இ۵Ŗace Ågainst ₦atureஇ۵

[Resin]

Resin- Alpha Female- 40 Summers

In her grief, she initially didn't feel the comforting touches of Curse. After a few moments the touches registered and she leaned into the other female momentarily. Though her heart ached and she felt as if her soul would rip in twain, she collected herself. Standing, she shook out her coat, and in the process shook away a few tears that had been clinging to her cheeks, though the trails of their predecessors remained etched in her fur.

She had just been prepared to speak when Xani opened her maw. The disrespectful tone and message did not go unnoticed. Resin's endless yellow eyes went cold and hard and she glared daggers at the fighter. With so much on her plate, she didn't have time for the insubordination that Xani had expressed. Though the light female had always had trouble with authority, this was a new level for her. At some later date, she may need to be put in her place, but today was not that day.

Resin chose her words carefully. They were clipped and precise."Return to the others. You will not touch him. No one will touch him." Turning her back upon the other wolf, she gave her silent dismissal. There were much more important things to deal with.

Looking about her, she searched for the perfect place. The sea was too far from where they currently were to offer her brother up to its black depths. Padding in slow circles around the area, she chose a spot in a small clearing between two tall conifers. With a deep sigh, she got to work. Using her large black paws, she dug into the snow, not stopping until she reached the dark soil beneath. The big female stopped for a short breather, then continued once more, utilizing her claws and the strength in her forelegs to tear into the earth. Soon, a huge black hole marred the perfect white snow of the clearing.

Though digging the hole took it's toll, the hard part was yet to come. Back to her brother she went, looking upon his still, bloodied form lovingly before she lowered her maw, latching her teeth into the thick ruff on the back of his neck. Using all of her strength, she pulled his body across the snowy landscape, towards the hole that she'd prepared.

Rigor had begun to set in, the cold accelerating the hardening process. Their progress left a deep track in the snow. Soon they arrived at the spot that she had chosen as her brothers final resting place. Carefully, she pulled his large white body into the hole. His white form looked massive against the black earth. Seating herself, she curled her thick tail about her paws, content to sit with him for a while before she said her goodbyes.

Time passed, although she wasn't sure how much. She felt that she was ready to continue. Standing, she stepped forward, sliding her dark muzzle along the silver fur of her brothers cheek. A few words were whispered. Words meant solely for Ash and no other. And then she covered him with earth and snow, laying atop the mound when she was finished. Her weight would pack the earth down and the snow would melt, turn to ice as it melded with the dirt, and harden the burial mound.

Rather than go back to the pack, Resin slept a dreamless sleep, her twin brother a few feet beneath her. Should anyone happen upon her, they were in for a shock. She looked cold and haggard. Her dark coat was flecked with blood and her muzzle was coated in it. The pieces of her that weren't wet and bloodied were covered in dirt. She was a mess and she didn't care. A piece of her had been stolen and taken when Ash died. She would never be the same.

[BlackJaguar]

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As silence once more blanketed the skies, Pipaluk made her way towards the two brutes at the forefront of the pack. Attican's head turned to her, his tired eyes looking nearly hollow in the lament of Ash's loss. She talked about Resin and her need for help. The Keeper's response was just merely more than a grunt, his mouth a grim straight line.

He had never had pups of his own, he and his mate never having been successful in their attempts to have any. After time the two just gave up and took happiness in each other and the members of ScarPaw. They were happy enough, but because of it Attican especially took particular attention to the Alpha and Beta siblings as they grew. He joyed in their growth and would be lying if he denied if he did not feel partially responsible for their welfare. So to him, it felt like he had just lost his son. And it hurt.

Attican did not worry for Ash, he knew that the Beta was in a better place now (but it still helped to hear it for himself from the Elder too). Attican worried for his still-present sister and her abilities to press on. Of course he knew that she could, she was strong, but her mental health was the thing in question. At her age she had already was familiar with great loss- packmembers, her parents, her mate, and now, her very own brother.

The brute sat in the snow, welcoming the few comforting nuzzles from Pipa warmly. He returned the small gesture, pressing his forehead back into hers gently. He would wait for the mourning Alphess to return, becoming whatever she needed him to be.

....

