one on one with MyLostShadow

[nyctorin.]

This RP is between MyLostShadow and I. Please do not post if you are not them.
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F I R E - A N D - I C E

Fire and ice. Two complete polar opposites; two entirely different elemental powers. Water and ice has the ability to put out the flames, but fire can melt the ice, creating a never ending vicious cycle, therefore a never ending rivalry between the two packs that represent these elements. They've been fighting each other ever since their creation, and things are only getting more hectic. The elder Alpha of the Fire Pack is on his death bed, soon to pass the position down to his Beta, creating enough tension in the pack to leave them vulnerable. The Ice Pack has noticed this and is planning an attack that could happen any day now.. The Beta will have to be on guard as much as possible, therefore can't risk getting distracted by, say, a trespassing rogue...
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Side notes:
- Current Season is Fall
- There are two existing gods: Azar, the god of fire, and Calder, the god of water/ice

Extra Characters:

Saraf
Male
Fire Pack Alpha
VC: Peter Capaldi

Aden
Male
Fire Pack Fighter

Orion
Male
Fire Pack Lead Fighter

Xander (deceased)
Male
Ice Pack Fighter
Sibling to Aquilo

Azria (deceased)
Female
Ice Pack Fighter
Sibling to Aquilo

Be sure to enjoy our lovely collection of hashtags:
#prayforviveka
#VivekaForPresident2k16 (she'll make fire pack great again)
#letsarafsleep
#allhailtheflashbacks

[nyctorin.]

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( name viveka ) ( n. names viv, vivie ) ( sex female ) ( age four years old ) ( species fire wolf ) ( size: medium smallish ) ( build slim, svelte, lacks muscle and size advantage ) ( fur dark, varying red hues, light "gold" undersides and paws ) ( eyes orange with gold around pupils ) ( scent burnt wood and cinnamon ) ( voice angelina jolie (as tigress) ) ( alliance fire pack ) ( rank beta; soon to be alpha ) ( wanted rank none ) ( sexuality demi hetero ) ( r. interest no one yet ) ( mate no one ) ( offspring none )
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personality + history wip
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[MyLostShadow]

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xxx

➹Name - Aquilo (Means: North Winds)
➹Gender - Male
➹Age - 4 Years Old
➹Element - Water/Ice
➹Pack - None, Ran away from pack
➹Rank - Rogue (Past Lead Fighter)

➹Crush/Mate - None
➹Offspring - None

➹First Impression - Disloyal, Troublemaker, Sarcastic, Carefree
➹Positive Traits - Thoughtful, Observant, Patient
➹Neutral Traits - Proud, A Leader, Sarcastic, Carefree
➹Negative Traits - Vain, Power Hungry, Irritable
➹Strengths - Fighting, Strength, Stamina, Swimming
➹Weaknesses - Grace, Agility, Speed

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A Closer look

Aquilo's name seems to suit him very well: he doesn't stay in one place for too long, and will often leave without warning, travelling for miles before settling down for a short time once again. This male's fur consists of many shades of grey, getting darker on his back and ears and lighter on his paws, stomach, and muzzle. To others, Aquilo may seem rather intimidating: he is larger than the average wolf, and his build is meant for strength and power rather than agility and grace. His fur thickens considerably on his back, which further makes him seem bigger than he really is. His eyes are a cold, icy blue, which reflect the elements he can control: water and ice.

Some may argue that the power of water and ice is a great gift, while others say that it is a terrible weakness. Aquilo sees it as a power he can use, perhaps selfishly, to get what he wants and get where he wants. When using his power, frost forms on his coat, though it is most noticeable on his paws. They turn white, and are covered in a thin layer of snow. Using his ice ability, he can freeze water in a small circle around him so he can walk on it. It's a very good trick to use if being chased, as wolves will race across the ice without a second thought, only to discover it melt beneath their feet when Aquilo moves. He can also make the area around him grow colder, and have snow and ice form on anything near. He mainly uses this when the weather gets too hot, as the sun, like fire, can melt ice, and so appears to drain him of energy.

In terms of combat, Aquilo's ability to control water and ice also comes in useful. He can create small shards of ice to launch at his enemies, and can bend water to be fired at any attackers. This takes energy though, and so he has to be careful not to use it too often.

Upon first impression, many would say that Aquilo is a mean-spirited troublemaker who doesn't seem to have a care in the world. This is partly true, depending on who you are. It's true that Aquilo is carefree, though he is also very observant of his surroundings and others. Once he learns to trust you, he may appear to be a very different wolf: patient, thoughtful, and kind. If you don't know him, or he doesn't particularly like you, then it's a very different story. He can be sarcastic, vain, irritable, and snappy. In other words, it's probably best to avoid him.


