இ۵Ŗace Ågainst ₦atureஇ۵

[Soriams]

((Oooo, writing contest. That looks awesome. I'm afraid I won't have the time at the moment to enter something worthy, but I totally would if I could. Just because I can, here's a little story I did for another contest on here. It didn't get much interest at the time, but I thought I might share it with y'all. Oh and sorry for keeping you waiting, I might be slow as I'm getting ready for convention on the weekend of the 20th.))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Ahote paused next to Resin as she waited for the other three, hanging his head while he rested. Ears wilted tot he sides, he is barely aware of the conversation of the white fea behind him, and it isn't until Lani draws Attican away from Hrafn that he lifts his head again. Looking at her coldly, he listens to Resin's word and nods, Lain's scathing remarks are unwarranted and completely inappropriate. However, she seems completely unaware, or at least unaffected by Resin's retort, and simply continues on her way without even looking back.

Letting out a harrumph of irritation, Ahote shook his head and stumbled on forward alongside Resin. Even with the Keeper's injuries, the pair is quicker than Ahote with his burned flank, and the soon pulled away out of earshot. His companion spoke then, and he closed his eyes while he listened, trusting his paws to find the ground on their own. At her final words though, he turned his head to accept her gentle affections and let out a soft sigh of his own. "We all made it back alive, and our enemies didn't. As far as I'm concerned, that means we win," he relied softly, looking back to where Lani and Attican walked in front of them. He knew her harsh words come from the love she held for the keeper, and he really couldn't blame her for that, but Resin didn't deserve such abuse. However, now was not the time for more harsh words. All would be forgiven soon enough, once they had all rested.

Before long, the pair had made their way to the outskirts of the pack and almost immediately they were surrounded by happy pack-mates offering a warm welcome. As though it had a mind of its own, his tail slowly began to wag behind him, and he could do nothing to still it despite the twinge of pain it caused him. Normally, such a gathering would have been heaven on earth for the big brute, but as tired and drained as he was, it was a little overwhelming. Stiffening a little, he pulled his head way back so that he could keep his nose up above everyone else, and take in deep breaths of cold air. Luckily, Resin quickly dismissed them all and moved them onward once more.

Once the pack was moving, Resin called Xani over, and Ahote offered the smoky fea a smile. She had done very well, and he was quite impressed. "Yes, especially me," he said, inserting himself directly into their conversation. "And if I stop now, I'm not getting up again. But thank you Xani, you've done amazing work," he said, before Resin moved him onward once again.

Pulling off to the left slightly, Resin led the pack into the cover of the trees, and since Ahote wasn't going anywhere quickly, he had time to reflect on that. It was not so long ago that few of them had ever even seen a tree before, let alone considered using them for shelter. Now it was like second nature, to seek the deepness of their shadows and let them pull in close over top of them. He was just about to make such comment to Resin, but it seemed as though she had something else in mind and passed his care off to Hrafn. More than a little embarrassed to be pressed up agains the side of the silent black brute, Ahote dropped his head, not even attempting to strike up a conversation. It was one thing to accept help from his Alpha, and press into the welcoming warmth of her grey coat, another entirely to lean against a brute he had only known for a few days.

Following in Resin's trail, they made their slow way towards a great rise of rock where Resin had Hrafn lead him towards a wayward pine. Not quite sure why he was going where he was, Ahote was of no mind to protest as Hrafn dumped him off unceremoniously into the little hollow Resin had prepared for him. Unable to even properly turn a few circles before plopping down, he couldn't help but smile a bit. It was very kind of Resin to think ahead and make him a bed.

Letting out a great sigh as he felt the strain leave his legs, Ahote let himself settle into the snow and rest his head on his paws. Keeping his ears perked forward, he could just barely hear Resin as she spoke to the pack, and describe the two-legged beasts who had attacked them to Xani. Not long after that though, silence settled in over them all and a touch of loneliness came with it. Darkness had found them once more, and he couldn't help but wonder just how many days it had been since he had truly slept. He would have much rather been left to the comfort of the pack, and he had yet to realize that Resin would return. Closing his eyes tight, he tried to force the lingering emptiness form his mind, but a chill slowly worked its way into his overtaxed body. Shivering a bit, Ahote drew his legs in closer and pulled his tail up over his nose.

Trying to force himself to sleep, Ahote is relieved when he is brought back by the sound of paws crunching in the day's old now. Lifting his head, he peered out from under the branches of the pine, waiting to see who approached.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Lani never even heard Resin's reply to her harsh words, and in all honestly, they were forgotten as soon as they were said. All she cared about was Attican, and making sure he was safe. Even Hrafn's passing offer of assistance went acknowledged, and she simply forged onward into the tail of the pack. Muttering little words of encouragement to her Keeper, she followed as the others turned into the trees. "It shouldn't be too much further now, and then you can rest," she said simply, bracing herself up so that he would have more to lean on. Remarkably though, she was quite aside from that, as even the crass fea could sense the weariness in him.

As the rock wall came into sight, and Resin announced that the injured should move as close to it as possible, Lani did her best to lead Attican towards it. It was then that he spoke up, and his words pained her heart. She couldn't stand the thought of her sweet Keeper withdrawing into himself, especially since there was no shame in his scars. Twisting her head to look up at him, she gave him a gentle lick on the bottom of his chin, "Of course sweetie, whatever you want," she said.

Helping Attican into his chosen spot, Lani set to work fluffing the snow around him and digging out enough of a space for him to be comfortable. It was a bit odd, working around the sides of him, making sure not to hurt him as she did, but as soon as he looked comfortable she moved around to the front of him. There, she returned his little smile, a genuine one pulling up the lips of her own maw. "There, all settled," she said, and happily curled up into a tight little ball pressed into his side.