Time passed, the sun gradually rising higher and higher in the sky. It had been officially daytime in a while now and there was still no indication of the gray and black wolfess. The temptation to go out and look for her rose in his head, but he suppressed them. Her time was hers. Yet his tiredness was not improving. After Pipaluk had left him and Ahote, Attican had not moved from his sitting position away from the Pack. He still faced outwards, trying to watch the horizon as he waited.

Over time his ears drooped, his age combined with the lack of sleep and the physical activity of their journey getting the better of him. His head bobbed, eyelids blinking heavily over his amber eyes. Slowly his forearms slumped, the familiar heavy blanket of sleep washing over him again. This time though it was too hard to shake. The graying brute drifted, head falling down towards the ground, hovering just inches away from the white powder. And he fell asleep there, a slumped, sitting sentient figure, awaiting Resin's return.

[Soriams]

Ahote
Male | 36 | Fighter
>>>–––———<•>———–––<<<

The echoes of the mourning howl died slowly around Ahote, and the fighter stood motionless until every last sound faded into the softness of the wind. Now the sun was rising, a grey dawn light tickling the horizon as it chased away the stars, lending warmth to the frozen landscape. Normally, the dawn would be a time of stirring, a promise of new things to come, but Ahote felt only emptiness. Everything was wrong, and he blamed himself. He never should have let Resin and Ash go alone, not when the danger was so great. It should be his body growing stiff in the scarred snow, not Ash. Alpha and Beta had been the backbone of the Scarpaw, and now half of that was gone.

Growing angrier by the moment, Ahote grit his teeth and bit back the tears that threatened him. He refused to cry. Not now, not ever would he let anyone see tears from him again. Luckily, Pipaluk saves him from his destructive self-laoathing, and forces him to come back to the world around him. When she speaks though, the fighter's ears pin back over his head again, in a morose look of disbelief. Of course Atticain's council would be needed, his gentle words and caring ears were always needed at times like these. But could she really think that he was some kind of capable leader? Of course, she didn't know him. Didn't know his past. Certainly, if she did she would have reconsidered her words. In his current state of mind, he receives her words of comfort no better, finding them to have a bitter taste, but her gentle touch does surprise him. For a moment, he allows himself to take solace in her presence, and as she turns to go, he licks the top of her head. "Grandmother, if only I was the wolf you thought I was," he whispered to himself as he watched her go to comfort the pack.

Soon, the disc of the sun crested the horizon, and Ahote grew more and more restless. He saw that the Keeper had finally found the rest that he deserved, and Mirage still cared for the pups while Pipa entertained. And he paced. Back and forth in a semi-circle from one edge of the wall to the other. His mind simply would not let his body rest, and seeing everyone huddled together, with him on the outside only made him feel even more useless. Finally, the former Alpha could take it no more, and without so much as a word to anyone, he turned on his heel and left, following the tracks left by Xani and Curse in the snow.

Before long, Ahote's paws pushed him to a reckless pace and he flew over the frozen ground. He had no idea where he was going, or why he was running, it was as if he was trying to run away from himself. Seeing other's grief had always pained him, and when he thought he was the cause, it was more than the big tawny wolf could take. There was no telling how long he would have run, had the glaring sun not shone on the scarlet stained earth of the battlefield. Seconds later, the smell of it slams into him like a wall, and he stops, head held low as he pants.

At first, Ahote doesn't want to look. He doesn't want to know what happened. Death is death, a terrible finality that he knows they all must face, and in the end they all wind up the same way. Yet, his love for Ash and Resin is too great for him to simply pass on, and he eventually turns to walk over the tainted snow. Almost immediately he finds the body of the black wolf who threatened them, and for a long time he stood over him, staring down at him. Terribly torn and battered, his eyes lie still and glassy, staring up into the cloudless sapphire sky above. Rather than feel hate, Ahote is a bit surprised that he feels nothing looking at him. This wolf had terrorized the world for long enough, and there is no more room for hate.

Ahote leaves him, knowing that soon the ravens will spot his corpse and scatter his evil to the four corners of the world, where at least he will do some good. His final act to feed the worms and fleas the renew the earth with his body. Suddenly, another wave of grief wells up in him, and he looks away, turning his eyes to look for Ash. At the very least, he will say goodbye to him. However, the Beta's body is nowhere to be seen, and his stomach turns with worry when he finds the drag marks, leading towards a little cove of pines. Dipping low to the ground, Ahote follows the trail on silent paws until he spots Resin, curled over a mound of churned earth and ice.

