இ۵Ŗace Ågainst ₦atureஇ۵

[BlackJaguar]

Pilot

32 - Fae - No Rank

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If Pilot had seen what Hrafn had seen of the fire she would not have been perturbed in the slightest that he had nipped her awake. Quite the opposite actually. He had more than likely saved her life for it by making sure that she truly had gotten up instead of just calling out. She did not understand it, but she went. So far this group seemed close and ample, always having a reason for their actions. If they said it was time to go it was time to go.

Nearly like a herd of cattle the Pack shuttled their way out of the cave. The pace was quick and everyone was tightly knit together, not many spaces between bodies.They ran with an urgency, each step acting more like a bound. Being shorter as she was the blonde wolfess felt as if she were in sea of legs, her head hardly reaching high enough to get above most of their backs. Her muzzle got knocked about as she simple stuck it up for a breath of fresh air, getting jostled by the frenziness of it all. Shoving her way forwards the female made her way to the outside, actually allowing herself the ability to see as they ran. As she saw what they were fleeing from however, she questioned if it had been the best idea.

A thick billowing cloud of black loomed ominously in the air, below it a writhing column of yellow and orange. Her silvery eyes widened, realizing the reason for the urgency. An unnatural feeling of heat seemed to came forth from the column, the edges flickering and travelling through the trees like birds. An unheard whimper passed her throat, Pilot pressing herself into the side of a wolf next to her. It seemed that many shared the same thoughts though, the unknown wolf feeling as if he were pressing back.

They ran hard. Yet despite their efforts it seemed that the yellow flying beast was always just on their tails. What was it anyways?? Crackling and snapping now accompanied the heat, little baby monsters in the form of embers floating around their escape. A real whimper left her maw now, fully trusting Xani who lead the group to what was hopefully safety.

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

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Even though her talk was quick, Attican was immensely grateful for the information that Xani passed to him. He knew there was an intense sense of urgency and the fact that she had spared a moment to let him in on at least the gist of the danger let him not only help them move the Pack, but also let him know that she had trust in Keeper. "Thanks" he managed out, although he was unsure that the new Beta had even heard. It didn't matter for now, at this point they just had to get the group moving.

Bright lights in the trees? Even in his lifetime the Keeper had not heard or seen anything the could be described like that before. The 'fog' connected Mirage's dream to the reality and when Attican had squeezed his way out the hole, it was exactly as the brute had described. To add upon it though thick hungry tendrils of fire sat below it, waving itself almost triumphantly as it creeped from branch to branch. He sucked in a shocked breath, worry filling himself.

Resin and Ahote were still out there somewhere. Resin's injury had not gone unforgotten to the brute and he could only hope that it would not hinder her mobility as they caught up. A strange crackle came from the trees as a low-hanging limb began to give way to its invader. It bent and broke, no longer able to hold itself up due to the fire gnawing at its support. He danced his front paws impatiently as the rest of the Pack finally made their way out, Hrafn taking up the rear.

Immediately they began their travels, the wind moving and changing its direction constantly. Whipping around the black cloud, went with whatever way the wind blew. Along with the eye-burning cloud came little tendril embers as well, singeing whatever they came into contact with. Every so often you'd hear a wolf yelp out, one of these hot glowing coals coming in contact with them or their fur. Everyone ran tightly, no one even the slightest feeling the want to stray. Safety in numbers after all right? As for Attican's position though it felt like his duties were being torn in two.

On one paw he knew that Resin would want him to help ensure the Pack's safety. Help run them and keep count and make sure that no one would be left behind. But in that very same thought doing so meant that he would leave her behind. The intense worry that the Fighter and Alpha had yet to catch up only grew with every passing minute. The fire was eating everything it could curl itself onto and at an alarming rate only grew its expansive size. To be honest if they were not in such harms way as they were, it was nearly mesmerizing on how the flames moved and licked themselves bough over bough. But they were, and there was no ability to stop. It tugged his heartstrings.

No one had ever been MIA like this and the new danger was unpredictable to say the least. He ran with the group on the outer left flank, but his eyes never stopped scanning the outskirts and the horizon. "Come on.. come on.." he repeated, his heart beating with every lunge that his legs took. If sheer willpower had been enough, both wolves would have been flown telepathically to the retreating group.

Smoke wafted over the group, causing many to fall into coughing fits. Just as Mirage had said it burned them from the insides out, their bodies desperate to expel the foreign contaminate and replace it with cool fresh air. Attican's own lungs squeezed themselves tight, hardly allowing him to take in any breath at all. Unintelligible things passed his lips, eyes watering as he wheezed the sooty air out from his diaphragm. He looked around wildly, stumbling his way forwards.

[Soriams]

((Congratulations, Auntie!))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Keeping pace next to Resin, Ahote found himself choking and sputtering as he ran, forcing both of the panicked wolves to come to a stop. The air was heavy with smoke, and the dark cloud clawed at his throat and nose, making him feel as though he were under attack from the inside. The assault was like nothing he had ever experienced before, and he found himself hanging his head, as the noxious stuff seemed to rise up in the sky and leave some small amount of breathable air below. Sensing that Resin was looking at him, he looked up, his eyes pleading with her to keep moving. There was no fighting this, no defiance, all they could do was run and hope that they were fast enough to escape its greedy grasp.

They were soon moving again, and Ahote did his best to shield Resin's body with his own, keeping himself between the beast and her as best he could. Though fear pressed them onward, Ahote could feel their pace slowing as Resin began to limp, the wound taking a terrible toll on her. Finally, she could go no further, and he stopped beside her, blocking out the roar of the forest around him. He had never considered the trees as alive before, but to hear they way they shrieked in pain was enough to set his fur on edge. The longer they stood, the closer the creature crept until he could feel the heat from its angry breath as it fell heavy upon his back. Desperate to keep moving, he ripped his attention away and focused on Resin, licking at the blood that ran down the fur on her chest, trying to free it from some and allow her to move again.

