இ۵Ŗace Ågainst ₦atureஇ۵

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Xani
- Female - 21 - Fighter -

After the pack finally made it to a safe spot, Xani relaxed a bit. Ahote had handled it all very well, and now everyone was resting. Of course, Xani was keeping watch over them as they rested, even though she begged for sleep herself. Just as she decided to go find a spot to relax, she caught a whiff of wolf from behind them. She couldn't smell if they were sick or not, so she decided to investigate. She sought out a hunter that seemed rather awake. "If anything happens, howl as loudly as you can. I'll be nearby, so don't worry."

Xani turned and trotted away from the brute, her nose in the air to seek out the source of the scent. She soon happened upon a carcass that had obviously been eaten recently. One whiff was enough to affirm her suspicions. Well well. Which way did you go, little wolf? A quick search showed that there were footprints leading away from the carcass, and Xani soon took off after them.

The wolf that had left the tracks had travelled a ways before stopping, and it took a while to reach the end of the tracks. When they stopped, Xani paused. She didn't see anything at first, but she knew someone was resting there. Or, at least they had been. A quick sniff and a few more steps revealed just a peak of blond fur from underneath a low hanging bough. Xani huffed silently and stepped back, wuffing to get the other wolf's attention. If it was diseased, she would kill it immediately. If not, she would offer it a chance to join them, as Resin had so many times before.

[Apocalyptic_Punk]

((Resin, I gave a friend of mine permission to play Azaria, I believe she sent you a PM today))

[Resin]

((Got it. Both of their characters have been accepted as have Soriams new characters.))

[BlackJaguar]

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attican's eyes came to rest on Ahote's as the brute came into closer view. He told him that he sought nothing more than some company, but his body language and minor fleeting expressions told the Keeper otherwise. Attican was not new to his role and had gotten fairly decent into reading other wolves when they came to him. Sometimes they wouldn't come to him at all and he'd still notice that something was "off," typically sending the brute to whoever it was to make sure everything was okay.

For now though the Keeper simply nodded his head, accepting that the Fighter did not apparently wish to speak. His tail wrapped tighter into his back legs, pinching his body to an even more curled position. His toes relaxed on his paws, warm as they were tucked into his mass. Sleepiness washed over his head like a sheet, threatening to wrap itself around the curled up brute and bring rest. He blinked heavily as his head went back to the ground, the stillness of the night acting as a silent lullaby.

Ahote subconsciously squirmed, his head flicking with every different thought that popped to his head. It was almost like someone changing the channel on a tv, one show abruptly interrupting another. It only clued Attican in more that the brute was holding back.

"Well okay." The Keeper spoke, voice hardly hovering loud enough to be coherent. "When you do wish to speak, just nudge me."

He didn't say anything else. Not how he already knew thoughts plagued the ex-Alpha's mind, not that he too had heard Resin make her leave a short distance away, or that now Ahote's heartbeat had lightly risen as he presumably watched her, indicated by his silent but gentle added intake of breath. His head cuddled in tighter, his observations getting tucked away into his slumber.

Pilot

32- Fae - Straggler

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The brute that Xani had nudged awake had turned out to be Vali again. The brute yawned sleepily as he was relayed instructions, his mind trying to catch what was going on. It was not hard for him to understand however and he simply nodded when she finished, pulling himself up to a sitting position to watch.

As for the smaller blonde wolf, Pilot had been sleeping peacefully in her makeshift den of the boughs. She had dug out the old and dead pine needles that had fallen to the ground, creating a nice bed for herself to have slept on. Her rear was towards the 'entrance' as the rest of her frame was wrapped around the trunk for warmth. She had been dreaming lightly when Xani came up.

The river turned to the East, flowing towards the coastal edges of the land. Pilot was running along the waters' edge, tongue lolling out happily as she traveled, her belly apparently full and satisfied. She was coming home to her family, telling them of the great herds that had come over between the two tallest mountains, both caribou and musk oxen alike.