The Alpha sleeps as though she wished the ground would open up and take her too. Ahote can only imagine her pain, and the very thought of it breaks his heart. No matter how much guilt he must feel, nor his own pain of loss, all of it pales in comparison to hers. Whatever his intention had been when he turned his back to the rest of the pack, he cannot simply walk away from her. He cares too much. Gently, without waking her and without any words, he curls his body around her sleeping form, wanting nothing more than to share his warmth with her.

[Apocalyptic_Punk]

Curse
{{Fae||Straggler||watching over Resin||
Curse stood by silently; knowing full well that if she were to offer help she would be turned down; but she would not return to the pack, they were safe now, they would be well watched by Ahote and Attican and the other adults who were able to fight. The Pack was not defenseless by any means. But right now in her absolute grief Resin was. Curse knew this because she had been there as well, broken, ripped apart, left lying...bleeding on the floor. She knew the pain that this Fae was going through herself. though her solum face did not show it, her heart broke for the Fae at her loss. Curse watches silently as the She wolf digs the grave for her brother and watches as she puts him in the ground. She turns away though, turning her gaze to the bright blue sky, the light stinging her eyes. This was a privet moment for the fae, she would not be an interloper, but she would not leave either.

Soon she knew when Ash was buried, she knew when Resin curled around herself in the ice and snow that now encased her brother's body. She knew that the fae would not leave for a long while yet. And neither would Curse. With out making a sound she paced closer and then slowly sat herself on the snow, wrapping her tail around her four paws she took up the sentry duty over the mourning fae. She would not move until Resin was ready to return to her pack. She would even then stay by the Fae's side, being support where it would be needed. She knew she could never replace the fallen beta, but she would be there for Resin in every capacity she could be. She tilted her head as Ahote suddenly appeared, she tensed watching the brute as he investigated the scene, her eyes lingering only momentarily upon the fallen black wolf, no emotion ran through her, she was not glad for his death; she was not sorrowful, she just felt empty inside. She bowed her head slightly as the brute approached Resin, watching as he curled himself around her. She fell silent and turned her gaze back to the horizon, keeping her vigil silently.

Mirage
{{Brute||Omega||10|| watching the pups|}}

Kuolema
{{Brute||Loner/fighter||14||traveling south

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Xani
- Female - 21 - Fighter -

Xani let out a slight growl at Resin's words, her eyes locked onto the retreating fae's back. So now the death of one, crazy wolf was worth more than the lives of her entire pack? If she stayed here to mourn too long, the dangers would catch up to the pack. This is why the fighter never made connections- they were for the weak. A strong wolf needed no one to lean on. She huffed and turned away, her eyes roving over the area. After a moment, she saw Ahote approach. He curled near the alpha, as Curse sat near them as well. She muttered angrily to herself, "Fools. Leave the pack unguarded..." In a flash, she turned and ran from the group back towards the pack.

As she approached, her eyes surveyed the scene. Attican was sleeping near the edge of the pack, obviously waiting for the alpha's return. Xani scoffed, moving closer to the remains of the pack. The other adults were all busy in their own way, while the ancient fae was distracting the pups. Xani let out a growl again, turning away from the pack. She ran a bit further before pausing. She crept forward, the scent of another animal drawing her on. It turned out to be a dead rabbit. It was half-gone, and the ravens were working on the rest. She scared them away, settling down for a scrap of food. It was barely enough, but it was better than nothing. She didn't return to the pack outright, but instead climbed atop a ridge. It was on the farthest side of the pack from where the alpha now lay, and that was perfectly fine with Xani.

[Resin]

Resin- Alpha Female- 40 Summers

Though she didn't know how long she slept, when she woke, Resin's head was much clearer. Rest had taken the edge off of her extreme fatigue. Sadness ate at her, but she had made a promise to Ash. The sooner she got back on her feet and back into her normal routine, the sooner that promise would be fulfilled.