History

Aquilo was born in to the Ice Pack, rivals of the Fire Pack. They consisted of other wolves like him: masters of water and the cold. Fantastic swimmers, and able to survive in the harshest conditions, Aquilo was always proud to call himself one of them. He was born in a litter of five, two females, and three males. Even then, it was obvious that Aquilo would grow up to be a leader. He would always take charge of his siblings, making himself the leader and pretending to be the Alpha. He was the largest out of the litter, a born fighter. His mother recognized this from the very start, and while she was proud, there was always a hint of worry in her voice whenever she spoke about her young pup.

He lived up to expectations, and achieved the Lead Fighter rank. Over the years, he had grown more power-hungry, and while the role of the Lead Fighter was a great achievement, Aquilo wanted more. He wanted to lead the pack. For a short time, he lead the fighters of the pack in to many battles, one against a group of Fire Pack patrols, though he didn't intend to stay as the Lead Fighter for long. One night, he crept in to the Alpha's den, and was about to attack when the Beta charged in, snapping and snarling. He was chased off, lucky to escape with only a few scars from shards of ice and snapping jaws, and bruises from jets of water. This was about a year ago, and he has been a rogue ever since. He hasn't dared go back to the Fire Pack or Ice pack territory, though with the threat of a war between the two packs, who could miss an opportunity like that to try and overthrow one of the Alphas?

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[nyctorin.]

V I V E K A //

That morning had begun like every other. With the sun still hanging below the horizon, casting a cloak of darkness across the Fire Pack territory and encouraging it's members to laze around in their dens a little longer, the ever alert Beta Female forced herself to rise before the rest and had groggily dragged herself from her home. Granted, it wasn't often that the she-wolf slept in her den (she preferred being above ground so she could be alert to danger), but she had had a lot on her mind recently, so the previous night, she had seen it fit to hide away from the pack so she could gather her thoughts and get some rest without any distractions. It had been kinda nice to sleep there for once, since it was getting colder and her den shielded her from the chilly autumn winds, but it was still her preference to be above ground, so she likely wouldn't sleep in there again for a while. Now fully awake, she gazed about the camp suspiciously, checking for any foreign or uncalled for activity (that was the whole point of getting up early, was it not?). Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she allowed herself to relax ever so slightly, then proceeded in stretching out her tired limbs and giving a great yawn, doing her best to wake her sleepy body. Truth be told, she didn't like getting up this early; being as stressed and hardworking as she was, she could definitely used the extra hours of sleep. However, she knew that even if she tried to sleep later, it'd never work, for she'd always be fearful of something bad happening while she slept, and the mere thought of such things would never let her rest. Enough of that though; there was work to be done.

The dark-pelted she-wolf began to trot around the camp, her head held low and fiery gaze scanning every little thing that came into view. Her objective was to keep watch over everything while the rest slept, as well as to stretch out her muscles and truly get her body going. She slid like a shadow among the dark camp, darkly, smoothly, and silently, for she didn't want her actions to wake anyone. She could feel the energy flowing through her limbs, her heart pounded faster and the sleep in her eyes fading away, causing them to shift from tired squints to a fully wide and awake gaze. After a few trips around the camp like this, she could faintly see light shades of purple and pink brushing the surrounding scenery, the land growing lighter; the sun was rising. She sighed and shook out her coat, her final gesture of waking up, then sat down outside her Alpha's den, waiting until she could hear him stirring. Some thoughts came to her mind as she did this, thoughts that caused her posture to slump and her ears to flatten. It was already well known that the Alpha, Saraf, was growing weaker by the day, and not expected to live much longer. He was an old and wise soul whom had lived a good many years, and now it seemed Azar was ready to take him... Viv liked the old man. When she had first found this pack, she had been loud and rude, spitting in his face and telling him to back off, yet he'd smiled upon her and welcomed her in anyway. Not only that, but she had later even been promoted to the rank of Beta, his most trusted advisor. She'd grown close to the wolf, almost close enough to view him like the father figure she'd never had, and now she had to live with the fact that one day, whenever she might come over to sit near his den and wait for him, he might not come out...

"Morning Viv," came the elder's voice as he slowly emerged from his den. The Beta jumped slightly at the tone, having been so deep in thought that she hadn't even heard him stir. "I see you're up early, as usual." The old wolf chuckled and glanced at her with a merry twinkle in his eye. Returning the smile, albeit weakly, she got nodded and got to her paws, clearing her throat.

"Yes, morning sir. I just wanted to check in with you and see if you have any duties for me today?"

The elder sat across from her and frowned, then yawned. "Great Azar above pup, won't you give anyone a chance to rest? I'd send you out on patrol, but the fighters don't seem even seem awake yet."

Viv wilted a bit at his words, glancing away awkwardly. He'd never seemed to have an issue with her early-rising habbits before... Seeing this, he returned his smile.