Suddenly a pained groan sounded behind him, and Ahote flinched back, looking just in time to see a massive tree come crashing to the ground. The impact caused a shower of glowing embers to come racing at them, and without even thinking he threw himself in front of Resin. With a yelp he felt the hot sparks burrow into his coat and he threw himself to the snow, seeking the little cool it could provide. Next to them, the enflamed tree seemed to do the same, its hot branches throwing up the ice into a thick steam that sizzled and fizzed, adding a thick white haze to the black smoke.

Once again Resin was on her feet, nudging Ahote up from the snow, and the big wolf practically leapt to his feet in his hurry to be away. Even running next to her, it was nearly impossible to hear her words over the roar of the monster, and he had to strain just to make up the gist of them. It seemed like she wanted him to leave her, and he shook his head vehemently. "No, I'm not leaving you!" he yelled over the din, but Resin only shook her head again. A deep sinking feeling took hold of his chest, he knew there was no arguing with her. His respect was too great, and he loved the pack just as much as she. Thus he was compelled to see that they were safe even if it felt as though he would have to tear out his heart to do it. Tears stung his eyes as she licked his face, and for a short moment he watched her go, "Please be safe..." he whispered, then turned and fled.

Pushing himself back up to full speed over the soft snow, Ahote covered the remaining distance back to the cave in a matter of minutes. The place looked deserted, but he couldn't simply assume that everyone was gone. The smoke here was even thicker than it had been closer to the fire as it rose up the mountainside, and he could barely see in front of him. Diving into the cave, he called out, his voice echoing through the haze. "Anyone here? Please, tell me you're all safe..." he said, talking to himself, as he dreaded receiving an answer. The formation of the cave had trapped the smoke and stopped it from rising as more and more of the noxious cloud streamed in through the entrance, and he was forced to search the floor by touch. By the time he was satisfied that the cavern was empty, he was practically crawling on the floor, his head spun, and he coughed constantly. It was all he could to to haul himself back up and out into the snow.

By the time Ahote had managed to crawl back out, he could see the light reaching for the cave, just barely hidden by the screen of thick pines. Fear clawed at him once more, and he tried to look for tracks as his nose was useless in the smog, but the moment he tipped his nose down a sudden wave of dizziness overcame him and he collapsed face first into the snow.

Ahote was floating far above the cave, and he could see the way the fire moved. Hungry and fickle, it leapt on first one tree then another, sending up gasping wheezes of sparks and embers. These too seemed to have no limit to their thirst, and wherever the wind blew them into new trees, they too would spring to life, creating new flickering beasts that grew as they consumed the trees. In a matter of hours the entire north would be ablaze, the prevailing winds dooming the forest in its path.

Turning slowly as the smoke parted before him, Ahote could see what lay in the wake of the light monsters path. It seemed to be nothing but blackness, charred wood and soot-covered ground. Even the snow had melted in the face of its fierce attack, and the ground was a sodden, sickly mass of black slush, slowly freezing back to ice.

Somewhere between the two, he could just pick out the tiny specks of his pack-mates as they ran, seemingly out of sight of the fire. Yet, there was another dark shape, much closer than the others, struggling against the dark cloud and angry flames, this one too heading west. He immediately recognized it as Resin, and he tried to call out, but quickly found he had no voice. Angry, and desperate, he fought against the dream, flailing blindly against the unseen forces that held him back as he tried to reach her.

His struggles disturbed the image and his vision began to spin and blur and Ahote suddenly felt like he was falling. His invisible paws raked the air as he tried to gain purchase, but it was to no avail. Below him, the light of the fire grew until it was a blinding white light.

Ahote awoke with a start, not even realizing he had passed out. The terror from the dream only deepening as he pulls his head out of the snow and realizes that this threat is still very real. The monster had drawn in closer on him, and now flames licked at the tops of the trees just outside the clearing, slowly making their way around to box him in. Eyes rolling in fear, the Fighter backed away slowly, and very nearly fell back down into the cave. Heat pressed down in on him and he knew that if he didn't move soon he would be trapped. Legs stiff with fear, and against every instinct in his body, he forced himself to run towards the fire.

Passing under the blazing bows, Ahote pressed forward, refusing to look up at the creature that roared above him. Even had his mind been clear enough to think of it, there was no way he could follow the trail of the pack now. The snow at his feet ran soft and wet, sloshing with every step, the frigid cold of it a painful contrast to the heat that grasped at him from everywhere else. Blinded as he ran, the ground suddenly dropped off underneath him, and he fell, spinning and tumbling down the muddied slope. Unable to stop the wild descent, Ahote slammed into a tree, sending a shower of burning branches falling down on top of him, burning his already singed fur. He screamed, thrashing against them until he managed to roughly throw them off and escape the clinging tendrils.

On his feet and running for his life again, Ahote didn't even have time to feel the burns that crossed his side. All thought, all reason was gone from him now, and he was simply running, running anywhere that would take him away from the monster that chased him. Instinctually, he followed the darkest places, seeking out gaps in the flames that slowly led him westward.

Chased by fear and the shadow of death, Ahote ran until his legs could no longer carry him and finally gave way beneath him, sending him sprawling in the snow once more. Dizzy and tired, he rolled slowly to his feet, head hanging while his tongue lolled from the side of his mouth. Staring at the ground beneath him, as he was unable to lift his head, the whiteness of it slowly fell into focus. The snow here was untouched by ash or flame, and crisp smell of it was refreshing, but more than that, there was something else there. A bright crimson speck that seemed to blossom from the ice, and for a long time he looked at it, uncomprehending. It wasn't until he drew in a long, shaky breath to calm his tattered nerves that he realized what it was.