Just before they drifted off to sleep, Lani lay her head next to Attican's the thick fur on her cheek gently brushing against his. "Attican?" she said in a quiet voice, turning only her eyes to look at his too-close form. "As much as I like having you all to myself, please promise me you won't hide out here for too long..." she said, trailing off. "Everyone needs you, not just me,"
she finished the last in a voice barely loud enough to be called a whisper. Soon after, the rhythmic rise and fall of his breath slowed and she knew he rested. Pressed close, Lani followed him, letting the comfort of his closeness lull her to sleep.

Wolf
Male | 20 | Straggler
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Stewing in his own swirling thoughts as he sat in the snow next to Xani, Wolf was a bit startled when she leapt up to her paws. Once again, the prodigal Resinalpha and her companions had returned and he pushed himself up to sit on his haunches while he watched the confusion that followed. From his perspective, he had no idea how a decision was reached, but soon enough they were all up and moving again, this time veering off to the left down once of the canyon's tributaries.

For a few minutes, Wolf actually considered running ahead to tell Resinalpha that this was a dead end, but by the time he had mustered up enough courage to run ahead of Xani, she had already come back instructing them to tack refuge against the wall. This left him feeling a bit silly, as she actually had been looking for a dead end after all. Anyway, who was he to assume she wasn't? With a snort, he just shook his head at his own foolishness, and followed them all up to the cliff face.

One again everyone began to dig little holes to sleep in, and it seemed as though they would all be staying put for awhile. Looking around at the trees, he sat next to Xani to listen to Resinalpha's strange story of the monsters they had encountered, but when the two feas moved to embrace, he felt a little embarrassed by his intrusion and backed off a bit. It was then that his stomach took the time to remind him that he too had not eaten, and he looked back at the trees they had come through. Resinalpha had talked about hunting later, but surely, they wouldn't mind if he did a little bit of 'hunting' on his own, right? "Well, lets just hope these are Pinyons, eh stomach?" he said, talking to himself.

With that, Wolf picked up his feet and trotted off into the forest. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for: a nice fat pinecone nestled in a little dimple in the snow. Picking it up, he crunched it open and then put it on the ground, spreading it open with his paws. Inside, there were about a dozen bright white nuts which he happily licked up out of the cone. "Umm, lucky day... Lucky day," he said, humming to himself. Quickly moving on, it only too Wolf about ten minutes to gather up all the cones he could carry, and return at a smart lope back to the pack.

Finding that Xani had already fallen fast asleep, Wolf moved a little way past her, into the space between her and Harafn. There, he dumped his catch out onto the snow in front of him and began the painstaking task of opening each cone one at a time. Humming happily to himself, he was more than happy to take his time and enjoy each tangy seed as he worked it free from the confines of its prickly prison. For the skinny brute, this was a feast of sorts, as the nuts were far more filling than many of the other foods he ate and he looked quite pleased with himself.

[Resin]

((Not sure I can focus enough to read tonight, but I have the tab open so I can read it in the morning. (: I'm sure it's fantastic. You write so well.))

~|Resin|~Alpha Female|~ 40 Summers|~

Breaking from Xani's side, her intention had been to rejoin Ahote immediately, but she stopped beside each of the watchers, offering Vali words of thanks and encouragement. If wolves were able to blush, he would have been doing so. The sincere nuzzle that she'd given him earlier was at the forefront of his mind as she spoke. Luckily, wolves couldn't blush so the Alpha had no clue about his general discomfort.

Leaving Vali's side, she moved on to Hrafn. "You've been quite the impressive brute since you've joined us. I believe I made the right decision when I accepted you into this pack." Of course she'd made the right decision. Hadn't the ancestors told the black brute to find the red forest? Hadn't they steered him South so that their paths would meet? Rather than sit down, she forced herself to stay standing. She didn't plan on speaking for long. Ahote needed her warmth and she needed his company.

Pilot deposited herself between Vali and Hrafn, the blonde female taking up sentry duty as well. A small smile tugged at the dark corners of Resin's maw. "Thank you, Pilot. One of the others informed me of the heroics of Vali, Hrafn, Lani and yourself. I appreciate all that you've done for the pack that you've just met." Her actions spoke volumes for the morals and integrity of the female. She didn't have to risk her life for wolves that she barely knew. She didn't have to be awake when she was no doubt as tired as the rest. She took it upon herself to do what she thought was right. It earned her a high place in Resin's mind.

The odd new addition, Wolf, had returned with a pile of pinecones. He proceeded to rip them apart and Resin couldn't help but chuckle. He was definitely an odd one. There was something endearing about him, however. His innocence didn't go unnoticed. She had to thank him as well, so she heard. One of the others informed her that Wolf was the one that had known where to go.

Placing a tired nuzzle of thanks between Hrafn's ears, the dark Alpha padded over to do the same to the young blonde female. "Thank you again for all that you've done." Her voice rose slightly. "All of you. You all have my thanks." A few more steps took her to where Wolf lay with his pile of treasures. "I was told that you led the pack through the terrain. You have my thanks and a permanent invitation to stay with us." Resin placed a quick lick atop Wolf's head before stepping back. Dismissing herself, she faded into the shadows of the scattered trees. Her large, dark paws crunched lightly in the snow as she moved towards the cliff face. She knew exactly where she was going.

Resin was slightly surprised to see that Ahote was still awake. His tired gaze was searching the darkness for the source of the crunching. "It's just me," she said softly. Breaking from the shadows, she came into view, stopping a moment to let her eyes rest upon his exhausted form, before starting forward again. Gently, so as not to injure him further, she settled herself in the snow bowl beside him, enjoying the darkness that the tilted pine provided. She pressed her body against his, allowing his body to take all the warmth that it needed to heal.