"I was merely kidding, Viv. Lighten up a little." Considering they were in the midst of a war and Saraf himself was dying, she found that to be an impossible request. The Alpha gave an exasperated sigh, then stretched his limbs a little, causing soft popping sounds to emit form his joints. "If you're willing, you can go out on patrol on your own..." He glanced away, probably trying to hide the faint amount of worry in his amber gaze. "Though I would prefer you wait until you can take at least one fighter..."

The she-wolf perked up and noticed his worry, then smiled weakly again. She opened her mouth to protest, to reassure him that she was capable of fighting off whatever threats came her way. She had been the best fighter in her past pack, so she didn't feel she needed the backup. However, with his ailing body, she figured the least she could do was bring him peace of mind during his final days. She dipped her head to him. "I'll go rouse some fighters then, sir. We'll get more done as a group anyway."

The elder wolf grinned at this, giving her one last thoughtful look, then perked himself and said, "Alright then, go get outta here! You know those water-rats wait for nothin'."

Nodding, the Beta turned away from him and immediately padded over to the fighter's den site. The camp was sectioned off into different den sites, labeled by rank. All whom were fighters would make their dens in close proximity to each other, and the same went for hunters, healers, etc. The easy going expression Viv had used to address her superior faded away into something more stoic and serious; the expression her pack mates knew best. Not caring to remember who slept where, she stuck her head into the nearest den and waited for her eyes to adjust so she could see the sleeping form. "Aden!" She barked sharply, causing the ash-coated wolf to jump a little and look at her with a groggy expression. "Get up. It's time for a border patrol." He "stared" at her for a few more seconds, then dropped his head back down lazily. "Now!" She snarled angrily, making him jump again and, begrudgingly, roll over. "When you get out of the den, wake up two others and meet me at the North edge of camp. Don't make me wait." Rumbling low, she lifted her head out of the den and turned away to pad in said direction, stopping briefly to glance over her shoulder and make sure he did as told. Though it took a few moments, he did drag himself from the den and started poking his head into another den. Satisfied, the she-wolf continued padding on to her destination and readied herself to lead the patrol.

[MyLostShadow]

A Q U I L O

The cave was deserted, aside from the sleeping figure of a grey wolf. Water droplets jumped from the roof of the cave and splattered on the rocky, uneven floor, causing a rhythmic drumming sound to echo throughout the cave. It seemed that the only companion of the wolf was the sound of constant drops of water. They were soothing. They formed regular patterns, like a song, and never missed a beat, racing each other to the ground and trying to create the most beautiful harmony. With each water droplet, the rocky ground became more slippery and dangerous; the risk of falling and slipping further in to it's depths a constant risk. It was a risk, however, that didn't appear to bother the wolf, as he was merely resting on a large ledge which hung over a seemingly never ending fall.

After what seemed like hours of nothing but the sound of the water droplets, accompanied occasionally by the wolf's icy breaths, light flooded the cave and caused the grey wolf to stir. Any signs of movement were subtle to begin with: the flick of an ear, the twitch of the tail, or the shifting of one long, powerful leg. The wolf didn't rest for much longer once the haven of the cave had been discovered by the light of the sun, and soon he was unfolding himself from his curled up position and lifting himself up on to his feet. A light frost had formed on the rocks around where he was sleeping, though the wolf payed no attention to this, discarding it like it was something normal. Something routine. Icy blue eyes peered over the ledge, gazing in to the endless abyss below. Darkness obscured the bottom of the cave from view, leaving it up to the imagination what could possibly be at the bottom. Perhaps treasure? Or the remains of those who have tried to find out? A cloud of white breath escaped the wolf's open jaw like it was a bitter winter morning as he turned and padded away from the ledge and closer towards the exit. As he walked further away, the frost that had once been present where he was sleeping melted, leaving no trace of anyone being there. This again seemed like something as normal as the sun rising every morning to the wolf, who was now winding his way through the rocks and skillfully dodging the droplets of water like this was a path he had trodden many times before.

A stray droplet of crystal clear water slipped across the stony roof, aiming for the wolf below. It launched it's attack, springing from the roof and heading straight for the wolf's head. It never made it that far, instead finding itself suspended in midair above his head. Silently, a small grin crept on to the wolf's face as he passed untouched underneath the helpless drop of water. Once he had safely passed, the mysterious wolf gave a small flick of his tail and the droplet went plummeting to the uneven floor, leaving the wolf's fur unmarked.

Soon the wolf had reached the mouth of the cave, and it was then that his figure truly came to light: a large, male wolf who's fur was a mix of various shades of grey. His eyes were icy blue, cold, and yet, with the sun shining on them, they seemed to almost twinkle, like rays of sunlight hitting an icicle. The male's fur was reasonably thick, though despite the length of his fur it wasn't difficult to tell that this was a strong and powerful wolf, one not to be messed with. His heightened strength was to perhaps make up for his lack of speed and grace, as it was clear to anyone that this was a wolf built for strength and stamina rather than speed and agility. A rogue, no doubt. Why else would he be living in a cave? Yet, for a rogue, he looked reasonably well fed, and his coat was clean. Either this wolf was an exceptional hunter, a thief, or both.