The act of raising her head off of her paws readjusted her whole body. Only then did she feel a burst of cold to her back and side. Added heat had made her body warmer than usual so the cold bit deeper. Turning her head, she saw that Ahote had curled his body around hers, protecting her while she slept. The smallest hint of a smile pulled at the corners of her maw.

Movement caught the corner of her eye and she turned to see Curse sitting a ways off. Had she been guarding her the whole time? Resin's heart warmed and the smile returned. Careful not to rouse Ahote, she rose and, taking a step away, stretched out her stiff body. Using the snow, she rubbed her body against it, rolling onto her back and doing the same. Finally, she slid her face through the white powder, cleansing her fur of the majority of blood and earth.

Slowly and silently the big dark female closed the distance between herself and the other female. Seating herself beside her, she curled her tail around her paws, her posture erect and proud. "I'm sorry that he had to return. At least you have closure now. It must be some relief knowing that he'll never harm another." She cast a glance out of the corner of the eye closest to Curse. "Thank you for staying with me."

Resin had taken a great liking to Curse. She felt a certain kinship with the female, which was odd for her. Already she trusted her more than some of her current pack mates. Which reminded her of the Xani situation. Something would need to be done about it. Insubordination would not be tolerated. A pack needed to be a well oiled machine and Xani was definitely a squeaky wheel.

One dark ear flicked and she inhaled deeply before lifting herself to her paws once more. Moving to Ahote, she nuzzled the top of his head in an attempt to rouse him. "Come now, Ahote. Duty calls." Before she pulled back, she licked him between the eyes. It seemed a bit of dirt had found it's way there.

For the last time she looked down at her brother's grave. Closing her eyes for a long spell, she reiterated her wish. She hoped that he found their ancestors. She hoped that he ran with them even now. She hoped that she would see him again some day. And with that, she turned and left her brother behind, moving on alone for the first time in her life.

Back towards the pack she traveled. Whether the others followed, she wasn't exactly sure. For now, Resin lived inside her head. Being an alpha was a troublesome task. Especially doing so alone. Things had been much easier when Sol stood beside her. They had bore the weight together. Bearing this weight alone seemed as if each new trouble brought her closer and closer to crumbling.

Once back at the ice wall, she called all of the wolves together. Not a word was mentioned about Ash or the event that had transpired other than, "The danger has ended." Walking past them, she informed the wolves that they were moving out. They would walk until they found food and then they would fill their empty, cavernous bellies. With Ash gone, she would not scout or send others out to do it for her. They would all walk together and handle any arising situations when they showed themselves.

((It's sad that I spend my entire day waiting for someone to post. Not having a job sucks.))

[Soriams]

Ahote
Male | 36 | Fighter
>>>–––———<•>———–––<<<

Ahote lay for a long time next to Resin, his head on his paws next to her blood-stained pelt. Curse too had remained quiet upon his approach, and he didn't attempt to break the silence. Instead, he dwelled on Xani's words instead. Of course he had heard her, the soundless air around them was deafening doe its stillness, and it was not the anger in her words that bothered him, but rather that she was right. He had been a fool to leave them, and his only solace was in knowing that Xani would return and they would be under her capable watch. The former Alpha sat on the precipice to a spiraling depression, and the fighter's words only pushed him closer to the edge. The last time he had felt this way, had been when he had lost half of his old pack in a failed hunt, and that had been enough to drive him away. Then as now, he felt responsible for their deaths, and as the darkness in his mind reared its ugly head, he wondered if they would all not be better off without him.

So tired was Ahote, that he didn't even realize he had fallen asleep. The darkness overtook him so suddenly and fully that he slipped into a dream as though he continued to keep watch. Beneath Ahote, the soft ground of the grave shifted, causing the big would to startle, and look up from his dark thoughts. As he looked out into the whiteness of the snow, he found it growing brighter around him, to the point where he nearly had to close his eyes against the glare. Into this light, Curse disappeared, and in alarm, he got to his feet. "Resin... Wake up," he said softly, but received no answer. Thinking to rose her with his nose, he looked down and found that she too was gone. Now horribly alone and afraid, he tried to move and found himself glued to the ground as though the ice had frozen him in place. It was then that the light started to fade, the brightness pulling away from him like the moon dipping below the horizon. Terrified, he tries to call out, throwing his head back to howl, but his voice too has left him, and all he can do is watch as the light rushes away from him, dwindling into nothing more than a single point of light on a featureless black horizon.