Curling up much as he had, she released a long, drawn out exhale. Finally... they would be able to rest. "Are you comfortable? Do you need me to move?" A concerned look furrowed her brow, though she doubted he would be able to see it. Reaching forward with her muzzle, she groomed his ears, ridding him of a bit of the sooty buildup that coated them both. Once his ears were finished, she groomed the shorter fur on his cheeks, muzzle and chin. Though she was tired, these actions would help lull her into the sleeping process.

Being here with him felt right. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't want to be anywhere else. Here, by his side was exactly where she wanted and needed to be. A tightness pulled at her chest and soft sort of whine squeezed itself from her throat. Sometimes an overload of emotions did that to you. In that instant she felt that she had to acknowledge his former statement. "I love you as well, Ahote." Sliding her muzzle along his cheek, she pressed her forehead against his thick ruff. "I love you as well."

[BlackJaguar]

Pilot

32 - Fae - No Rank

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Pilot had settled herself neatly into a comfortable sitting position as she took claim to her position for sentry duty. Her tail was wrapped around her back legs and her front ones stood pressed neatly into her seated belly, her own fur warming them up as well. The black brute acknowledged her presence to which she nodded at, for once staying silent in her reply. Aside from the distant and errant shufflings of the wolves behind her all seemed quiet tonight, not a stir on the horizon. She certainly hoped it would stay that way, since ever since her joining the group had been on nothing but a constant terror for safety. They deserved this rest.

As time passed clouds began to roll in from the sky, the sun already hidden thanks to the vertical jutting rock wall that many wolves lay resting against. They were not ominous in any way, but with them did come the potential for some snow, a potential fresh blanket of it for the Pack to wake up to tomorrow. She watched as the twinkling lights of the stars slowly came to surface, only to quickly be covered by said clouds. Every few moments the wolfess would glance down, checking for any signs of irregular activity on the ground.

"So where do you come from, Pilot?"

The female was jostled from her own stillness when a low voice came to question her. Hrafn's face looked thoughtful in the dimming light, a gentle air of curiosity about him. Her jaw pursed itself thoughtfully for a few moments, the question rolling around in her head. She had just taken a breath to reply when her ears flicked instinctively backwards, hearing sounds from the foreground. "Hold on.." her face pinched, focus training on the sound. It turned out to be a false alarm however as the sturdy figure of the Alpha made its way towards them. Her face relaxed again as the female addressed them.

Despite her attempts at not, Pilot couldn't help but silently smirk at the face of Vali as he was addressed and thanked. Having been around him enough as of late, she had begun to be able to 'interpret' his mannerisms, understanding different gestures as meaning different things. His own way of 'speech.' While Resin may not have noticed due to the fact of both her closeness and intent, it rang loud and clear to Pilot that Vali had no idea what to do with the attention that he was currently getting. His tail frayed and went completely stiff as she nuzzled him, his head balked back like a gargoyled statue with eyes expansively wide. With an awkward lurch and pause he tried to return favor, mostly becoming successful in only munching his nose into her cheek. Thankfully the moment did not last long however and as the Alphess made her way to Hrafn there was a rather notable exhale of relief from the silent brute as he slouched down.

The tip of her tail twitched as she sat in her spot, mulling over the question she had been asked. Her head turned towards the treeline where Wolf literally appeared out of nowhere, his maw absolutely gaping with strange things in his mouth. What was that... pinecones? She chuckled amongst herself again, head tipped to the side with curiosity. What would a Great Wolf want to do with a bunch of pinecones? His reasonings lost on her, Resin slowly slipped her way beside the blonde female.

"Thank you, Pilot. One of the others informed me of the heroics of Vali, Hrafn, Lani and yourself. I appreciate all that you've done for the pack that you've just met."

Now it was her turn to feel a bit sheepish and shy. While nothing like the socially awkward stone wall of Vali, Pilot was not quite sure how to take the gratitude as well. To her it was just the right thing to do, it looked like it was needed therefore she went to have it done. Perhaps it was simply by the ways of her old home, the group so small that everyone had something that they needed to chip in. With a large group apparently it wasn't as common, sometimes wolves simply resorting to let other do the hard work as they reaped their own ease. Eh, to her it just didn't work that way.

"It's fine." She finally replied, a small shrug of her shoulders indicating that she didn't think much of her actions. She did return the physical gesture however, reaching up with her neck to give a modest lick of submission at the base of the Alphess's jawline. Not more than a pause or two later though, Resin bowed herself out, more than likely off to get some rest of her own. Pilot watched as the female receded, her dark frame getting eaten by the darkened world.

And then there were three... well, four if you counted the still-pinecone-crunching Wolf. Three sentries anyway. Pilot shifted herself comfortably again, this time turning so that Hrafn was in better visual. Her disposition relaxed as she sighed, shaking her head gently.

"You know I've never actually been in a Pack before." she started, nodding to the air around her. "Never have seen such a large collection of our kind in all my life. I actually come from the oceanside, a small clan of wolves that really only consisted of my family and a few stragglers living off the caves of the surf. I myself was from a litter of all boys.." a fond smile pulled across her face, "three rowdy brothers and then little me."

The smile stayed across her face as she thought of them, dozens of little memories of her puphood popping themselves like spring daisies in her head. Not knowing how much the brute wanted to know Pilot left it at that for now, figuring if he was more curious that he'd ask. She didn't want to overpower him with useless knowledge with useless details of her if she wasn't curious.

"How about you?" She asked, starting to realize that besides their names (and to many in the Pack still not even that) and basic observed personalities, the female didn't know really anything about anyone here. "If you care to share that is."

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

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All the edginess and tension between Lani and those she spoke to as they made their way to their restful destination had completely gone past Attican in the haze that he bore in his head. Surely everyone was slightly edgy due to tiredness, potential danger, and injury so tensions were bound to be high. Despite not flopping into the best position possible, laying down felt like heaven on earth to the spent Keeper, everything about him relaxing in a single moment.