Aquilo stepped out of the cave, allowing the morning sun to warm his pale fur. It wasn't a particularly warm day, in fact, there was a bitter chill to the breeze, though Aquilo didn't mind. He preferred it this way. It reminded him of his old pack, the Ice Pack, and their rivals, the Fire Pack. Oh how he wished he had just been quicker to attack the Alpha, perhaps then he would be lazing around inside a spacious Alpha's den rather than the cave he had come to claim as his own. He had recently heard rumor that the two packs were on the verge of war, something which would open an opportunity for him. In the midst of battle, how hard would it be for him to slip in to one of the pack's territories and silence their Alpha? "Not difficult at all" he hummed quietly to himself. With this thought in mind, he set off in the direction of the Fire Pack territory at a brisk trot. Perhaps he could steal some food while he was there too.

[nyctorin.]

V I V E K A //

Though her original plan had been to wait at the borders for the patrol party while it slowly assembled, when she got the the edge of the camp and looked out at the vast forest beyond her, the temptation to continue walking was too great to ignore. Besides, not only was she anxious to get started, but she herself was generally very impatient, so she hadn't even wanted to wait in the first place. Oh they've got four legs that aren't broken, she restlessly huffed in her mind, now starting forward and entering the forest. They can catch up.

In the brief moments she spent alone, before the fighters would arrive, she allowed herself to become immersed in the environment, her paw steps becoming lighter so she could hear the sounds of the forest better. With the slowly rising sun lifting itself into the sky and shedding light down onto the trees, the world became easier to see, dappled patches of sunlight spilling onto the forest floor. Morning birds and testy squirrels sounded from the treetops, accompanied by the crunch of the Beta's paws on the fallen leaves below, and she could faintly hear a few cicadas still calling from the bushes, as if they were unaware that both the night and summer were coming to an end. Of course, they weren't the only ones a little late. She could still smell and see the summer flowers, brightly in bloom, and the trees themselves had hardly changed. True, some were starting to take on amber, red, and brown hues, and some leaves were beginning to fall, but the forest as a whole still remained primarily green. Neither plant nor animal seemed to realized summer was over. The only true signs that autumn was on it's way was the temperature drop; chilly winds were starting to roll over the land, pushing away the warmth of the previous season.

Viveka wouldn't honestly mind if summer stayed a little longer- the warm months were favored by all fire wolves. The heat in the air made it easier to conjure flames and light things on fire. It also made it more difficult for water wolves to conjure ice, so that was another plus. When the cold months came, however, it was the other way around; the snow made it difficult for the fire wolves to keep their flames lit, and it gave the water wolves plenty of ammo to use against them. Autumn was alright, since it was basically just transitional season, but sometimes Autumn didn't last long, or it'd snow early, or the season would just be like a snowless Winter, so it still wasn't her favorite. It still brought about coldness, transitional or not. She knew she could do nothing about the changing seasons though, so she sighed and moved on, willing herself to forget it.

"We're comin'!" Barked a familiar voice behind her, making the she-wolf stop and look over her shoulder, a single brow perked. Aden had finally gathered his fellow fighters and was now running in a v-formation towards her, himself at the lead and two others flanking him on either side.

"Took you long enough." She huffed. "Hurry up. We've wasted enough time." It'd felt like she'd been waiting forever, but knowing herself, it had probably only been a few minutes, tops. It wasn't unusual for her to lose track of time when thinking deeply about things... She turned away from the group, but not before she got a look of irritability flashing on Aden's face. She perked her ears and tensed, wondering if he'd retort, but she relaxed when he groaned, "Yes ma'am." She knew not everyone in the pack was a fan of her impatient and snappy ways, but they knew they'd have more issues to deal with if they crossed her, so most simply agreed to her demands and didn't bother arguing. Still, she was always on the lookout for that one wolf that felt the need to retaliate. She couldn't allow such disrespect in the pack, especially not if she was to become Alpha soon.

"You should know the drill for border patrol; step lively, and keep on the lookout for Water wolves. Refresh any scent markers you come across." She briefly glanced back and saw them nod, then they lowered their heads and began sniffing, spreading out so they would cover more ground. The group swiftly weaved their way through the forest and eventually made it to the borders, perhaps fifteen minutes later. The Fire Pack territory wasn't really that large, considering they had an aggressive enemy nearby that kept them from claiming more land, so getting to the borders never did take very long. Having a smaller territory wasn't that bad though; it meant the borders could be patrolled quicker and it was easier to defend what was there's. Once they got to the outskirts of the turf, she stopped and turned to face the group, lifting her tail high to command authority and grab their attention. "You three spread out and go in different directions. Stay within hearing range so you can be called if one of your fellow fighter's gets in trouble. We're going clockwise, don't stray." Again they nodded, then raced off in separate directions. She then turned around and began racing along the border, her nose pressed to the ground in search of threats.