As she got closer her mothers' figure came to view, a quiet distant sound noting her arrival. "Mother!" She called, pink tongue pulling back into her mouth. "Mother, great news!" Pilot slowed down as she got closer, her pace reducing to a fast trot. Regardless of her distance though her mother still called to her, the typical wuffing sound she'd give if she was summoning her kids. The female's head tipped to the side, lightly confused on the other wolf's actions. Couldn't she see her? Why was she still calling her?

"Mom?" She asked, all but stepping in front of the she-wolf when she had arrived. "Hello...?" The calls continued, only ringing louder and louder in her ears.

"Hu-!?" Pilot's ear flicked as she jolted awake, the cold of the night becoming rapidly apparent as she slipped from her dream. Her back legs shifted as she tried getting her bearings. Where was she? She looked around, squinting at the boughs and the trunk. Oh yeah, the forest. She was still in the forest under a tree. Only after that moment did Pilot realize that the sounds from her dream still continued, even though she was now currently awake. Her muscles surged as she flipped around, scrabbling to get her face back towards the mouth of the "den."

A light growl instinctively left her mouth as she pulled herself out of the tree. Her hackles were raised over her shoulders and spine, tail flipped up in a dominant pose. Xani's figure was outlined in the dark trees, Pilot quickly noting the size difference between the two. If she could get a few moments start, the fae could maybe run, hopefully outstanding this other wolf in distance.

"I have food out in the clearing." She stated matter-of-factly, her voice smooth and even. "If you are hungry it's yours." The breeze carried Xani's scent to her nose, telling Pilot that the wolf was in fact also a female as well as had been around other wolves not that long ago. It didn't change much for her end however, one wolf or ten wolves, any and all were dangerous if they were aggressive.

Pilot didn't move, waiting for the unknown female to do something.

[Khaleesi Stormborn]

~~..: Azaria::.5 years.::Pup/hunter in training.::w/Mirage:..~~
The Reddish brown Pup lay curled into the side of Mirage the Omega wolf who had saved her life. But all her mind could think of was her mother. Beautiful, sweet and kind everything Azaria herself was not. She had taken after her father in every sense of the word. It wasn't that she were mean, or vicious, she just spoke her mind most of the time. But she had loved her mother with all her heart. And now her mother as gone, first taken by the scary evil wolves, and then washed away by the cold unforgiving waters of the river. She wiggled then sniffled as more tears fell from her green orbs. She felt so alone even now, in this moment snuggled into Mirage's side. She continued crying long into the cold night, til finally she fell into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep.


~~..:Lokia.::45 Years.::Loner.:: alone:..~~

The old Female rose from the hole in the snow she'd made only a few hours earlier, She'd been trying to sleep but her stomach wouldn't leave well enough alone. She didn't bother to shake the snow from her coat, but yawned widely letting her head drop she began the slow trek through the unbroken snow, mumbling to herself as she walked.. Small balls of snow slowly fell from her back and shoulders with soft clumping sounds as they rejoined the snow on the forest floor. She paused listening to sickly howls and snarls from the woods to her left. Grumbling to herself she turned and padded away from those sounds. They were sounds she knew quite well, and she would rather fall to the hooves of an elk then fall to the jaws of one of those raving creatures.

She paused tilting her head once the sounds of the mad wolves felll away behind her, She sniffed softly and slowly crouching low to the ground she slowly inched forward, the soft rustle of feathers filled her ears and the smell of a warm sleepy bird filled her nose. Licking her chops she sank lower into the snow, then lunged the bird tried to take flight, but the old wolves jaws closed around it and with a hard shake of her head the bird fell limp. She flopped down right there in the snow and began picking away the feathers, and then began eating the bird, bones and all.

[Resin]

Hrafn- Male -46 Summers

Snatches of sleep here and there were all that the black brute managed to catch. After several annoying awakenings, he decided to stay up. Snow had begun to fall, it seemed. White flecks speckled his black coat, quickly melting. He ran a bit on the hot side. Good for those that he decided to curl up with in the cold. Hrafn snorted, amused slightly at such a thought. Why had it come into his head now? He hadn't felt a desire to be in such a close vicinity to others in quite some time. His gaze lifted, making out the shape of the dark female loping into the trees with a purpose. Perhaps she was the reason?