Having been already more than half asleep at the time of her question, it did not come in time for Attican to be able to respond. However his subconscious did come to register it, the females voice working like a shadowed echo into his dreams and tucking away for the little cogs to work upon as he rested. For the answer though Lani would simply have to wait, the Elder much too far gone to get a decent reply until morning.

Her workings to make him comfortable however did wonders. As she worked it became obvious that it was working, his body responding by subconsciously shifting or twitching this way and that as it relaxed more. When she came along beside him he exhaled peacefully, despite everything becoming obviously content. Like a lightswitch he was out, his actions finally exonerated by rest.

...

Hours passed by, his body hard at work to fix what had taken toll. His heartbeat was irregular, sometimes speeding up so heavily that it caused him to outwardly pant, other times beating so methodically that hardly even his chest moved. Not only did this rest give him the sleep that he so desperately needed, but it also gave him downtime so that his natural internal healers were able to perform duty.

Instinctively his body must have known that his eye was at loss. Over the night the blood vessels began to cut themselves off, the inflammation of his left side receding a bit. What was left of his eyelid and the lower portion of his face naturally began to meet up, starting to close the gaped wound the best it could. While still not pretty it was at least a beginning start of the healing process, something only the Keeper would be able to work upon.

But for now he rested, a most appreciated helper at his side.

[Resin]

((I'll post for Hrafn in a bit just so we can keep things going. Soriams is super busy with a convention, so it may be a while for her.))

[Soriams]

((Thanks Resin! It's always good to know that people like it. I wasn't very much of a writer when I was younger and I'm glad to know I've gotten better over the years. Sorry these are a little short, but I think I tied up most of the loose ends. I think we're in need of a time skip soon.))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Ahote lifted his head at the sound o Resin's voice, a soft smile spreading across his tired maw. "Just you? I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather see," he said, chuckling soundlessly to himself. For the moment she paused in front of him, Ahote looked up at her with his gentle eyes, enjoying the sight of her. Really, it wasn't often that he had her all to himself like this, and he was more than happy just to be close to her and talk for a while.

Soon enough Resin made her way further under the tree and curled up next to him, and Ahote snuggled up next to her. Greedily, he soaked her warmth into his chilled bones, the influx of comfort drawing a contented sigh from him. He scooted closer to press his side into her, and let his head sink down to his sink down to his paws. "Umm, yes. Very much," he said in reply to Resin's question, his voice drifting a bit. Closing his eyes, he smiled a bit again as she began to groom him, his ears twitching as her warm breath kissed them.

Resin's tender care as she cleaned the soot from his fur soon had Ahote dozing at her feet, and he drew in deep, calm breaths. All of the former anger and fear from earlier had vanished, and even the pain from his wounds drew distant in his mind. The only thing he was fully aware of was her closeness and he let her warmth and comforting scent wash over him. The sound of her soft whine reached him and drew him back from the distance of his thoughts, and one of his golden eyes crept open. A bit concerned for her, he looked up at her where she lay next to him. Just as he was about to ask her if something was wrong, she spoke, and her words stunned him into silence.

At first, Ahote had no idea what to do or say. After all, what do you do when suddenly everything you could have ever wanted was laid out before you, when only a few breaths ago it was nothing more than a distant daydream? A distant smile came to him, and he murred happily, lifting his head to accept Resin's lick on his check and return the gesture. As she buried her face into the thick fur around his neck, he accepted the embrace gratefully and curled himself closer to her. Suddenly, a sudden upwelling of emotion overtook him and he felt tears sting his eyes. Overwhelmed, he buried his face in her thick, dark fur and took a deep shaky breath. "Thank you, Resin Thank you," he said eventually, his voice breaking. He was completely unable to find more words for her, even though she deserved so much more from him.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Sleeping peacefully next to Attican, Lani let herself drift deep into her dreams, floating away from the heaviness of the world around them. The stress of the day fell off of her, and all of the tension she had caused and the worry and angst that had followed her was gone as if it had never been. In this way, she slept peacefully for many hours, her weary body recovering and gathering its strength for the days to come. Of course, the white wolfess wasn't as young as she used to be, and there would be aches and pains for days to come, but they would be easily ignored in place of the new happiness she had found.

At some point in the darkest point in the night, Lani awoke to the stillness of the pack. At this point, no one stirred and the snowy canyon was deathly still and quiet except for the peaceful sounds of sleep the drifted up in clouds from the members of ScarPaw. Warm and comfortable next to Attican, Lani lifted her head and let out an expressive yawn and reached up to rub the sleep from her brown eyes.

Their were a few thin clouds that hung over the sky as it was framed by the rock walls around them, but they reflected the light from the distant moon back down on them, leaving little true darkness anywhere except for in the deepest eves of the trees. Into this stillness she drew herself up, feeling a bit sorry to leave her Keeper to get cold, but there were things she had to do. First and foremost, she inspected all of his wounds, cleaning all the little places that Resin had missed and ensuring they closed well.

Then came the hard part. Giving him one last nuzzle, Lani looked back at him longingly before traipsing out into the frozen world. Her Keeper would need food when he awoke, and she was a Hunter. It was quite simply her duty to make sure that he was provided for. The grayish moonlight blended with her white pelt, and as she slipped into the shadows the Hunter seemed to disappear into the artificial twilight. Things were different here, and it took her a while to pick up a scent, but it was here that Lani was truly skilled. An entire lifetime as a hunter, and the skill and knowledge of a true master aided her, and she was soon drawn to the very edge of the rock wall.