It was then that Resin left his side, and Ahote pulled himself into a tight ball, all the warmth in the world gone from him in his dream. The last bit of light disappeared, and with it Ahote felt as though all the goodness, everything that he loved went with it. Too cold and empty to even rally against its going, he stood there in the terrible emptiness of it, tears streaming down his face. Luckily, before the darkness can consume him as well, Resin returns and rouses him, and the fighter awakes with a start.

Heart racing in his chest, Ahote looks up at Resin with wary eyes as though he doesn't know where he is, or what he is seeing. He has no memory of the dream, or even any real feeling of having been asleep, all he knows at that moment is that he hurts everywhere, inside and out. With a heavy groan, he makes his way to his shaky paws and walks far enough away that he might eat some snow and relieve himself in private. Days of running and very little sleep was beginning to wear on the fighter, and it was all he could do to push himself to keep moving. The adrenaline from the anger was gone, as was the sharpness of the pain of loss, leaving him feeling a dull husk of ragged fur. Should he allow himself to stop now, there was a good chance he wouldn't get up again under his own power.

By the time he turned back to the others, they were already moving off, and Ahote followed slowly behind them. In time, they all return to the pack, and he spots Xani sitting atop the wall. For a moment, he considers joining her, but soon thinks better of it. There is a good chance that she would not take kindly to his company. Besides which, he really wasn't feeling up to that sort of climb. Instead, he listens to Resin's words in silence, and tries not to let them turn bitter in his mind. Finally, he gives up and turns away from them, seeking out a hollow to rest in until they begin to move again.

Walking off to the edge of the group, Ahote soon comes across the hole the Pipa had dug last night and settles into it with a harrumph. For once, he has no desire to speak to anyone. He simply hurts too much.

[BlackJaguar]

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attican slept in his uncomfortable position until a bark woke him up. He jolted with a start, head flinging upwards. "Guhhneh..?!" He slurred, eyes tearing open. For a few infinitesimal moments he was blissfully unaware of his surroundings, the much needed partial rest he got clearing his memory.

"The danger has ended."

Resin. Resin was back. Wait, Resin was back from what? Where had she gone.? Wait. Who..? where was- His fuzzed mind tried clearing the questions away, searching his head for answers. Like a freight train, the memories suddenly hit him, nearly physically knocking the breath from his chest. A pained whine climbed to his throat and died there, never fully surfacing out of his mouth. No... No, no, no.. Ash had gone.. he had fallen asleep. He had fallen asleep at his duty and Resin had already returned.

The Keeper bit his lower lip so hard that it came near to drawing blood. His body was stiff from the awkward position, but he straightened up quickly anyways. His body was the least of his worries right now. Other wolves rose and began to gather, preparing themselves to depart once more. His head craned back to the direction Ash was laid one final time, bidding the Beta the best of his secondary life.

With an uncharacteristic heaviness in his steps, Attican made his way to the left flank of the group, eyes flickering to the Alpha. Overall she looked rather composed, but the Keeper knew the female well enough that simply by the way she moved that her mind was obviously plagued. And of course it was rightly so. The urge to come up to her went strong through him, but for now he pulled himself back, not wanting to invade her thoughts in the fragile time. If she wanted him he'd be there in a flash, but for now the brute would take a backseat and do what he could in the form of helping care for the mass.

As it sat he had his own thoughts to sort through as well. What had happened to him last night had not been anything he had ever experienced before and during the heat of the moment there had been no time to even question it. But now as it appeared everyone currently stewed in their own minds as they prepped to move forwards and the Keeper was no different. How had that all occurred? Not many things unsettled the brute, however current events seemed to be trying their best to do nothing but that to the Elder. There had been no control over the.. phenomenon.. and he wasn't quite sure how to harness it. That was if he even could, or wanted to. Perhaps if the occasion could arise he would ask the experienced Pipaluk. It was a strange thought for he, the Keeper of all wolves, to be asking for advice, but he was not about to let some foolish pride get in his way. His job was to have as much knowledge as he could, and he would take great caring advantage of the opportunity to have someone know even more than he.