By some miracle, Ahote had stumbled upon Resin's trail. Either the Ancestors had heard her pleas, or he just had the best dumb luck imaginable. Either way a wave of hope suddenly flooded over him and he threw his head back to call to her, to sing for joy, but his throat was so raw and scratched from the smoke and hard run that nothing came out but the ghost of a whisper. The ex-alpha could have laughed for the irony of it, but instead had to settle for a raspy wheeze that ended in another fit of coughing.

Breathing in her scent eagerly, Ahote quickly began to follow her sparse trail. The farther he went, the more the path weaved in and out, moving from tree to tree as though the injured Alpha had used them for support as she tottered on her feet. After everything that he had been through though, Ahote was not about to give up on this one tiny shred of hope, and before long he managed to spot her dark form sheltered in the trees. Gratefully, he sank down into the snow beside her sleeping form, not saying a word. None of it mattered now that he had found her. Exhaustion already threatened to steal away his consciousness, and pressing his side into hers, he let the darkness take him.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Leaving behind the utter chaos that was the inside of the cave, Lani popped out into the clearing. There were a few grumpy wolves hanging about outside already, either talking amongst themselves or simply pouting off by themselves, while more streamed out behind her. Still tired herself, she plopped down in the snow to wait for further instructions. Really, there was no way she was doing anything of her own accord. She was simply too full and sedated for the fear that flowed from the higher-ups to infect her her.

Inside, Lani could hear Attican's troubled voice questioning Xani while she barked orders, and though she was curious, she could not hear the Beta's reply. Whatever it was, it must not have been good, because Xani soon appeared at the entrance and started once again collecting those who were milling about outside. The contrast in desperation between the two factions was strange, and Lani just sat and watched, taking it all in. She was ready to move whenever the rest of them got their furry butts in gear, and wether she sat there or pranced around like a fawn in spring she would not be left behind.

Finally, the incessant barking of the two dark wolves gets everyone in order and they take off. Running somewhere about the middle of the pack, Lani began to notice a strange smell in the air. A dark, heavy scent that tickled her sensitive nose, it was completely unknown to her and that perked her curiosity. However, no one else seems interested in it in the slightest and she simply shakes her head and snorts to push it out of her snout. Once again it seemed as though ScarPaw was running for its life, except this time there was no evil ex-mate chasing them, nor even crazed, diseased wolves at there heels. Only some invisible foe that had scared the dickens out of Xani and Hrafn.

After awhile, the swaying of Lani's heavy stomach began to bother her, and she dropped back a little to give herself some space and fresh air. Though she was still quite fit, and her life as a hunter ensured she got plenty of exercise, there was no denying that she was on the downward slope towards being an elder, and all this running and jostling about just wasn't all that great for her insides. Finally, she heard Hrafn call out from behind them to slow their pace, and did so gratefully, pausing between strides to snap up some snow and quench her thirst. This caused her to fall far enough back that Hrafn was walking close behind her and she slowed her pace enough to walk beside him.

"Just what is it we're running from, anyway? You and Xani look like you're beset by bugaboos, but the rest of us haven't seen or heard a thing..." she said, trailing off while she waited for an answer. Though his stride was considerably longer than hers, the Hunter kept easy pace with the big brute, her stout white form looking rather like the antithesis to his much larger, black one.

Wolf
Male | 20 | Straggler
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Wolf was lucky. His little makeshift den was out in the middle of a break in the trees, and the warning that gave him left him with enough of a head start that he was able to make his escape before the monster was on top of him. At first he ran due North, as that seemed to be the most logical rout of escape, but he soon realized that whatever it was was headed in that direction as well. So he altered his course slightly, trending more westward to run along the edge of a slope. This proved to be more productive and he finally seemed to be pulling away from it when he suddenly came upon a partially frozen creek. Running from the Northeast to the Southwest, his only options were to either run back South towards the fire, or head North and risk meeting up with it again.

Whining, Wolf paced up and down the bank, scattering the smooth pebbles in his wake. He looked this way and that, head bobbing about as though it had come loose as his eyes grew large with fear. Neither option seemed like any option at all, and he was simply stuck. The ice before him flowed steadily downstream, breaking and tumbling through the frigid water that tossed it mercilessly, breaking it down into ever smaller pieces. Surely, his fate would be the same should he venture out into the water. His indecision managed to waste enough time that the fire drew closer once more, and he could see the distant flickering of its light as it reflected off the snow around him. So preoccupied was he, that he never saw the embers that flew overhead, landing and smoking in the weather-worn shrubs that clustered around the edge of the small river.

All of a sudden, the fire found purchase within the dry tinder, and flames leaped to life beside him, causing Wolf to cry out in terror. Without a second though, he leapt into the icy water, quickly choosing the danger he knew over this unknown creature that consumed everything it touched. Luckily, the water wasn't deeper than the middle of his chest, and he was able to forge through without ever having his feet swept out from under him. Bouncing off the ice as it streamed past him left him bruised and sore, but he eventually pulled himself out on the other side and ran, not even bothering to pause and shake out his sodden pelt first.

So too the fire found purchase and it raced into the trees alongside him, leaping from limb to limb as Wolf fled. His hurry now turned out to be his saving grace, as the bits of burning debris that fell on him from the trees only fizzled in his sodden coat, the wet cold protecting him as he ran.

The wind still blew steadily Northward, and keeping to his previous course, Wolf was finally able to outrun the flames and pull away from the suffocating heat. Still he ran, his tired paws numb from the cold where the icy water froze on his fur until he could no longer smell the smoke or see the glowing creature and all its horrors. It was only then that he allowed himself to slow, the years of poor food and idle life had left him exhausted from the run and he was eternally grateful just to be able to slow to an easy lope. Up ahead, there was a little clearing and reaching the middle of it, as far out of the reach of the trees as he could get, he stopped and sat back on his haunches.