There were no rabbits here, and though the strange scent of goat had reached her from above, but Lani ignored it, recognizing it as something far too larger for her to bring down on her own. The rail she now followed belonged to some sort of small rodent, and before long her keen ears picked up on a quiet squeak. Ears perked forward, she slipped forward along the rocks and saw the shadows of fat little marmots as the played among the stones.

Not accustomed to having predators about at this hour, the little creatures never even saw her coming, and Lani was able to strike down two of them before they even knew she was there. The rest disappeared into the stone wall in a flash, but the Hunter was satisfied with her catch. Scooping them up, she trotted back to where Attican lay and placed them just in front of her nose. She too was hungry, but at this point his health was far more important to her and she left them both for him.

Pleased with her night's work, and happy to be back at his side, Lani curled herself back into Attican's flank. She pressed her nose into his fur for a moment, and closed her eyes. Already she had forgotten the extent of his wounds and how he got him, all that matter was making him happy. Within moments, she had drifted back off to sleep, feeling as though all was right with the world.

Wolf
Male | 20 | Straggler
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Happily working his way through his meal, Wolf looked up as Resinalpha spread her thanks among the sentinels. Running his tongue across his lips, he flicked little bits of pinecone off his muzzle, his tail thumping the ground behind him a few times as she approached. Her words made him smile, even though he didn't exactly know what a permanent invitation to stay meant, he liked the sound of it. It seemed to mean that he could stick around awhile longer. "Uh, thanks!" he said in a chipper voice.

What happened next startled him a bit, and Wolf flinched as Resinalpha placed a lick on the top of his head. So far as his memory went back, he had not been touched, and the feeling was strange. No necessarily unwelcome, but odd, and as with many things, he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Wolf shook his head as she walked away, a bit of a smile on his face. Still in high spirits from his find, he snorted with amusement at the whole situation and made quick work of the rest of his pinecones. Then, feeling happily satisfied, he got up and shook the petals off of himself and set to work digging a bed. Knowing that the nights were cold, and the wind even colder, he spent a good amount of time just digging and throwing snow everywhere until he came down to the permafrost hardened ground beneath. That way, the wind could blow over top of him and he would be comfortably warm below. Though it had been a hard day for ScarPaw, it had actually been an exceedingly good and satisfying day for Wolf, and within minutes he had fallen into a contented sleep.

((Ha ha, found time to post anyway! :p))

[Resin]

((I feel like I keep pushing you to post. I'm just trying to keep everyone occupied. If this posting time is taking away from your valuable working time, don't do it!
Time skip granted. (: ))

~|Resin|~Alpha Female|~ 40 Summers|~

The pair had fallen asleep soon after their last words were spoken. The goings on as of late had plagued them both with extreme exhaustion, so it wasn't hard to believe that they'd fallen asleep mid-embrace; their faces buried in the ruff of the other. The stress seemed to melt away from the dark female. Her sleep was deep and restful. There were no dreams; no sounds penetrating her unconsciousness; nothing to break her rest. Only uninterrupted, healing sleep.

One would imagine that, being awake for so long, she would have slept in. Not Resin. She woke with the dawn. The faintest tinges of light stained the horizon as the grey and black wolf peeled herself from her companions side. Snuffling lightly between his ears, she took her leave. On soft pads, she moved quietly through the trees. After relieving herself and having a good roll in the snow, Resin collected herself and raised her nose to test the air. Her sense of smell had always been the best of her senses and she'd worked for years to hone that ability. To further focus on the scents around her, she closed her eyes and parted her maw slightly.

To the North the various scents of the pack wafted her way. She discarded those scents for now and moved on. The scent of the scattered pines came and went. This went on for a time until she found what she was looking for. Finally... the scent of something edible entered her nares and she couldn't help but grin. After all of their bad luck, it seemed that the world was doing them a favor.

With a flick of her tail, she started back towards the pack, rousing hunters as she passed them by. She gently nudged Hrafn and Pilot, instructing them to follow her as well. They weren't official hunters, but they would need a lot of teeth and paws for the game that she had in mind. As she passed Lani and Attican, she wrinkled her nose slightly at the thought of bringing the white female along, but one couldn't deny that she was good at her duty. The marmots resting beside Attican were an attest to that. Nudging Lani gently with her nose, she waited for her to open her eyes before motioning with her head for the older female to follow.

Once out of earshot from the rest of the still sleeping pack, Resin waited until everyone was alert enough to pay attention. "The ancestors have taken pity on us and sent a herd of mammoth our way. With those that we've acquired lately, we have a lot of mouths to feed. With all of us doing our parts, we shouldn't have much trouble bringing down the largest of them. Everyone will be able to eat." Flicking one black ear, she scanned their faces. "If any of you aren't completely sure of your hunting abilities, tell me now. Mammoths are dangerous beasts. One mistake could be your last."

~|Hrafn|~Hunter|~ 46 Summers|~

He'd just begun to answer Pilot when Resin came forward. Her praise and the nuzzle to his head caused his black tail to thump about wildly. The acknowledgement of his actions was quite welcome and appreciated. When she left him to make her rounds with the rest, the silly smile stuck to his face, eventually fading to a small grin. Still, every now and again his tail would swish involuntarily.

Once all was silent again, Hrafn turned his attention to Pilot once more, thinking for a moment before answering her question. "I come from far, far North. Farther than the ScarPaw territory, even." He dropped to his stomach and crossed his long black forelegs. He considered how much he wished to tell. The last time he spoke of his past, which was just a few days prior, it had opened up a nasty wound within him. "I was an Alpha of my own pack. Disease took them all. I was on my own for a long while then I started travelling South. I met Resin, Attican and their former elder, Pipaluk, and was invited to join up. The rest is history."

Wolf's crunching made him turn his head to look behind him. The smaller male was making short work of the pinecones that he'd collected. He had obviously had to survive on his own for a while if he knew how to eat something as crazy as a pinecone. Shaking his head with a smile, he dropped his muzzle to his white toed paws. Both black ears were perked forward to catch any intruding sounds.