Rising, he didn't bother to shake out his coat. She was intent on something. Whether or not it was danger, he didn't know, but he wouldn't wait to find out. Taking off at a run, he crossed the snowy clearing, entering the copse of trees just in time to see Resin slam into an unsuspecting female. Though he was puzzled by her actions at first, he soon understood why simply by the questions that she asked. "Who are you? Have you been bitten? Are you infected?"

The fear and surprise on the grounded females face was obvious. Just as Hrafn began to step forward, the smokey alpha stepped back, allowing the wolf to rise. Clearly she wasn't seen as a threat. He sat behind and to the side of her, watching the situation. The two wolves, for there were indeed two, would be able to see him, but Resin would not. He sat, a silent threat, ready to act should either of the wolves decide to get cheeky.

Ears flicked forward, listening to Resin's words. An amused smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. She was an interesting one. Not at all like some of the wolves of power that he'd known. She seemed to rule as he had; with fairness and honesty. Though he had known her just a short time, Hrafn thought that he liked the female very much. Something about her struck a chord with him and that was rare.

Once all three wolves spoke, the massive black male stepped forward, seating himself beside the black and grey alpha. "I trust there will be no trouble." His voice was a smooth, deep rumble. Powerful, yet kind. When the stammering foreign female glanced at him, he shot her a non-threatening smile. "I am Hrafn, miss. There's no need to be afraid." Again he smiled. "I've only just joined the Scarpaw pack, but they've been nothing if not friendly and accepting." Canting his head in Resin's direction, he smirked. "You can trust her. She will listen to your plea if you wish to join. She's a good Alpha. Not like the kind that I can tell you're used to." It was true. The way that the female reacted belied her troubled past, whether or not she cared to tell the truth about it. "She is quite kind and fair. She speaks before she bites."

"As the Alpha stated, there's warmth to be had down below. From the others that I've spoken to, many stragglers have joined the pack to travel South more safely. Two more would hardly be noticed, should you not wish to wait until morning. I'm sure that she will let no harm come to you." He addressed the last statement to the young male in the log. Feeling that the invitation had been sufficiently sent, Hrafn rose to his large clawed paws and directed his attention to Resin. "Shall we rejoin the pack, my lady?"

Resin- Alpha Female- 40 Summers

She had been waiting for the females reply when Hrafn came out of nowhere and sat himself beside her. When he sat, the gigantic male towered over her, making the overly large female feel small. Something she wasn't used to. Casting a glance from the corner of the eye closest to him, she nodded a greeting. When he spoke, she allowed him to do so. He was very diplomatic, this wolf. Resin was impressed. It seemed as if he'd had practice being a figure of authority.

When he praised her highly, heat rose beneath the fur of her cheeks. It was nice of him to say, but it left her feeling slightly uncomfortable. For him to make such an assessment of her so soon seemed wrong in a way. Resin suddenly felt herself wishing for Ahote, Attican, or anyone to come save her from the awkward situation. She wasn't uncomfortable because he was wrong. She was uncomfortable because he was right. What else had this foreign male deduced about her personality?

His invitation to join him with the rest of the pack bristled her fur slightly. He spoke as if it was his pack; not hers. Resin rose, flicking her thickly furred black tail. "You may go back to sleep, Hrafn. There are still things to do before I sleep." He was dismissed. She nodded to the pair of wolves. "Both of you are welcome, should you wish it. We can speak further in the morning." Without a second glance at the imposing black male beside her, she made her way back out into the snowy meadow, disappearing into the snow that had begun to fall thickly.

On silent paws she made her way across the clearing and settled herself beneath a tree on the opposite side furthest from Hrafn and also from the rest of the group. Turning a few times to make a divot in the snow, she flung herself to the ground and curled her body int o a tight black and grey ball. She was in a mental funk and it took her ages to shake her thoughts, but eventually she slept.