[MyLostShadow]

A Q U I L O

The grey wolf moved silently across the terrain, more memories flooding back to him the closer he got to the Fire Pack territory. Before he had been exiled from the Ice Pack, Aquilo had been the fierce Lead Fighter, who always seemed desperate for a fight. He'd gladly lead his warriors to war, charging head first into the midst of a battle and fighting fearlessly against his enemies. There were a few times where he'd led them to a battle that wasn't exactly fair to the other side, for example towards the end of his stay at the Ice Pack he led a group of ten wolves into the Fire Pack territory to attack a patrol of three wolves. The Fire Pack was obviously outnumbered, and many would say that this was just barbaric, though the way Aquilo saw it was that they were enemies, and so the numbers on each side didn't matter. He'd attack one wolf with a group of ten given the chance.

Then there was the time when he attacked the sacred place of Azar, the Fire Pack's God. In the eyes of both the Fire Pack and some of the Ice Pack, attacking that place was a step to far, and perhaps something that made the Beta of Ice Pack suspicious of him in the first place. The battle hadn't lasted long; the area was unguarded as both packs seemed to have a silent truce that they wouldn't attack the sacred places of Azar or Calder. The element of surprise was with them that day, and so the group of water wolves made short work of wreaking havoc upon the area. They scratched at the ancient runes imprinted on the rocks and smeared mud across the stones. The water wolves didn't stay long to admire their work though, and quickly fled before the Fire Pack attacked. Some may call it cowardly, but Aquilo would disagree and simply say that a fight at that point would've been useless. Either way, the Ice Pack had left just before the Fire Pack showed up, and so Aquilo never did see their reactions.

Aquilo was now on the outskirts of the Fire Pack territory. He had a plan. A simple plan at that, but one that he was fairly certain would work. It was simple: he'd slip silently into the Fire Pack territory and steal some food. Then, he'd make his way over to the Ice Pack territory and dump part of it in their territory, taking the rest for himself. This way, he'd be able to start even more conflict between the two packs, perhaps pushing them to their last resort: war. And who would there be to stop him as he walked in to the battle and killed one of the Alphas? No one. No one would even know he was there, they'd be too busy snapping and snarling at one another. Now was the time where Aquilo would make his plan become reality.

Lifting his grey head, Aquilo checked the air for scents, though found that the wind was blowing away from him, so was carrying his scent towards the Fire Pack territory. No, that wouldn't work, he'd have to move. But where? He knew the heart of the Fire Pack's territory was closer to this border than the opposite, so he'd be better striking from this side. Perhaps he could wash his scent away in a nearby stream? But that would waste time! Time which he needed in order to get this to work.

"This would be so much easier if it were Winter" he grumbled, his ocean blue eyes scanning the forest in front of him as if the answer was hiding among the trees. Of course, it wasn't, but it gave him time to think of a possible solution.

Eventually, he came to the conclusion to just charge in and try to be as quick as possible; the scent of an Ice Wolf would add to his plan, after all. He was about to head deeper into the territory when he spotted an ashen grey wolf padding along, his nose to the ground. The wolf didn't seem to have noticed him, and so Aquilo decided to keep quiet for now. He sat down (not exactly out of sight, but rather next to a small blackberry bush) and watched the Fire Wolf. Just one on it's own would be easy enough to deal with, and it didn't seem like there was anyone else around.

[nyctorin.]

{A brief change in perspective}

Though Aden himself had wanted so badly to say something to the bossy Beta Female, he knew better of it and clamped his muzzle shut, angrily thrusting his muzzle into the dirt and forcing himself to start sniffing, forgetting the thought. He turned away from the patrol party after a curt nod and began trudging off in a separate direction, hoping to get as far away as he could without going out of range. When the others were out of his peripheral and the sounds of their paw steps faded away, he finally unleashed his bottled up anger and began snarling angrily, his paws pounding the dirt and the task of searching for scents flying out the window.

Who exactly does she think she is?! She’s not the Lead Fighter, why does she think she can take control of us like that? As he ranted to himself, a small voice in the back of his mind kept reminding him she was the Beta; she had more power than all of the lead ranks combined; it was simply in her job description to take charge. Though he was certain the Lead Fighter would not be happy to find some of his underlings gone before the day even started, they all knew it was well within Viv’s right to take them on patrol whenever she pleased, so he’d have no choice but to be okay with it. She could just waltz right into camp and wouldn’t even have to explain herself. The mere thought made the ashen-gray wolf growl louder, his growing anger distracting him from his job.