In the silence he dozed off here and there, but was always on high alert. Soon, another wolf came to relieve him of his duties. With a nod, Hrafn pulled himself to his paws and flung himself under the nearest tree. Curling up with his tail over his nose, he was out in an instant. The same as his Alpha, he didn't dream. He purely slept and recuperated.

He hadn't been asleep as long as he wished, but when Resin woke him, he felt much better than he had before. Without a word, he rose, shook out his coat, and padded after her. As she gathered the others, he worked the sleep out of his eyes and limbs. Once they had pulled away from the pack, he gave her his full attention. Hearing of a meal in their future, Hrafn murred appreciatively. Hearing that it would be a Mammoth meal, he allowed his maw to open and his tongue to loll out; his expression one of pure happiness. This was what they all needed and he was more than ready to work for the pack.

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Xani
- Female - 21 - Beta -

Xani lay for the entirety of the night in her little hole in the snow, sleeping happily. She hadn't gotten such a good rest in quite a long time, and her body was craving it. While she didn't have any real dreams, per se, she had snippets of dreams that lasted only a few seconds. She saw red; the mountains; Hrafn; a river. Things that she had either seen or heard about as of late. She stayed in her deep sleep until the sun broke over the horizon. It didn't wake her up all the way, but it woke her enough to stop her dreaming. It was only then that she realized that she was uncomfortable. As she flipped over, she uncovered herself and the growing light made her squint her eyes shut tightly against it.

With a groan, Xani slowly opened her eyes one at a time. The light wasn't that bright yet, but she had just come out of sleep. Once she was awake enough, she staggered to her feet and shook off the coating of snow that clung to her fur. She had to paw away stubborn bits of ice from her ears. As she finished, she glanced around to see what the pack was up to. Few others were moving yet, which was normal. They were all very tired and would probably keep sleeping for a while longer. Hrafn, Pilot, and a few others were gone. After a moment she realized that the hunters were gone. Maybe they'll get something good. Wonder why they didn't wake me...? She shook her head. Resin either left and wanted someone in charge, or Hrafn had demanded that she be allowed to rest.

A grin came across her face at the thought of Hrafn. Her feelings towards him had started becoming warmer as of late, though she only realized it now. She had bonded with the large brute and was now starting to miss his presence. A hint of embarrassment came over her features when she realized that she just might like him, even with his outlandish flirting. She shook her head to clear her thoughts a bit before glancing around again.

Near her, Wolf was still sleeping. Next to him there was a pile of pinecones, or more precisely, a pile of pinecone pieces. Xani raised an eyebrow at that, but just shrugged it off. She knew he was a strange one, and would simply have to speak to him once he woke up. Turning, she moved towards the rest of the pack. Almost everyone that was a good hunter was gone, including Resin and Lani. That meant that Ahote and Attican were both alone. She hadn't wanted to barge in on the time that both brutes were spending with their female friends, but now they were alone. Xani trotted over towards Attican first.

She didn't want to wake him, so she simply looked him over. His wound had stopped bleeding sometime in the night, which was a good sign. He was also breathing normally, which brought a smile to the beta's face. The pile of marmots that lay nearby was a testament to both Lani's devotion to the old keeper and her hunting skills. Satisfied, Xani turned and trotted over to where Ahote lay. A quick glimpse revealed the same about the other brute. Both were well looked after, so she found no need for her to stay and stare. She turned and trotted back to her original position and turned her sharp eyes away from the pack. She had slept and now it was time for her to watch.

[BlackJaguar]

Attican

73 - Brute - Keeper

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Hours and hours the brute slept, absolutely nothing around him even coming close to disturb him enough to wrastle him awake. The only timer he had currently was his heart, beating in time with his sleep-laiden breathing. Lani's leave, both first and second, did not interrupt him whatsoever, her previous work on tucking him into a snowbed working well enough so that he did not have to shift due to the loss of shared heat. On and on it went, his body healing the best it could.

Pilot

32 - Fae - No Rank

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pilot listened quietly as Hrafn made a quick overview of his history. Despite it being dark and the fact that his pelt was black and that she couldn't really make out all of his facial features, the fae caught the gist enough through his tone and body language that he was not really in the mood to share more. Fair enough though. His story, albeit glossary as it was, held sadness within it and she certainly would not be one to push and perhaps delve one deeper than they wished to think about. She nodded politely as the air around them grew quiet, just the light whoosh of a gusted breeze and the errant crunch of Wolf's pinecones behind them.

Eventually after quite a few hours, Hrafn timed out and took sleeping refuge after appointing another ScarPaw member to take shift. She nodded her goodnight to him and watched him go, his shape literally getting eaten up by the darkness after a few paces. Pilot herself was wearing out quickly as well and wondered if there was a possibility that she too could get a pardon to rest.

A little more time passed and the wolfess could almost literally feel the energy drip out of her eyelids. Stiffly shifting her position as guard, she turned her sleepy head towards Vali. Even the silent statue himself had begun to slump a bit, his tank also drained. His ear flicked in response to her gaze, his head turning with it a second later. Even without words the conversation of "I'm tired" was exchanged between the two. It wasn't good for any wolf to be up as long as they two and many of the others had recently. Already Pilot knew that her senses were probably not half as good as they had been when she had adequate downtime.

Mutely Vali motioned behind himself, his muzzle gesturing back to the Pack, offering for the blonde fae to take a well-deserved rest. He puffed his chest and turned back to the perimeter, obviously meaning that he would stay. Pilot's face grimaced a bit knowing full-well that the stocky wolf was just the same as she was in regards to energy. Her tongue ran across a canine, thinking.

"I'll go rest for a little while, wake me when you can't stay up anymore okay?"