[Soriams]

((And so it begins...))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
>>>–––———<•>———–––<<<

Ahote couldn't help but smile a bit at Attican's response, and he nodded. "Thank you Keeper... Perhaps once we've all had some rest," he said, half wishing that the sweet oblivion of sleep would take him as well. Part of him still wanted to get up and follow Resin out into the woods, but at the same time, he worried as though it would make him seem overprotective. After all, Resin was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Really, he should be sleeping like Attican, and as he looked over to the elder wolf again, he could see that sleep was already calling him, and he sighed softly. There was no way he could just wake him up to talk, it was against the gentle Fighter's nature to intrude on someone like that especially when they deserved a rest as much as Attican did.

With a quiet harrumph, Ahote gave up on trying to control his mind and just let it run through his head. He just clawed his way closer to Attican and curled in on himself, letting his back gently touch the Keeper's. There were few others in the pack that would have welcomed such closeness from an unrelated brute, but he knew him well enough to assume that he wouldn't mind overmuch. No matter how he yearned for it though, sleep would not come to him, and he just lay there, with his eyes open to the dark and his ears held out to the side as he listened to the pack around him. Before long, the sound of paws on snow once again reached his ears, and he lifted his head to see Xani wake one of the hunters and then walk off into the trees like Resin.

Now more than a little alarmed, seeing all the pack's normal protectors disappearing into the woods, Ahote got to his feet. All thought of trying to speak with the Keeper was now gone from him as worry once again set into the pit of his stomach. Where could they have all gone, and more so, why? Making his way back up to Xani's watch, he lifted his head, taking in the scents around him. Of course, there were the smells of many wolves, and not just those of the pack, but it was easy to assume that it was nothing more than the lingering scent of the crazed wolves they had fought earlier. Something must have stirred up the females' curiosity though, and he almost begrudgingly had to admit that such things were probably better investigated rather than left to pop in on the pack unannounced. With a heavy sigh, tainted with no small amount of exasperation, Ahote settled in for yet another long night.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
>>>–––———<•>———–––<<<

Having been fast asleep since the moment her weight left her feet, Lani awoke when she heard a wolf shift next to her. Rolling over onto her back, she yawned and looked up at the snow as it slowly drifted down from the sky towards her nose. That was, until one of the wily little buggards managed to actually work its way up her nose and cause her to sneeze. Snuffling, she barked out a quiet laugh at the irony of it all, and rolled back onto her stomach.

It was only then that Lani noticed her fellow hunter, Vali was sitting up looking over the pack like a tired gargoyle. Curious as to what could have gotten him up, she works her way to a sitting position as well. "Well then, what's got you up in the middle of the night, fluffy?" she said, chiding the brute as always. Lani didn't really expect to get an answer, as Vali was a wolf of few words to say the least, but she simply couldn't help herself.

As expected she got nothing more from him than a grunt, and Lani shook her head. "Oh, all that then? How will you ever handle the responsibility?" she said sarcastically, and let her eyes follow his gaze over the pack. It seemed as though while she slept, the Keeper had caught up with the pack and now slept peacefully near its center. However, there were still a few absences, most conspicuously Xani and Resin, once again leaving the pack under the watchful, if rather tired looking eye of Ahote. That wolf worried entirely too much, she thought to herself, and turned her gaze back to the greying fur-ball that was Attican. Had she not been so tired herself, she might have gone and woken him up just to chat with him. As it was though, she saw absolutely no reason to stay awake in the middle of the freezing night. Whatever it was that possessed the fighters and the Alpha to keep such strange hours, it seemed they had it well under paw, and so the carefree hunter decided to simply go back to sleep. Lani stretched out her back with a satisfying crack and circled three times to the right before laying back down.

Wolf
Male | 20 | Straggler
>>>–––———<•>———–––<<<

(Wolf sleeps a few miles south of everyone else, I will introduce him later.))

