way to reset his shoulder, "my name is Philippe, and I thank you." It was over relatively quickly: Ryota got Cadmus to brace the shoulder while Nevada held him down so he wouldn't fidget as much at the dull throbbing pain that paws brought. He yelped, loudly, as Ryota leaned on it, and the joint clicked back into place.
"Ack- thank you," it still ached like anything, but at least it didn't feel numbly detached from his body, "that feels better already." He allowed the three dogs to help nudge him to his feet, bracing him between Nevada and Ryota, while Cadmus went on ahead. "What are you doing all the way out here?" Nevada asked, grunting a little as the unsteady white dog leaned heavily on her shoulder.
"I was sent to find an 'Erinat' by a dog named Ursus, to become a Sentinel. Except I stepped in some kind of a hole, tumbled down a hill and ended up with my leg all out of sorts before I could find her. Luckily, it appears you know who she is. I'll assume that you are all also Sentinels?" Ryota hummed, with a nod. "Observant of you. Erinat is our captain, but we are all Sentinels, yes. I was, originally, before my division disbanded and I joined a different pack, where I met Cadmus. Then that one fell to pieces, and I heard word from some old friends that there was a Call out for this division, and so I took her with me and I came here."
"Come full circle then," Philippe said, as they approached the camp. Ryota let out a light laugh as he saw Erinat wandering toward them, husky puppies trailing at her heels as always. "You could say that," he said, with a smile, "you could definitely say that."

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧.
"So was it the bright blue eyes that caught you?" Nevada jumped a little, glaring side-ways at Ryota. The akita walked close to her, his own eyes glittering with amusement as the remaining faes forged on ahead, sniffing about for any sign of prey. Nevada sniffed, dismissively, turning her gaze forward again. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said simply, and Ryota laughed, tilting his head.
"Come on, Nevada, don't play dumb. I saw you with that dog in Greece. It didn't exactly seem purely friendly, considering I don't recall you letting any of your friends here act like that with you." The shepherd got sullen, and Ryota nudged her shoulder with his own. "I'm not judging, she's pretty cute."
"You don't even like girls," Nevada snapped with a huff, "and besides, isn't stuff like this... forbidden or whatever? I mean, I know my old pack wouldn't have liked it if I'd had a crush on someone who wasn't within our ranks." Ryota shrugged a little bit, watching Kee and Yamya splinter from Cadmus, sniffing out a scent between the trees. Nevada watched too, but neither dog seemed too inclined to catch up with them and see what it was that had them so interested. If it was something that required more than two dogs, they'd call for a regroup.
"Not all packs are like that," Ryota said, "and the Sentinels surely aren't. The order has never cared where you find your love, so long as at the end of the day you're still dedicated to protecting others. They believe that love is a force that inspires you to fight harder and fiercer to defend other dogs, because at the end of the day you have someone you wish to come home to. Wherever that home is, it isn't of consequence. When the order was larger, when dogs still believed in us and thought they needed us, there were divisions all over the world. Mine was in Japan- Erinat and Almas attended it, I remember. They used to be everywhere."
"Do you think they'd ever be everywhere again?" Nevada asked, curious.
"Perhaps," Ryota said, with a nod, "if they got the numbers. And once you connect to the ancestors, it's easier to stay out for a longer time. The ancestors are always with you. I don't doubt that Erinat is being guided by Rodzianko, now that he's passed on." Nevada gave him an incredulous look.
"You mean all of this mystic mumbo-jumbo about dogs needing our help and all that comes from the ghost of her dead mate?" Ryota just nodded, with a shrug. Nevada blew out a huff. "I don't know if I believe it, fully, but... you don't seem like the kind of dog who believes in fables, and that gives me a little bit of hope. I... I haven't always made the best or most selfless decisions, but I want to change that. I want a chance at life where I can actually do some good, and I don't want to throw that away for a dog I just met, who I'm not sure will ever mean anything to me, seriously."
"You don't have to have one or the other, you know," Ryota sounded amused, "I understand your apprehension, but it isn't selfish to want to find love. If you think you could be happy with her, no one here would stand in the way of that. It's just up to you to know in your heart what the right decision to make is when it comes down to it. Love is a beautiful force, but if it hinders your ability to love and embrace even those you have never met, then perhaps it consumes too much and leaves not enough room for your own soul."
"I don't know if I can trust my heart with that," Nevada's tone was bitter, and she blinked in surprise as Ryota stopped short.
"You can," his eyes glittered with seriousness, "I know you don't see it or believe it right now, but your heart is good and strong, and I know that when push comes to shove, I can count on you to have my back. We all can. And even if your head tells you otherwise, it's not your head you should be listening to." Nevada gave Ryota a smile, nudging her shoulder against his companionably.
"Don't get soft on me now, old man." Ryota laughed, the two of them bounding ahead to catch up with the rest of the hunting party.
"I wouldn't dream of it."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

` servings consumed:
3/3 - x1 fish
` kennel events:
almas and philippe rest for a moon
erinat and vasilios patrol the borders
ryota leads a hunting patrol of cadmus, nevada, yamya and kee

notes:
if any dogs are rolled to be found, this post has a list of the
dogs i have readopted if you'd like to pick some!
champions & sentinels have the same functions c:

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ archives - dnp ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ archives - dnp ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ introduction ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ the pack ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ deceased members ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ 001 ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ 002 ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ 003 ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ 004 ]

[ `` the last sentinels ─ ] [ 005 ]

Who is online