Panting and snapping up snow to soothe his raw throat, Wolf's head shot up when a strange sound came rolling out of the woods to the East. Strangely harmonic and melodious, it sent shivers down his spine. It was unlike anything he had ever heard before, but perhaps the most remarkable thing about it was that he brought words with it. Like his own thoughts that tumbled through his head, full of names and places and actions, this too had the mysterious sounds in it that he had only ever heard come from within. Now they were brought to him on the wind and he sat, transfixed, gazing off in the direction from which it came.

Soon he saw them, a mass of moving furred bodies picking their way through the trees at a smart pace. Even from this distance, Wolf was able to recognize them as the creatures he had learned to avoid, but these seemed different somehow. They moved together, and non snarled or snapped at one another, and as they steadily drew closer he could see that their coats were full and plush, not patchy and bald as the others were. Looking on in astonishment, he simply sat there on his haunches with his ears perked forward while they walked towards him. His tail curled subconsciously around his paws while he watched, in much the same way as he had watched the reindeer earlier that day, wondering what would happen when they caught sight of him.


((Whee! I should be working, but I just couldn't resist...))

[BlackJaguar]

{Oooh Auntie huh? Very cool! Also, I hope this isn't too far-fetched. I can totally change it if needed.}}

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

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The group stumbled on, the pace hasting considerably over time. Attican blinked heavily, the light gusts of smoke making his eyes water with tear-like streams running down his cheeks. With every step it felt as if his heart got pulled harder and harder, an invisible fishing rod reeling him back towards the very thing that they fled from.

How could he keep moving along with the group to safety when he knew that not everyone was safe? Even with the slower pace Attican felt himself getting a few steps behind. A few wolves looked to him strangely for a second, still huddled together into one large blob-like mass. He tried to keep moving, but honestly it was as if something was physically pulling him back.

"I can't." He spluttered, feet all but halting in the snow. The crackling was getting ever closer and although it should have made him scared, instead it welled up an even stronger urge. He had to go find them. "I can't keep going." He head snapped to the front of the mass, the tri-colored female leading the way. "Xani!" He called out, his voice lightly raspy from the air. "Keep going! Lead them well, I- I have to go find them!"

He didn't wait for a reply. He didn't even wait to see the look on her face. The brute just ran, all caution thrown to the wind as he essentially dove into the belly of the beast. There was a slightly wider space between two not yet burning trees and with one last jump Attican was completely obscured from view.

Where he was intending to go he wasn't sure. What he had done was inconceivably rash and he would be first to admit, extraordinarily unintelligent. But here he was all the same, running forwards and darting the danger that now loomed all around him. The farther he went the thicker the smoke got, his throat burning from the floating soot.

"Resin!" He called out, squinting as he rounded a tree. The fire was just grasping at its extending branches, sap in its needles popping from the heat. "Ahote, Resin where are you?!" His legs lunged, not acting like limbs that most wolves his age had. He thanks the heavens that he had kept himself fit. He skidded on the snow, the top slushy with what was now water due to the fire melting any snow that had been on the trees. The brute rolled a few times but managed to right himself, turning round and around for a sense of direction.

Oh no. Where had he been coming from? The smoke skewed his vision so that even his own pawprints were nearly impossible to see. He coughed and spluttered, his jowls shaking with every exhale. Attican lowered his body to the ground floor, trying to scent. It was no use however, the fog covered everything. He howled, but it was weak, returning no reply.

"Annu.. Annu please help me..." He said to himself, muzzle nearly buried in his chest as if he were fighting through a windstorm. Everything looked the same. Burning, screaming trees, glowing fallen branches, and the intense feeling of heat were the only things accompanying him. Now that he was not moving the fire was creeping closer, enveloping the area more and more. The thickness of the smoke felt as if it were searing him from the inside out, blinding him as if he had cataracts. He could have been walking in a complete loop and the Keeper would never have been any of the wiser.

His mind wracked with thoughts, grasping at straws for anything to help him. He coughed as he ambled, getting enough sense in him to get away from the now burning cluster of trees. Help. But help... there was no one out here. Xani couldn't help him, Annu couldn't help him, Hrafn, Vali, Lani - no one. Even Pipaluk had gone away so that she couldn't help him either.

Wait. Pipaluk. His head shot up to the name. The Eldest's parting words to him suddenly came ringing into his head full blast, almost hurting his ears at the memory.

"Pipa!" He yelled, turning over and over in circles as if trying to get some bearings within the heavy smog. "Pipa if anything you told me was true then I am calling upon you right now and your guidance!" More smoke filled his lungs and it took most of what Attican had to stay upright as his body convulsed in another coughing spasm. "She's out there somewhere and I don't know where to find her.."

Had Attican been in the area that the two wolves had collapsed in chances were that the older brute would have not made it altogether. Even though he was very much in the thick of it, they were even moreso, the space between them glowing with nothing but pure fire itself, engulfing full trees into 20+ foot flames.

He couldn't go any farther. Despite his heart, his own chances for survival were now dwindling. It was chaos around him and by sheer luck alone nothing had fallen to the ground yet and attacked him with embers. His sides streaked with charred blackness, only his muzzle and feet that had been in the snow really showing at all that he was not a black pelted brute. It was now or never, he had to find his way out.

"Pipaluk please!"

