((*sniffle* Poor Attican, it breaks my heart to see him like that. I could say the same for Pippa, but at least she is happy now... The news will feel strange for Ahote, when he finds out.))
Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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In his fitful sleep, Ahote's thoughts still buzzed, circling round and round in the darkness. Though his sleep was far too shallow to afford him any real dreams, snatches of visions and images flashed across his mind's sight, worming their way in between the constant prattle of his thoughts. Once he saw his mother, the look on her face was one of pure disappointment, but before he could reason why, it disappeared, replaced with Pippa. The tottering old wolf was laughing at him, but this two swirled away, and in its stead was a vision of the mountains that hugged the horizon of his old pack-lands, cold and unreachable. Then there was Curse, and Ash, they turned away and were replaced with blood stained snow, a sight which he had seen far too much of. This slowly faded to black, only to be replaced with the sight of trees, strange red leaves waving on in the wind. This one though was skewed and dim, as though he didn't really know what it looked like and his mind was trying to make it up. It was what he had envisioned Resin's dreams had looked like, a poor interpretation from her descriptions and nothing more. Eventually it became incoherent and faded away, leaving him alone with his thoughts before another shape slowly appeared. Dark against the darkness, a figure slowly formed, and at first he was not sure he was actually seeing it until it turned and he saw its eyes. The color of the sun as it pooled over the ocean at sunrise, eyes of such color could only belong to Resin. Seeing her, he felt heartened for a moment, but she too turned her head and was taken back by the darkness.
Desperately, Ahote wanted to follow her. To disappear into that deep night and be at peace with her, but his mind would not let him. What right had he to follow her? She was an Alpha, and not just a good one, but a great one. He had had his shot and had failed. That singular point haunted the big wolf's every hour, and even now into his restless sleep it followed. Sending him into a never ending spiral of guilt and self depreciation that continually threatened to bring him down with it, leading him exactly towards what he feared the most: being alone. Why should he stay here? He presence was surely a burden on the pack. Was it his own greed that kept him here?
Just as Ahote's tumultuous thoughts started down that path, he was suddenly surrounded in warmth. It flooded the darkness and in an instant a comforting calm came over him. Letting out a contented sigh, his restless form leaned into it, eager for its welcoming embrace. For the first time in days his mind is at rest, and he soon follows, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Hours passed, and by the time Ahote finally awoke, he found himself cold and alone at the top of the hill he had been sitting on. Feeling hollow, as though something important had left him in his sleep, he sat up and stretched, craning his neck until his nose pointed straight up towards the sky. For a long moment he stayed like that, closing his eyes agains the snow and breathing deeply, trying to come back to himself before looking back down over the pack. Attican had gone, and Lani sits in his place, looking decidedly pleased with herself, which can only mean the poor Keeper has once again been subjected to her torment. Xani has returned, and Resin speaks with her, with Hrafn at her side. This brings a momentary frown to his face, as from his perspective it seems as though the two have been inseparable since their meeting. For some reason, he doesn't like that one bit, even though he should be happy to see that she is not alone. Just on the other side of the two large dark wolves, he spots a bond and tan pelt that he doesn't recognize. From the size, he can only assume that it is a fea, and most likely what had kept Xani out so long last night. Overall, it looks as though everyone had been busy while he slept, and getting along just fine without him.
With a sigh, Ahote got up to his feet and shook the snow off of his coat and padded down the hill, crossing off the other side from Resin and the others so that he might have time to think before joining them. Footsteps muffled by the soft coating of fresh snow, he has just about to turn back around when he comes across something that stops him in his tracks. The snow here has been disturbed as though some great struggle had taken place, and spattered with a spray of blood. The sight of it makes his hair stand on end, and he cautiously moves to investigate. What could have happened here that would not have awoken him where he slept only a few yards away? Scrutinizing the scene only creates more questions than it answers, as there is only one set of tracks leading to and away, and if they fought with anyone at all, they left no sign at all. It is only when he picks up a scent that he realizes what he is looking at, and Ahote's blood runs cold: Kiera.