In reply the female got nothing much more than a huff, but she hadn't been expecting anything more than that anyways. Gratefully she stood up, her stiff legs walking her to about the halfway point of her sentry spot and the Pack. Close enough to be alerted in case something did arise, just far away enough to rest. Circling around twice. Pilot bedded down quickly with her head upon her tail. Moments later she was asleep.

....

Perhaps an hour and a half to two hours later the fae felt a poke at her shoulder. Her maw pulled taught, one eye reluctantly squinting open at the disturbance. Vali raggedly stood off to the side, looking at her both sheepishly and expectantly. While obviously not wanting to get up Pilot simply nodded, tucking her legs beneath her so that she could rise. Once upright she stepped forward, watching as the silent brute immediatly dragged himself into the very imprint that she had just left. Granted it was slightly too small for him, but it didn't seem to matter - one wriggle and a satisfied sigh later told her that he was good enough.

Well, back on duty again. Albeit short, she was glad for any sort of rest she had gotten

At least allowing herself to keep watch in comfort, Pilot allowed herself to lay with her belly to the ground this time. However it was not long for the air around her to change, for the start of day was just beginning to make its appearance into the sky once more. She couldn't tell if she was either happy or regretful for it. Probably a bit of both. Sun meant others rising, leaving the potential for her to be off watch and get more precious sleep. However it also carried the potential for movement again, perhaps the Pack starting their way once more after having rested all night. Either way though the sun was peeking over the horizon regardless and there was nothing that the wolfess could do about it.

Yet despite her thoughts, a third option came in the form of the Alpha. About 20 minutes after the first stir of the sky did a nudge and a hushed "follow" command be asked of her, immediately Resin off on her way to gather others. Without asking what was going on Pilot immediately followed, watching as she collected Hrafn and Lani alike as well as a few others that were nameless to her. This time Vali was not in their accompaniment, left behind in order to sleep. For some reason it left a weird thought in her stomach, not having him along on something like this.

The pick-along group followed until it appeared that the Alphess was satisfied enough with their distance. Turning around she finally gave word for her reasoning of gathering them, speaking about mammoth and the potential of a meal. Even at the thoughts of it did it make Pilot's mouth water. When was the last time she ate anyways? .. She couldn't honestly remember.

When Resin asked for any thought of concern the only thing that she could think of was her small stature. Already she was decently dwarfed in comparison to normal sets of prey, to a monstrous mammoth.. well, to put it quite frankly she felt like a pipsqueak. Yet it hadn't held her back this far and she knew that what she lacked in weight to gave her the ability for better agility and speed. Maybe perhaps it'd even be an asset? .. Well maybe?

Simply blinking in response to her own introverted thoughts Pilot ended up saying nothing. Instead she nodded to the darker she-wolf, ready to take on the biggest beast that there was.

[Resin]

((Soriams will have to catch up when she's able.))

~|Resin|~Alpha Female|~ 40 Summers|~

Those that she gathered nodded and spoke in agreement with her plan. It was clear that she wasn't the only hungry one. Nodding in return, she rose and took the lead, starting the hunt. Those that didn't hunt often might think that the hunt started once a target was chosen and the pack began to give chase, but that wasn't the case. A hunt started when a group of wolves came together harmoniously with the same purpose in mind. Their purpose was to feed those that depended upon them.

The group padded silently away from the pack, reserving their limited energy for when it was needed. Now and again Resin would stop and lift her nose to the air, testing the wind to verify that they were still going in the right direction. Mammoth were slow, lumbering beasts and it wouldn't be easy for them to move out of range anytime soon. They would be easy to follow and difficult to bring down. Resin believed that she'd collected enough of them that bringing down one adult shouldn't put them in too much danger.

Resin felt a little anxious. She had never hunted a mammoth with anyone other than Ash. Shaking her head mid-walk, she glanced from side to side, surveying those that followed her. Slowing her pace, she flicked one ear and spoke to the group. "I don't know how many of you have hunted mammoth before. It's...difficult." Though she slowed her pace, she didn't stop. "Ash, my brother, and I had a system. This system has always worked for us."

They were coming up on a fallen tree and she leaped over it without a second thought. "When he and I hunted, I would keep the front end occupied by biting at the trunk. He would dodge the feet and bite at the stomach until the beast was grounded. Once they're down, it takes a lot for them to get back up. And if they manage to get back up, you'll more than likely not have enough strength to bring them down again."

From up ahead, a trumpeting bellow sounded and it brought a smile to the Alpha's face. "Dinner time." Stopping behind a row of short shrubs, the black and grey female crept forward on her belly, poking her muzzle through the leaves. Their chances of success skyrocketed. Up ahead, a single old bull was being harassed by several of the Great Wolves smaller cousins. "This should be easy." She told the wolves around her. "I'll go for the face since that's my area of expertise. Take out the legs. Don't get crushed. Open the belly."

The smaller wolves were pushing the mammoth closer to where the Great Wolves waited. She would be sure to let them feed as well. "Let's go." The time was now. Without another word, the black and grey female erupted from the shrubbery and closed the distance between her and their meal quickly. Both the smaller wolves and the mammoth were surprised. Again the bull trumpeted. He turned towards the large predators just as the Alpha leaped. Her aim was true. Curved killing teeth ripped into the trunk of the bull. She had positioned herself between the tusks. If the bull tried to crush her, those tusks would be in the way. Now that his front end was occupied, it would be up to the rest of the pack to make the kill.

[Soriams]

((Which is now! And man, am I tired...))

Ahote
Male | 46 | Fighter
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Ahote gratefully soaked in the comfort of Resin's closeness, and fell into a deep, restful sleep his tired and battered body so badly needed. Though his wounds were extensive and would pain him for some time to come, sleep flushed his system of the stress and shock that had pushed him to the edge. The burns finally had a chance to close out the stinging air and his over-taxed muscles relaxed and recovered.