He knew he was probably over reacting; to his knowledge, no one else even shared half of the irritations he had with her. Most among the pack even respected her, looked up to her as a noble leader. For Aden, however, it was quite different. He had disliked her the moment she showed up at camp, and thought it was outrageous that the Alpha would take her in, considering the sheer amounts of venom and disrespect spitting from her maw when they'd found her at the borders. She’d joined as just fighter then, and she’d mouthed off to Aden and the Lead Fighter as well, yet Saraf still let her stay. Then, to add insult to injury, she eventually rose through the ranks and somehow proved herself “worthy” of the Beta title. Aden worked his whole life to prove himself to the Alpha, yet all he'd ever accomplished was moving from Omega to a measly fighter! True, he had to admit that Viv had calmed down and learned a thing or two about manners and respect, but in his eyes, she would always be the same arrogant rogue from before. ‘Step lively and refresh the markers…’ What does she think we are, ignorant pups? We’ve probably been doing this longer than she has! He scoffed and tossed his head up angrily. At this point, though he still brooded about the entire situation, he’d ranted enough to himself to calm down, so he sighed and finally allowed the problem to pass. He needed to focus on his job anyway, lest he wanted her up in his face again. He returned his attention to the outside world, looking around skeptically and sniffing the air.

Suddenly, a foreign scent came to his nose, one that made him stop in his tracks and lift his head warily. The shock came to him like a jolt of electricity, eyes wide and fur standing on end, as he realized what the scent was: it didn't smell just like any old wolf, but the scent carried traces of Ice Pack. Not just a rogue, but an enemy. His heart pounded quick in his chest, yet his face was serious; this was what he lived for, right? To fight off all whom threatened the Fire Pack? He shouldn't be afraid, he should relish in this moment; he'd get to prove himself! Still, this was his first encounter with an Ice Wolf personally, and the longer he took to compose himself, the more time he gave his enemy to prepare an attack.... He looked around skeptically and growled low, though the sound was broken up by a nervous, dry throat. Should he call for help? Not yet… A voice quietly whispered in his ear. You can take this mongrel on your own! “Show yourself, Ice-rat!” He barked authoritatively, raising his tail and barring his fangs. He did his best to fight down the fear and feel confident about this, so he could present himself as a fearless warrior. However, as he took another look around for the trespasser, his heart stopped and his confidence melted down to the ground when he finally laid eyes on the male. The wolf was sitting perfectly still next to a berry bush, watching Aden silently, like a hawk. Had he always been there, and the fighter simply didn't notice on account of his nerves...? Visibly shaken, he gulped to himself and took a step back, lighting his raised tail on fire.

[MyLostShadow]

A Q U I L O

Amusement danced joyously on Aquilo's face as the ash coloured wolf began snarling and pounding his paws on the ground. He didn't move, but instead sat watching the Fire wolf as he seemingly threw what resembled a tantrum. I didn't think it was possible for their standards to fall any lower, but here we are: a Fire Pack patrol stomping along the borders and making such a racket that any wolf even remotely close to here could hear the thought buzzed around his head as he sat watching, as silent as the dead. He decided to not intervene. Yes, this may have been wasting a little bit of time, however the wolf didn't appear to have noticed his presence, so why not let him make a fool of himself first and then confront him afterwards?

Aside from the Fire Pack wolf (who still appeared to be focused solely on his angry frolicking) the area was rather quiet. The tweeting of birds high up in the vibrant, green trees echoed across the terrain, and the croaking of a frog sounded every so often like it was calling out to not be forgotten. Wild flowers every colour of the rainbow swayed gently like they were dancing to the sound of nature. It was peaceful. It reminded him of when he was in the Ice Pack, surrounded by other wolves, some of which he could take charge of, some of which he had to take orders from. Aquilo wasn't exactly the type to simply submit to higher ranks and take orders all day. He preferred to be the one giving the orders: doing things how he wanted, organizing patrols how he wanted, taking the course of action that he wanted, and just generally being in charge. It was this need for power, a hunger for power, that drove him away from his birth pack, the only pack he had ever known, and would perhaps continue to drive him away from others until he had reached his goal.

The sun had now risen into the bright blue sky, though it was still fairly early and Aquilo assumed that most of the other wolves were still asleep, or just waking up. Either way, if he wanted to make his move, he'd have to do it soon or risk taking on a whole pack. Not a wise move. It was time to interrupt bumbling wolf in front of him.

Just as the grey Ice wolf had decided to make his move, he noticed that the Fire wolf had stopped. Aquilo's ears perked, the same smirk still playing on his lips. Eventually the ashen grey wolf seemed to notice something was wrong, and called out. Ice-Rat? Frost had begun to form on the blackberry bush next to him, freezing the berries and causing the leaves to shiver when a bitter breeze blew. Aquilo's face fell for a moment, changing to a frown at the comment, though his smirk returned as quickly as it had vanished. Brilliant blue eyes met the Fire Wolf as the stumbling canine finally saw the rogue. The smirk on Aquilo's face grew wider as he lifted himself off the ground, taking note that the Fire Pack wolf had taken a step back. He took care to stretch out each muscular limb, shaking his thick fur before straightening up, standing tall and proud. He was practically beaming with confidence.