[knameless]

[Oh, I finished my WIP post up there ^^ Just in case]

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Xani
- Female - 21 - Fighter -

The moment she was out of the cave, Xani let out another rallying howl. She quickly scanned, judging it to be everyone except Hrafn who was just exiting the cave. Nodding one, she took off for the West. The pack started as well, because of orders and fear. Regardless, they seemed to put all their trust in their new beta as she led them, and she was grateful for that. Trusting Hrafn to bring up the rear for the time being, she concentrated on their path.

The farther they ran, the clearer it became. Resin's instincts had been right, at always. At the thought of her alpha, Xani felt a clutch of fear at her heart. Where was she at? She said she would meet them, but wasn't sure if she had. It wasn't like she could turn around and look, so she just trusted her instincts and kept running. It wasn't until they were a ways from the cave that Hrafn's howl was heard. Trusting him, she slowed the pace a bit, giving the pack a chance to calm a bit. Soon after, she heard Attican's faint call that he was leaving. She desperately wanted to stop him, but she knew he wouldn't listen.

She glanced over her shoulder momentarily, scouting the group. She could only see a few of the wolves farther back, and the ones nearer the front were ones she only knew by name. Those that she actually knew- Ahote, Hrafn, Resin, Attican- were either gone or bringing up the rear. At least everyone was safe at the moment. Xani kept the pace slow, but constant.

[Resin]

((Thanks, guys! I'm excited about it. (: Not far fetched. I was hoping you'd do something like that, actually. I miss Pipa.))

Resin- Alpha Female- 40 Summers

Sleep was what she needed. The moment that she hit the ground, she was out and nothing mattered. The raging, land eating sun that chased them didn't matter. Sleep wiped the worries from her mind and, while she lay there in the snow, she looked the picture of peace. Every worried crease left her features and a sort of easy smile spread upon her maw. Though she didn't dream, she rested deeply.

A sudden bump at her side forced her eyes open sleepily and, after a few blinks, the soot covered form of Ahote swam into view. Had he not listened to her? Had she not ordered him to find the pack? His exhaustion was obvious and the burnt and singed fur was clearly visible. Pulling herself to a seated position, she groaned. A puddle of frozen blood had formed beneath where she had lain. The pain her her shoulder was white hot from the freezing snow.

Pulling her aching body to her paws, she stretched and looked about. Though smoke hung in the air, it hung high. If she kept her muzzle low, she was still able to breathe well enough to function. Casting her gaze about, she looked for some sort of escape or shelter. They'd fallen asleep at the edge of a clearing. The trees were thick all around. The best form of safety that she could grasp at was a snow drift in the center of the clearing.

Looking about them once more, she checked on the progress of the forest eating light. Though she could hear the popping, cracking and wailing of the forest behind her, the roar of the beast was low. It was far away. This acrid smoke, however, was enough to kill them if inhaled for too long.

Staggering out into the middle of the clearing, Resin used her large paws to dig into the dense drift. Periodically she would return to check on the sleeping form of Ahote, resting her ear against his side to see if he still breathed. Once she was satisfied with the space that she'd uncovered within the drift, she returned to Ahote for the last time. Latching her teeth into his smoky tasting ruff, she drug him through the clearing. His body was pulled through the frozen pile of blood as well, making it appear larger than it actually was. It couldn't be avoided.

When her shoulder began to scream in pain, she pulled him with short, quick jerks. Though she was trying to be careful with him, eventually she tasted his blood in her maw. Her teeth had popped through his flesh. With one final tug, she pulled him within the makeshift snow den. The space was large enough for them both with a little room to move. Depositing him at the back of the space, she moved back to the entrance and pushed snow against it, sealing them beneath the snow.

The oxygen trapped within the snow would supply them with fresh air. The heat from their bodies and their breath would harden the snow around them. This would do for now. She just needed some rest and she would be ready to run once again. Curling up beside the dirtied brute, she placed her head atop his, pulling his body to hers in order to share her warmth. Soon, she was asleep once more.

Hrafn- Hunter- 46 Summers

The pack slowed and Hrafn gratefully slowed as well, his head hanging low to breathe the cleaner air nearest the snow. He'd done his job successfully. No one had fallen behind. Everyone still ran with the pack save Ahote and Resin. He wondered where they could possibly be, but knew not to worry too much. The Alpha was far too tough to let a little thing like the sun devouring the earth take her out.

Lani questioned him and he motioned over his shoulder with his head. "You didn't see any of that? The sun has landed on earth and is eating the land alive. That's what's causing all of these horrible black clouds." He knew that Lani was kind of oblivious to things at times, but he had no idea how she hadn't seen the bright, roaring beast that chased them. He didn't wish to be rude to the older wolf, but he had duties. She was welcome to follow him if she wished, but he had to go.

Loping close to Kona, Hrafn checked the pup for wounds. He had seen when she'd attacked the glowing tendrils of the beast. Her yelp had ripped through the air, but there had been too much going on to check on her after. There were a few burns upon the side and top of her muzzle and the giant black brute ran his tongue along them, cleansing them of burnt fur and ash to hasten the healing process. "This beast is one that we can't beat." he informed her. "We have to put our legs to good use today. Keep ahead of it. Soon we'll be out of it's path and everything will be ok." With one last confident smile, Hrafn scanned about, checking other wolves for wounds.

As he checked in with the others, he heard Attican call out to Xani, then saw as the Keeper turned and ran back the way that they'd come. "What on earth..." Hrafn said to himself before shrugging. There was no stopping the Keeper. If he wished to go meet the beast, that was his right. The black brute had no doubt, however, as to why Attican had chosen to go back. Resin, of course. The Alpha was like a daughter to him, afterall. Hrafn wouldn't leave his own daughter behind, so he understood the wolf's actions. He didn't have to like them though. Running towards the roaring ball of light seemed hopeless.