Throughout the night Ahote moved not an inch, and it wasn't until Resin stirred that he drifted towards consciousness. Her shifting weight sent his heavy head tipping to the ground, and he awoke with a little start, catching himself before he could face plant. Looking up at her with bleary eyes, he blinked the sleep away from his eyes and managed to give her a soft smile as she touched the top of his head. Though he would have loved nothing more than to creep out into the crisp morning with her, he knew he wasn't ready for that just yet.

Settling himself into the center of their bed, Ahote waited until Resin had moved on before trying to shift his weight. He loved her with all his heart, but the brute still had some shred of dignity left and hoped to spare her the sight of his pained movement. Gritting his teeth to keep from crying out, he dug his claws into the ice that had formed beneath them, and with great difficulty pulled himself up. Standing on shaking legs, he closed his eyes against the sharp pain of the burns as they pulled across his scarred skin. Slowly that receded, and he became aware of other things, like the old familiar dull ache of his overworked joints and the sting of the air as it pushed its way past the soot in his lungs. His head spun and throbbed as though he had eaten too much fermented fat, and he was forced to stand there until the world stopped spinning beneath his feet.

Once he found himself steady, Ahote clamped his jaw shut and forced his back paw to touch the ground. Even then, a strained whine escaped his clenched teeth. Tilting his head to look over his back, he could just barely see the angry pink proud flesh behind him. It didn't matter how much it hurt, if there was ever any hope of using the leg normally, he would have to stretch it out no matter how much it hurt.

Ahote forced himself to move, taking one slow step after another until he had passed from under the pine and into the trees. He didn't go far, just a decent enough distance away from his bed to relieve himself, which turned out to be hard enough as it was, and then hobble back to the hollow Resin had dug. The whole ordeal left him exhausted once more, and he collapsed gratefully back into is welcoming embrace. Thus, by the time Xani awoke to check on him, he was once again fast asleep.

Lani
Female | 57 | Hunter
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Nudged out of her smug sleep by Resin's cold nose, Lani lifted her head and yawned, squinting up at Resin in the sharp morning light. It was a simple enough leap to assume that the Alpha had awakened her for a hunt, and in what could could be taken as a small miracle, she followed the dark fea without a word.

Joining Hrafnm Pilot and the other hunters, Lani sat back on her plump rump and looked listened while Resin spoke, tipping her head back to test the air at the mention of Mammoth, she smiled a bit as she picked up their musty scent. Turning her gaze back to the others, Lani nodded sharply to Resin's assessments, "Exactly, we all attack from one side, and make sure to push it down. Don't pull. We don't want anyone trapped underneath. It would take the rest of us a heck of a long time to eat you out from under it if you get trapped."

Having put in her two bits, Lani padded easily just behind Resin as she led the way. When she spoke of her system, she listened nodding ever so often as though she envisioned it in her mind's eye the flow of the attack, taking in the strategy. Of course she had hunted mammoth, but the great beasts had been scarce as the ice melted and it had been a long time since she and the other hunters had had the opportunity to take one down. Besides which, there were many new members among them, and that left a few unknown variables that could prove to be the downfall to any hunt. However, she agreed with the Alpha's words and glanced back towards the others, "Exactly, be quick and smart. No one can do this alone," she said. Lani might be lacking in many areas, but in her trade she was a master.

Lani stilled as they approached the herd, and she crept low to the ground, her white pelt melting with the snow. Their mute cousins had already singled out one of their kind, and for what they lacked in strategy they more than made up for in tenacity, tiring the animal out. Really, they couldn't have asked for a better situation, and the hunter readied herself wordlessly next to Resin.

As her Alpha burst from cover, Lani tensed, counting at a steady pace for a full count of five before following her. Experience told her that she would quickly overtake the larger wolf if she didn't and would only be in the way since she wasn't running point. This left her a split second behind Resin, and as the smoky grey fea latched onto the mammoth's face, Lani skidded underneath it, latching onto the soft underbelly and tearing out a chunk of flesh and hair as she passed. Coming about, she turned to the back of the beast, knowing that they were ineffectual kickers, and tore at the back of its hock, seeking the tendons within that would cripple it and bring it to the ground.

Wolf
Male | 20 | Straggler
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Snuggled securely into his deep hole, the first lights of dawn didn't reach Wolf where he lay, and it was some time before the bedraggled male stirred. Letting out a long yawn that ended in a little squeak, he rolled over onto his back and wriggled, working out some of the itches and stiffness of the night. Then, after pawing the sleep from his eyes, he sat up, and poked his head out of the top of his hole like a gopher, blinking in the golden light of a new day.

Looking this way and that, Wolf caught sight of Xani where she lay in her bed and a small smile crossed over his face. He wasn't really sure why, but he was quite glad to see her, and hopped out of his hole. Tail swaying happily behind him, he took a few paces closer to her and lay down next to her, letting all four of his legs simply tilt backwards until he had plopped into the snow. Taking a deep breath, he craned his neck back and took in the warmth of the sun on his fur. He had always been grateful for such simple things as a new dawn and the day that was to follow, as well as the sun and the shaded skies, and today would be no different, except for the face that he had one more thing to be grateful for.

Opening his eyes again, Wolf looked back to Xani and nodded. "'Morning," he said simply, plainly quite happy as though all were right with the world. He hadn't planned on saying much more, and would have been more than happy just to hear her say a singe word, but the sound of a trumpet caught his attention and his ears perked. For a moment, he looked off in the direction of the sound before turning back to the Beta. "Sounds like not everyone is having a good morning though..." he said, and shook his head. The creature was clearly in pain, and he hoped it's suffering ended soon.