For a split second Aquilo's eyes drifted to the wolf's tail, enveloped in crimson flames, though they didn't linger there and were soon locked on the opposing canine, "Ice-rat? Why, that's no way to speak to your superiors" Aquilo spoke with pride, speaking as if this were a fact not to be argued with, and while there was no hint of aggression in his voice, his words dripped with a false kindness and hid a hint of danger, "It's fine morning, don't you think? Not too hot for Autumn, in fact, it's rather chilly" At this point, Aquilo took a step forward, a sheet of white snow forming on everything within a metre distance of him. This only seemed to make him grin more, though when he next spoke, his voice had darkened, "I wouldn't alert any of your other half-breed friends I'm here if I were you. It...wouldn't be a wise move" he paused, allowing his threat to sink in before continuing, the falsely cheerful tone and sly grin returning, "So, why don't you tell me what caused a patrol such as yourself to start growling and snapping at thin air? It is of course fairly odd behavior for a brave wolf such as yourself" At this, Aquilo tilted his head to the side in mock interested, his eyes as cold as ice as he watched the terrified wolf.

[nyctorin.]

Though Aden was sure he could still faintly hear the sounds of birds happily chirping in the treetops and the usually calming rustle of wind blowing through leaves, it still seemed as if the world had fallen silent to him when his gaze met the Ice Wolf’s. Every muscle in his body tensed and every hair stood on end, his whole body seizing in alarm. He’d been able to muster up some sort of courage when turning to confront the wolf, but now it all seemed to evaporate. Why had he been so brave anyway? Had he been expecting to see some tiny, scrawny looking creature before him; one that could be taken out with one hard body slam? He must have fooled himself into thinking there’d be no trouble at all, but this illusion quickly dispersed when he actually laid eyes on the male, causing the so called “brave warrior” to start cowering. In actuality, he was large, much larger than Aden. Of course, most wolves he knew were, considering his background as an omega that hardly got fed… Muscled too. The male was sure to take his sweet time stretching out each limb, as if he were showing off how truly disadvantaged Aden was. Snap out of it! His inner voice hissed. You are a noble Fire Pack wolf! And this scum? An Ice-rat! He tried desperately to build his confidence back up, making his stance waver between submissive and aggressive.

When the wolf pridefully pointed out he shouldn’t speak to his “superiors” like that, a spark of anger flared in the pit of his stomach that made him momentarily put his fear aside and square up to the trespasser, lifting his head, perking his ears, and puffing out his chest. The gray wolf’s intimidating stature, cocky strut, and those words in particular reminded him of how the higher ranks used to regard him as an omega. They mocked him, pushed him around, and treated him like his only purpose was to take orders and look scared. Even when he’d finally became a fighter, that nuisance-of-a-she-wolf had come along and started berating him, just like the others. He hadn’t wanted to take it from them then, he didn’t want to take it from Viv now, and he certainly wasn’t going to take it from a member of the rival pack.

“You are n-no superior to me!” He winced when he faltered, but otherwise felt good about standing up for himself. He felt his stance become a little more sure-footed, and was able to directly glare at the stranger now. However, once again, his bravery began to ebb away as the stranger, completely unaffected by his comment, starting taking some rather slow steps forward. He moved with an eerie calmness and spoke in a mockingly kind way, as if the two of them were old pals meeting up again. Yet he was moving forward just slow enough to create dread, and was making ice form all around him. His grin seemed far from a genuine smile, but more like a subtle way to flash his fangs. Aden began backing up again, his eyes darting around the area, going to the wolf, the ice, anyway the fighter could run, where he was backing up to, and then back to the stranger’s fangy grin. He started to feel as if he were being cornered, though he knew he still had enough room to book it, if need be. This feeling of being trapped made his flames grow brighter and the instinct to make a protective wall of fire stronger, but he knew he couldn’t- they were in an autumn forest littered with dead leaves. He couldn’t afford to let his fire touch anything but his or the other wolf’s body, and boy, would it be ironic if the Fire Pack territory burnt down? A shiver passed down his spine when the wolf remarked how “chilly” it was, and this feeling only got worse when the male’s voice darkened into a direct threat, telling him not to contact any of his “half-breed friends”. Was he aware of the patrol nearby, or was he referring to those at camp? If he doesn't know about the others… He trailed off, unable to finish the thought since the male was now talking again.