Pipaluk- Female Ancestor

She had been lounging with Nanuq beside a shimmering lake in the sky. The weather had been warm, though snow littered the ground. The once old wolf, her youth now restored, had been dozing lightly, her silver side pressed against the black back of her mate. One dark ear flicked lazily as a fuzzy little bee rested atop it. There were few worries here. Ancestors took things in shifts. Today was her off day.

A strong, pleading voice cut through the silence and she raised her head. Straining her ears, she listened hard. Once again the voice met her ears. "Pipa if anything you told me was true then I am calling upon you right now and your guidance! She's out there somewhere and I don't know where to find her.." The silver female rose to her paws just as the last pleading bit of speech met her ears. "Pipaluk please!"

Nanuq had raised his blocky black head in question and she smiled at him. "Attican is calling for me. I promised to be there when he did." She licked the top of her mate's head and he nodded, his bright green eyes locked upon the one that he'd yearned for for so long. "We'd best not make him wait longer." His deep voice rumbled from his chest and he rose as well. In an instant, they were both back in the solid world, though their bodies were nothing but ethereal mist. They wouldn't even be able to be seen unless someone was very open or was looking for them.

Smoke swirled about them. It didn't bother their breathing, nor did the feel the heat of the wall of fire behind them. Their eyes did widen, however. "You'd think that if something like this was happening to our wolves, that one of the others would have informed us," Pipaluk spoke to her mate.

He nodded. "You know how they are with their rules. It wasn't our day to be bothered." He shook his head before starting forward, his wispy paws making no mark upon the cinder and soot covered ground. "The longer they're up there, the less alive they become." Pipa followed him and, drawn by the power of his thoughts, they soon found Attican. The light colored wolf was black with soot and smoke. She doubted that he could see them, but she could force him to hear her.

"Lower your head, pup. Breathe close to the ground where the air is cleaner." She forced her words into his mind, hoping that her voice would calm him rather than startle him. As an afterthought she said. "Don't fight. You asked for me and I came. Accept it and it will stop hurting." The first time she'd had someone force their words into her mind, she fought it and came out with a terrible headache.

Remembering his words "I don't know where to find her," the silver female used her mind to scan for her granddaughter. Nanuq appeared beside her, though she hadn't realized that he'd gone. "She's South of here. There's a brown patchy male with her. For now she's safe, but if the wind shifts, she'll soon be surrounded by flames."

Pipaluk nodded and pushed herself inside Attican's mind once more. "If you try hard enough, you'll be able to see me. I can lead you to Resin and Ahote." She waited, standing directly in front of him. He would either see her or he wouldn't. It would be easier to take him there if he could see her, but she was capable of leading him there anyway. "Open your mind. Accept that everything I told you previously is true. You need to want to see me."

[Apocalyptic_Punk]

((Oi the joys of Virus chasing in my computer, Okay Posting then I'll let my sister have the computer back so she can post LOL))

Isis
{{Fae||fighter||36||Hunting||

At the howl she was yanked from her thoughts, with a growl as the young male spoke rapidly about the pack needing their help. She nodded her agreement, and pushed from the bushes and into the clearing, she could hear Hfran and Xani yelling at the pack to move, to get out and move, something bad was coming. She glanced at the young male, she just nodded and they hurried into the clearing and soon the pack was running. Isis, took a deep breath running, her ears flat against her skull as she ran, the sound, the smell of the fog was thick and it burned at her throat.

Running became a labor of arts, stretching to her limits as she ran, keeping an eye on the pack members being jostled around her. The red creature gaze chase with horrific howls, and burning claws, that sought her flesh under her fur. She struggled to catch air into her lungs that was not filled with the thick Fog, that burned and tore at her throat. Coughing with each outward breath. She didn't know what this new danger was, but all she new was she needed to run and never stop.

Mirage
{{Brute||Omega||10|| running|}}

As soon as Attican showed he believed him some of his fears were eleviated, but only for a moment and the He heard the howl coming from the distance, he knew Resin's cry anywhere, he'd been hearing it sense he were a blind pup at his long dead mother's side. His body tensed but before he could react Hfran and Xani were there, telling everyone to get up, and move. With out even thinking about it he moved quickly seeking out the few pups still with in the pack, then with a long growl he urged them from the cave, "Go to your parents, go on go!" He ordered briskly before spying Azaria standing new the exit to the cave looking uncertain. "Come on little one, you are with me he said nudging her out into the snow urging her on as soon the whole pack was running, fear of this burning beast behind them driving them on.

He could hear the wolves around him, coughing and gagging. He checked on Azaria, then he slipped towards an older female, rubbing against her side. "Come along, you going to let these young pups out run you?" He asked coughing himself, but grinning when she huffed at him and picked up her pace. "That's the spirit! He said cheerfully before almost stumbling his face smashing into the snow, as he coughed and scrabbled to get back to his feet, the roar of pained wood, filled his ears and he just barley got to his feet as the tree slammed into the snow beside him sending him tumbling nose over tail into another tree with a grunt of pain, his world spinning and greying out.

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

[BlackJaguar]

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attican turned round and around, his bearings skewed by the wafting soot and smoke that continually swirled all around him. While his undercoat still bore its natural color, the top of his pelt was completely dusted with the black particulate. The winds had changed enough so that the fires did not spread more towards his direction, giving him a blessing in a curse. For one it gave him a fleeting chance to escape, but two, it made the air that much thicker with the stagnant smog. Coughing his way half blindly to a darker spot, he blundered towards it, hoping that the areas without light meant none of the tree-devouring sun.

He accidentally crashed through a smoldering bush, not even caring about the little flecks of charred bits that got caught between his toe pads. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The primal instinct of survival was kicking in greatly, yet still the intense need to find Ahote and the Alpha still swirled in his smoggy mind. Just as he was about to break into a blinded run and hope for the best a crystal clear voice came bursting through his head, blocking everything else out.