Heart pounding in his chest, Ahote follows the trail that leads away, the spattering of blood gradually becoming heavier and heavier until it completely fills the paw print. Off it lead, out into the trees, and as he passed under the shade of the trees, Ahote felt a chill pass over him. Not more than a few hundred strides from the edge of the trees sat Kira, her small form covered in her own blood. Panting heavily as though she had run for miles, the fea seemed unaware of the fighter as he approached, and soon her muzzle turned back over her side and she began chewing on her fur. This seemed to call up an itch from somewhere, but as her back foot went up to scratch her ear, she growled and snapped at it, giving it a sharp bite as though in warning to keep away. Arrested by the scene, Ahote stood slack-jawed at the sight. It was only then that he noticed her front foot was missing, and from her actions, he could only guess what had happened to it.
There was no doubt now that Kira was infected. That pup that he had throttled must have gotten to her, and the timid fea had been too frightened to tell anyone. Watching her in her fervor, Ahote felt sick, as though everything he had ever eaten wanted to crawl back up his maw and rejoin the herd it came from. He knew what he had to do, there was no choice now but to put her out of her misery, and protect the pack. Stepping forward, Ahote looked at the little fea with pity,
"Kira..." he began to say, wanting to at least explain himself, tell her he was sorry for what he was about to do.
However, Ahote's task was not about to be so easy, and Kira's head shot up at the sound of his voice. A savage snarl curled her lips into a grotesque mask,
"Get... Back... Stay... Away..." she said, her halting voice full of fear and stain though her expression was one of pure rage.
Taken aback, Ahote hesitated, and that was a mistake. Kira leapt up and lunged at him, her teeth snapping next to his ear as he pulled back. The two circled each other, her ruined leg making a sickening sucking sound as she pushed the stump of bone into the ground. A growl deep in his throat, it was Ahote's turn to leap and he managed to make contact, knocking her back against a tree as he brought the full force of his wight against her side. The fighter was nearly twice her size and weight, and this fight should have been no contest, but Kira's sickness made her erratic, and unpredictable. With a squeal, she squirmed away from his next attack, sending Ahote sprawling face-first in the snow. The spry wolf spun away and ran, headed straight back for the pack.
In an instant, Ahote was back on his feet, shaking his head as he tried to free himself from the snow that stung his eyes. Seeing the course the small wolf now took, fear took hold of Ahote and he lifted his head, calling out a warning to the rest of the pack. Leaping after her, he pushed his tired body after her, his claws digging for purchase in the soft snow. By the time she reached the edge of the trees, he was on her again, and with one last leap he caught the back of her hock with his paw and sent she spinning out into the clearing.
Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Proud as pudding, Lani sat happily in Attican's nest. She was quite full of herself, and fully intended to lounge in her triumph until it was time to move on. Thus is how Resin finds her, like a stout hen sitting on her eggs in the snow and in response to the Alpha's genteel nod, she barked back a chipper greeting of her own.
"G'morning, boss. Lovely day, isn't it?" she said, not surprised when the Alpha didn't stop to chat. Almost no one would willingly hold a conversation of more than a few words with her, which was probably for the best as would only encourage her.
There she stayed, until the Alpha reappeared, looking even more morose than ever. What was it with these leader types that made them so moody? She thought, and got to her feet. Lani had been half hoping that Resin would bring Attican back with her, but it seems as if he is slow to return. Looking back the way they had all come and gone, she is just about to go after him herself when she hears Resin speak of going on a hunt. This of course, is right up the hunter's alley, and she decides that her lover can wait just a few more hours for her to return, and instead pads over to where the other four have gathered. Sparing a grin and a nod for both Xani and the new fea, she plops herself down next to the handsome black male to listen. Convivial as always, she wasn't phased by the newcomers at all.
Before further talk of the hunt can take place though, a sharp sounding bark cuts through the still air, and Lani jumps in surprise. Ahote's warning stirs up many of the wolves who still sleep, and a murmur spread over them. Seconds later, the little silver form of Kira comes flipping end over end out of the woods, with the fighter, Ahote hot on her heels. The sight brings a start even to Lani, and she quails back from the scene, backing into the press of the larger wolves.
((Edit: Sorry if this seems a little out of place, but I started writing it like five posts ago and gave up on editing it again and again. I just wanted to wrap up Kira before we got too much further.))