His broad paws shifted in the snow, prepping himself for another long leg of distance.


{{I honestly do the same thing Resin. My few classes are my only thing that partially pull me away. lol. I sincerely am making another character so I can write more. I've been working on one but I'm rather picky on my characters, heh.}}

[Resin]

Resin-Alpha Female- 40 Summers

She was quiet as she pulled the pack into movement. No smiles were given, none of her usual laughter and encouragement. Resin just didn't feel like talking. She wasn't ready for interaction. There was still a job to be done, so she lead them forward, but finding a hole to crawl into and sleep was more appealing. Rest would have been extremely beneficial, but they didn't have time. Everyone was starving, so here they were; walking and scenting for food.

Technically, they could have stayed right where they were. They were so far inland that the ice was no longer the earth. They walked on solid ground that wouldn't melt away. For Resin it wasn't good enough. South was where they needed to be. As soon as they reached the red trees they would be able to stop and start anew.

She may just start anew, herself. Giving up her alpha position had been in the forefront of her mind for years, but she could never bring herself to do it. She believed that she was capable of keeping everyone in line. She was capable of leading and fighting. There were no ulterior motives with her. She was exactly who she appeared to be. Knowing that the same could not be said of others forced her to retain her position. Personally, she'd never be able to follow a wolf that couldn't lead.

As they continued on, the dark female swung her head this way and that, testing the wind for signs of anything that they could use to fill their stomachs. It had been days since their last meal and she was certain that the pack was feeling as if it had been months.

They had walked a fair distance when the smell of blood and musk met her nose. Instructing the pack to stay and rest, she padded towards the scent. Popping her head between the branches of a pine tree, her mouth began to water. A feast walked before her. There was a herd of musk oxen, butting heads and bellowing in their mating stupor. The pheromones would make the bulls a bit more dangerous than usual, but the Scarpaws were starving, so what choice did they have?

Retracing her steps, she shared her information with the others. The excitement and the involuntary tail wags of the younger wolves finally made her crack a smile. She was excited as well. A belly full of hot meat and sleep was what everyone needed. "Volunteers?" she asked. "Anyone that has the energy and the experience to kill these big beasts is welcome and appreciated."

Knowing that at least someone would follow her was enough. A devastating thought entered her mind and her steps faltered. This would be her first hunt without Ash by her side. She had always been so confident in their abilities as a team. Forming a hunting pair with another would be strange indeed. They wouldn't be able to know her thoughts before she did. Would they be exactly where she needed them to be? Would they distract her, resulting in one or both of them getting injured?

Flattening her ears momentarily, she let her head hang. The first hunt without Ash... This journey would be the first everything without him, so she'd better get used to it. This was not the time for distractions. This was the time to concentrate on bringing down at least one beast to feed a starving hoard of wolves. Before she knew it, she was back beneath the pine tree with her head poking out of the branches, looking for suitable targets.

(I'm picky with my characters as well. Take your time. If you're not going to enjoy playing them, what's the point, eh? (: ))

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Xani
- Female - 21 - Fighter -

From her vantage point above the wall, Xani watched the group return. Resin seemed less stressed. Good. Maybe we can finally start moving again. She huffed before skidding easily down the wall to the ground. Her eyes once more scanned the pack, noting that Ahote was asleep. Was everyone in this pack always so tired? The fatigue seemed to have left Xani after the fight. Unbeknownst to her, most emotion had left her as well. She just felt angry, but the stress of it all had snapped something within her.

She stayed on the flank of the pack as usual, but didn't move up to sit nearer Resin when the pack stopped. She remained far away and aloof from everyone. That is, until she heard about the musk ox. Since she had snacked on half a dead rabbit, her stomach wasn't as volatile. She was still hungry, however, and both the challenge of killing the bull and the reward of eating it were enough for the fighter. She stepped up and followed Resin, staying back from the alpha. She still thought that a leader who was weak enough to cry was no leader, but usurping or abandoning at this point was just foolish. She spoke, her voice still a growl. "I'll do it. Find me a weak one and I'll take it down." With how angry she was, there was a good chance she could at least injure a weak or older bull by herself. There was also the possibility that she would grow careless and get injured, however.