"Lower your head, pup. Breathe close to the ground where the air is cleaner."

It was as if someone were speaking to him with their muzzle right behind his own ear. Attican lept from his place, yelping loudly from the shock of it all. He coughed on the air that he sucked in, the actual meaning of the words still taking time to comprehend. The voice was very familiar, but different. Young, youthful, and healthy. "Pipaluk?" He wheezed, twisting his head back and forth in search for the source of the phrase.

Impossible. How could it ever be Pipaluk? She had passed on... he was hallucinating from the fire. The brute pinched his eyes shut, trying to drown out the fake intruder. It was fake, it was fake.. it had to be fake. Oh his head hurt. Coincidentally as he acted to shut out the voice he dropped the the floor, the fresher air actually sitting down below.

"Don't fight. You asked for me and I came. Accept it and it will stop hurting."

"Okay, okay.." He breathed in the better air. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to make his lungs not scream in pure protest like they had been. The voice had been right. His eyes were still pinched shut, the parts of his head that hadn't been infiltrated running like mad. It was her. Okay. It was Pipa after all.. apparently. He had asked for her, he really had, and she had actually somehow come from the secondary world to him.

"Okay I believe you!" Attican yelled, scuffling his way to what he hoped was a means of escape. He was about to ask for direction when she spoke again.

"She's South of here. There's a brown patchy male with her. For now she's safe, but if the wind shifts, she'll soon be surrounded by flames. Open your mind. Accept that everything I told you previously is true. You need to want to see me."

Resin and Ahote. Pipa had found them. The sheer hope for their safety was enough to make Attican believe pretty much anything. He coughed a few times, the extra oxygen wasted in speaking taking its toll. "Yes I believe you, I want to see you.. where are you?" Amber eyes pulled open, once again turning in circles in the black air to try to see anything different. Honestly he didn't even know what he was looking for. A wolf? A whisp? He strained his eyes, to see really anything.

"I'm trying," he said aloud, tail tucked deep under his belly, "god believe me I'm trying."

[Resin]

((Yeesh... the writers block.))

Pipaluk- Elder Ancestor

While Nanuq watched for oncoming danger, Pipaluk focused her attention on the soiled wolf before her. His affirmation that he believed her brought a smirk to her maw. "Then open your eyes and see, pup. I'm standing right in front of you." She pressed her black nose against his though he more than likely wouldn't be able to feel anything other than the tiniest tingling sensation.

A word from Nanuq brought her attention away from Attican. "The beast is coming this way." Pushing her voice inside of the living brutes mind again, she spoke with urgency. "Work while you run, Attican. The sun has turned it's attentions this way." Turning, she stayed right in front of the struggling wolf, leading him towards the finish line, even though he couldn't see her.

The smoke was thick and black in spots and trees crumbled here and there. They had passed through a portion of forest that had already been burned. She used her voice, guiding him around burning piles of debris. Much of the snow had melted here and there were actual puddles on the ground, turning the landscape into a slushy, muddy mess which made traveling even more difficult. Here and there she would offer words of encouragement. "Up ahead, Attican. Just a little more."

Truly, they had come quite a distance since she'd found him. Nanuq kept her on track, adjusting her course when she strayed just as he had when she was still living. Though the situation was urgent, she couldn't help but smile at the thought. He was the one that kept her safe. Without him she'd be lost somewhere in the wilds and would never find her way back to the packlands in the sky.

More encouraging words were given. Looking up, she could see that there would be a break in the trees not too far ahead. The burnt patch was left behind and they once again walked upon cool, crisp snow. Well... Attican walked upon cool, crisp snow. Pipa and Nanuq, not so much. "They're just up ahead, Attican. Just a little further now."

[Soriams]

((Poor Lani... The posts I was going on for her seemed like they were going to get everyone out without really seeing the fire, like Resin had hoped, but then everyone got in on the action and now she seems a little more dumb than I had intended. LOL Oh well, I'll try and see if she can save a bit of face here.

Oh, and Leo, could you please have Xani notice Wolf in her path within the next few posts or so? Just because I'm not really sure what I'd do with him if they just passed him by. XD))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Ahote lay still as a stone next to Resin, his breathing quick and labored, each shallow gasp seeming to pain him even in his unconscious state. The deadly smoke had raging fir had done its work well, and he now fought within as shock overcame him. The scorched fur and burns on his side had overwhelmed his already taxed system and his whole body was shutting down. The skin under his fur seemed hot, but still he trembled as though shivering from the cold, and Resin's warmth beside him was the only thing keeping his temperature from plummeting. He was helpless, and though he had once thought to save her, it was he who needed rescue.

Even as Resin left and dug the shelter, Ahote moved not an inch, showing no signs of life beyond his labored breathing. Not even when she grabbed him by the scruff did he so much as bat an ear in response, nothing more than dead weight as she slid him across the snow. It was only after she had him secure in her snow shelter and her warmth poured into him that he began to dream, his mind pulling him far away from the Alpha's embrace, and near the ancestors who watched from beyond.

Ahote leapt and tumbled through the fast-falling spring snow, his too-big pup paws scattering the fluffy stuff in great clouds around him. Once again he was the gangly youth that had romped across the tundra, following his father as he led the pack across the wintry tundra, his reddish tail just barely visible through the sheets of snow that fell between them. Of course, the pup's youthful exuberance would spoil the hunt, but it seemed not to bother the big wolf at all and he turned to smile at him. "Ahote, why do you follow me? Why don't you go stretch your legs?" he said, the warmth of him bringing a grin to Ahote's face.