[Resin]

((We totally posted at the same time, Soriams. I had a long cuddly post right before yours then I changed it to keep the story rollin'. :p Loving the new characters, by the way. I can't wait to see Wolf in action.))

Pipaluk- Elder Female- 97 Summers

It was the coughing that woke her. Slightly annoyed, the old wolf pulled herself to a sitting position. Other annoyed grumbles sounded from the sleeping pups around her. She had deposited herself in the pup pile when they returned from their outing and had been sleeping ever since. Looking around her, she searched for the source of the coughing.

Without notice, her throat began to tingle and a barrage of coughing erupted from her maw. Clearly surprised with herself, she rose and pushed the pups closer to Mirage for warmth. On old, wobbly paws, she removed herself from the vicinity of the other wolves. It was rude to keep them all awake. Meandering off a ways, she sat her old bones down in the snow, looking upwards towards the falling flakes of ice that rained down upon her. Another coughing fit bubbled up from within her and she was forced to lower her head, dropping it between her forelegs in order to breath properly.

Nanuq paced back and forth in a worried manner, his black visage only visible to the old wolf before him. Pipa looked towards him, a smile forming upon her maw. "Don't worry. Do you realize how old I am?" His reply and further concern made her chuckle softly and she graced him with a loving stare. "Don't worry. I won't be in any pain." She hadn't noticed it before, but her breathing wheezed more than usual and her lungs rattled. It appeared that the river had done more to her than she'd previously imagined.

More coughing and shuddering wracked her body and she laughed softly when finished. Would she finally be taken out after all these years? Were the ancestors finally ready for her? Maybe they had been preparing themselves for the little spitfire and only now worked up the guts to accept her as one of them. Snickering again to herself, Pipaluk sprawled in the snow, watching the snowflakes that landed upon her black nose.

[Soriams]

((Oh wow... At first, I was like, post? What, where?! It never even told me when I was posting that you had sent one in too. LOL It never came up in my new posts either. I had to actually go back in and find it to read it. Aw well, I'm kind of sad I missed the cuddles. Heh, I'll post here later unless someone else gets to it first.))

[Apocalyptic_Punk]

Curse
{{Fae||fighter||Alone||
Curse had not fallen asleep, no in fact the former loner, was wide awake watching the snow fall over the mostly peaceful pack. Her mind was elsewhere dealing with the sadness that would most likely always dwell in her heart. But, Ahote's words stuck with her mostly, because he had said, that he would of come look for her no matter what. The kindness of the brute, is unknown to her, or at least long forgotten, but it fills her heart with joy, and makes her feel full and warm. She shifted in the snow and sighed softly, her ears twitching and turning, as she listened for anything that could be considered dangerous. She lifts her head and takes a couple of deep breaths filtering scents through her highly tuned senses.

For now, she smells pray animals, mostly small and other wolves and pack and non pack. Her body is tireder then its ever been before. But she knows they are not safe, far from it. in fact she worries that the madness that had struck those wolves that are now behind them could, find a way across the river, and come after them again. This thought is what keeps her awake. She scans the pack again, watching Resin as she makes her rounds, her ears prick forward at the mumbled sound of words being exchanged out of sight, there is no fear or anger from Resin, so she dosn't move. She spies the large male Hfran climbing to his feet and making his way towards Resin, and a short time later, Resin comes back and takes up a postion with Ahote and Attican. Curse sighs softly watching her warm breath curl up into the heavens before returning her gaze to the pack.

The soft cries of the pup who had lost her mother filter through to Curse's ears, but she knows Mirage has this handled. Coughing breaks the peaceful silence and she watches as the old Fae, a former keeper of her past pack get to her feet and move away, coughing again once she's moved from the pups. Concern wars inside of the ashy fae, and with silent feet she pads towards the old wolfess. "Pippa," She calls softly as she approaches. "are you well?"


Mirage
{{Brute||Omega||10|| Sleeping with the pups|}}

Kuolema
{{Brute||Loner/fighter||14||resting