Heat rose in the Fire Wolf’s face when the stranger brought up how he’d been snarling and snapping at nothing earlier, then concluded by mockingly calling him a “brave wolf”. I guess he was there for a while… He thought guiltily, his ears flattening a little. How could he have been so blinded by his anger as to not notice a wolf staring right at him the whole time? Anger flooded his veins again. It’s her fault! If she wasn’t such a pain in the neck, I wouldn’t have to be so frustrated! I could actually focus on my job! A low rumble built up in his throat, and he could already feel the urge to start ranting again, but he shook the thought out of his head; he would not be distracted again. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to win this one, he knew he had to call for help. Stay within hearing range… The others wouldn’t be that far away, and it was possible the Ice-rat knew nothing about them… Raising his head and raising his voice, he tried to confront the wolf as loudly as he could without simply screaming. “It’s not of your business, Ice Wolf. Why are your trespassing on Fire Pack territory?!” Perking his ears, he could hear his voice echoing off the trees. It wouldn’t be long now.

V I V E K A //

The patrol itself was turning out to be a pretty uneventful one. All the she-wolf did was trot along the path she took every morning, her nose pressed to the dirt in search of foreign scents and her ears perked for suspicious sounds. So far, all she’d learned was that a colony of mice were nesting nearby and that there were more fallen leaves than she’d previously thought. Again, she was left alone to think, and her mind briefly wandered to what it would be like when she was Alpha.

Saraf’s death was inevitably around the corner, and since his only true love and pups were killed during an Ice Wolf attack on the camp, he had no successors or anyone else to take the title but Viv. It was certain to be passed on to her. Though she liked being a Beta, the most trusted wolf by his side and practically in charge of everything, she wasn’t sure how she’d feel about sole leadership. She’d be the one making the big decisions, decisions that would affect the entirety of Fire Pack, and the war that was soon to come as well. The two packs had been beating each other up for generations, but no one had had the guts to call it an official war yet. Would she be the one to declare war? Might she later be responsible for the death of many in and out of her pack? Would they even want to follow her? What if Ice Pack declared war? Would she even be willing to arrange organized attacks on their camp and kill them? Though a Fire Wolf, Viv had been born and primarily raised far away from this pack and it’s customs; she had not been raised to hate the Ice Wolves. In the time she’d been here, she’d definitely picked up on it fast, but part of her still didn’t get what the big deal really was. She’d told Saraf this, and he said it was likely because she hadn’t suffered any losses on account of them… yet, anyway. He said that when her comrades and good friends starting getting killed off, then she’d understand. Still… Though she’d never admit it, she felt it was… unjust to kill the Ice Wolves. When she would become Alpha, Saraf wouldn’t be around to reassure her of these things; she’d be on her own, and any insecurities or fears she might have would have to be kept to herself, lest she wanted the pack to doubt her abilities. Could she honestly fake this hatred forever…?

Just then, the wind shifted some, making her lift her head to scan it. She stopped short and furrowed her brows when faint traces of an unidentified smell came towards her. There were small tidbits of Aden’s smell, yes, but there was something else… She wanted to say it was an Ice Packer, but it was too faint for her to be certain. Besides, she had just been thinking very deeply about them; it could’ve just been her mind playing tricks. Still, just in case, she didn’t want to turn a blind eye to this (or nose, perhaps). She turned around and began to slowly walk in that direction, a puzzled look still on her face as she tried to make sense of the smell. No, that certainly seems like- Her eyes widened and her body stiffened when she heard Aden’s voice calling out into the air. Now that was crystal clear, and it confirmed her suspicion- there was, in fact, an Ice Wolf on their territory. Forgetting her mixed feelings, she switched into Beta Female mode and began quickly racing forward, her expression serious and body language already authoritative. She nimbly darted around trees and leaped over obstacles in her path, like fallen logs and clumps of bushes. Perking her ears to the sound of rustling, she glanced out of the corner of her eyes and saw another one of the fighters joining her.

The two of them soon burst out of the vegetation surrounding Aden and Aquilo, making themselves known. The fighter lowered his head and stared at the stranger, snarling viciously and stepping towards him. Viv was snarling to, but it was a softer snarl and her face seemed more analytical than aggressive. She stepped into the area with her head high and her ears erect, fiery gaze briefly checking over Aden to make sure he was fine before observing the stranger. Aden had wasted no time in getting closer to the wolves, quickly backing up behind them and growling at Aquilo from the safety of his wolf shield. Viv rolled her eyes and continued to look over the wolf once more before taking another step closer and lifting her tail, ears shoved forward. There was more rustling from Aquilo’s right as the final fighter emerged, not growling but still staring him down intensely, flanking him on that said. The fighter whom had accompanied the Beta Female crept around the flank him on the left, and Viv approached him from the front, trying to seem as tall as she possible could. Unlike Aden’s false confidence, she knew her place and needed no mental encouragement to assume a dominant position. “You’ve made a mistake in coming here, ice-brain,” she rumbled, low and cool.