Suddenly the scene changed, and Ahote was now running across the hard ice near the shore. Next to him, his Beta ran long-legged and strong. The fea was older than him by about ten years, and had been appointed by his father before he died. Though the entire pack respected her and she could have easily taken the position herself, she instead chose to give it to his young son. She said she saw much promise in him, and he was already well respected as a good listener and gentle leader. Even so, he idolized her, and had looked to her for much advice in their time together. Laughing, she ran just ahead of him, and he had to stretch his legs to keep up. Grinning from ear to ear, she looked back over he shoulder at him, "You'll never catch me if all you do is run behind me, you silly lark. Why don't you actually follow your own path for a change?" she said with a snort.

The dream changed again, and Ahote's run slowed to a lope as the summer's evening sky spread before him. High above, the fiery green hues of the aurora hanging heavy overhead, as though life itself dripped down from the heavens. Though they were hard to see, his hunters spread out on either side of him, their patchwork fur blending in perfectly with he soft lichens on which they tread. Eventually, one of the wolves farthest from him grew tired and stopped, and the others slowed, forcing him to check his pace as well, even though his legs ached to run again. One by one they dropped off, turning back towards the pack or simply growing tired, until only his lead hunter was left walking beside him. After awhile, he too came to a stop and turned to look at him, the green of the borealis reflected in his dark eyes as they danced in the distance. "You go on ahead, Ahote... I'm just holding you back at this point. I know you want to run on ahead," he said, gracing Ahote with a rare and genuine smile. He had always been the stoic type, taking his role in the pack very seriously. It wasn't until his mate and pups had been killed by the reindeer that Ahote had ever seen him show more than fleeting emotion.

The understanding and forgiveness in his eyes was painful, and Ahote could look at him no longer. He pulled himself away, staring at the tiny plants beneath his claws. When he looked back, the Hunter was gone, leaving only darkness in his place. The aurora too had vanished, and picking up his former pace, he now ran through a starless night, heavy clouds pressing down on him. On and on he went, the endless flat landscape flying past beneath his paws, never changing. Only the clouds and gathering storm seemed to move ahead of him. Yet, just as the storm seemed ready to break, dawn suddenly appeared on the horizon, the blazing disc of the sun rising up underneath the base of the clouds and warming them with a soft yellow glow.

There, just where the land met the sky, Ahote spotted a tiny dark speck and he made for it with all his might. This he seemed to draw steadily closer to, and before long he can make out the figure of Resin. She stood proud upon a rock as though she waited for him, and his heart quickened at the sight, yearning to be near her. However, no matter how hard he ran, he could never quite reach her resting place. After awhile, she seemed to notice his plight, and a hearty laugh escaped her maw as she looked down on him. "Ahote, why are you always running to keep up with me? You'll never get here that way... Why don't you just walk beside me for awhile?" she said, smiling warmly to him.

Finally, after what seemed the entirety of his life, Ahote willingly let his paws slow beneath him, and Resin hopped down off her rock. Still smiling, she greeted him warmly, and together they walked towards the rising sun. Shimmering in the new light, in a valley just beyond them, he could see the movement of the red leaves of a thousand trees, waving and dancing like a vast ocean. The sight seemed to warm her, and she nuzzled his neck before speaking again: "Come, it is a new day, and there is much to be done."

In their little makeshift den, Ahote's hushed form finally began to move. Stirring in his sleep, his weight shifted and he let out a contented sigh, followed quickly by a muffled cough. Resin had brought him back from the darkness and back into a more peaceful, normal sleep. He would remember none of it when he woke, but for now, he was free and exactly where he wanted to be.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Lani gave the big black brute next to her a perfectly indignant look. "Of course I saw, but I didn't see you know what I mean? How did you even know to run?" she replied, but by that time he seemed to be fed up with her and loped off to take care of other pack business. Just how had he gotten to be such a big wig so quickly anyway? Haden't he just appeared a day or two ago? With a huff, she pushed off and shoved her way back into the thick of the throng of wolves.

Suddenly, Attican's voice barked out Xani's name from somewhere next to her, and she startled, looking for the Keeper through the press of furred bodies. He yells out again, and with a sinking feeling Lani takes in his words. "Attican! No! Don't!.." was all she managed to get out before he leapt from the group and vanished into the billowing black cloud.

Distraught, she fought her way out of the group to follow him, but the moment she was free she was met with a blinding wall of light and heat, thinly veiled by the acrid smoke. Possessing none of the courage nor valor of the older wolf, she balked at the sight, her tail tucked firmly between her legs as she backed away. Stricken, she threw back her head, calling out to him as the others moved on, but her voice was quickly lost to the roar of the monster that chased them.

Eventually, she too was forced to leave, and Lani ran hard to catch up with the rest of the pack. Tears stung her eyes, and it was not just from the smoke that accosted them. She herself wasn't hurt, but now her stomach knotted in worry for her Keeper. Surly, there would have been no way she could have stopped him, even if he had paused to listen to her. Her words held no such weight with anyone in the pack, let alone someone of his stature.

Keening with worry, Lani pressed her eyes closed agains the onslaught and as such, wasn't paying attention to where she was going and wound up walking right into Pilot's blond backside. It was a gentle knock, hardly more than enough to startle the younger wolf, but somehow, Lani managed to tangle up her front paws on one another and wound up biting it headfirst into the ash-covered snow front of her. "Stupid old wolf, you'd think sometime in your fifty-seven years of life you would have learned how to walk," she growled, mumbling to herself angrily. It wasn't often that the Hunter felt completely helpless and useless, even if she often was, but right that moment it all weighed heavily on her. She had lost her Attican, and without him to bother, she had no direction, no idea what to do whit herself.


((My god, I pasted all of the posts I made yesterday, and I wrote like 10k words... No wonder my fingers hurt. And now this... I probably shouldn't have written so much for an unconscious character. <.< ))