So far from home.

[Deleted]

Life at home had always been rough. The jagged, exposed earth of Elara's past haunted her mind. The very thought of the place made her jumpy and hyper-aware. Always she had felt out of place. Always she had felt estranged. She'd left after a string of events that left her battered and afraid, driven out by her only living relative. "Nobody needs you anymore. Nobody needs a murderer." At that, Elara ran. She ran until she couldn't anymore. Blindly, through brush and thicket, across meadows and valleys... Elara snapped awake with sudden ferocity, leaping to her feet and looking about her wildly. Suddenly she was very aware of exactly how far from home she was. She looked around her at the strange land and tried to take it all in once again. She'd never gone far from the peninsula before, now she had no idea how to get back or where she'd go from here. She neither ate nor slept on the way here. She wasn't sure how long she had traveled, only that she had come to rest beside this stream with her muzzle barely in the edge of the water. She'd come so far... The stream she had come to rest at was trickling by peacefully, the wind delicately rustled the leaves of all the plants around her. Now a battle racked her brain. Should she go upstream or downstream? Elara raised her head and looked at the strange mountain, shadowing the land. Giving up on deciding for now, she drank heartily from the river and laid back down. She still felt so weary from her escape.

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


Confident male should have looked a little more at home with himself, but the wonder was too thick. There was a fair flock of unanswered questions that had paced his mind through most of the winter. Things had come to a stand still, questions had remained. No choice in the matter but to keep going, when the other choice was to die. Even his brother had seemed off tilt throughout the cold weather, and the question was one that could not be easily ignored.

The half smile was on his face, almost like he was thinking about something amusing, like it would cure all the questions and tributes that had gone on ignored. His paws pushed into the earth and the growl was soft on his lips, but he was not a menace. He was a gentleman when he wanted to be, although the wolf was massive. It was hard to miss him walking, and he was only slightly thankful he did not look like his murderous father.

To know the name of Zarek likely meant that death had crossed the path in the exact form of the demon it took on. No shame to be the son of a demon wolf, but there was no proof that demons or angels existed. The chuckle was soft out of his mouth; unless you were an idiot named Kerberos. The name of his half brother still shocked him to the core, the known cannibal and leader of the Black Coast. To find out that he was worshiping their father like Zarek had been a God, when he had only been a wolf, was foolish.

Still, he knew his face was showing an array of emotions, one primarily being confusion, when it was not his twin that he came cross but a female. It caused him to exhale harshly, but the bloom of politeness crossed his features. There was nothing wrong with being kindly, so his body swayed forward with an arrogance not easily dismissed. Rumbling in his chest with pleasure, the words were drawn out and absently spoken. "Looking a little lost there, darling."

[Deleted]

His approach couldn't have been missed. The brute was large and imposing as he came closer. At least, to a young Elara on the shore of a stream she knew nothing about. She didn't miss his arrogant approach and when the words came forth her delicate brow furrowed. Mixed emotions flitted across her face. She'd come quite a long ways to reach this place. She wasn't exactly sure of her location even, nor of whether she was invading this strange male's territory. Despite herself, her hackles raised down her spine in an anxious display of her nerves. "I am hardly your darling," she replied huffily, exhaling a rapid sigh as she said it. She was lost for a moment, staring at this dark stranger. Her head canted to the side slightly before she shook her head and laid back her ears. I'm not lost, I just don't know where I'm going.

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


While he would never have considered him a danger, after his most recent slaughter, he was pleased the female had the sense to be nervous. There was something in her face that whispered intelligence, and it was not quite something he was used to. Sure, relatives had found their way into his world in ways he had never figured -- but they were related to Zarek, for all his craziness, who had been blessed with a brilliant mind. There was a reason he had made such an impact on the lands.

Her anxiety caused him to relax, his body leaning back as he simply studied her. There was no need for him to get worked up, the newly matured male could have taken her down in an instant. At three years of age, he was in his prime. There was very few that could handle him in his fury, but he was calm now. There was no reason for the yearling to look so endlessly concerned.

So he offered a faint smile on his features, hearing the snappy words of a youth who had never met a gentleman. "No need to get your fur ruffled my dear, you've stumbled on one of the fairly neutral piece of land." His words were tighter this time around, less receiving as he would have been moments before. Leaning back, he sat down effortlessly and forced himself to continue staring at her.

"It could have been worse, you could have found my half brother -" A grin shined across his features suddenly, it was almost eager at the thought. Kerberos would die someday, there was no doubting that. "And then your life would be over, one way or another."

[Deleted]

Slowly the young female calmed, her fur smoothing down and her ears slowly lifting again. As he leaned back to sit down, she felt slightly more comfortable. Still she stood on the edge of the water, though little escape it would give her if anything went wrong. She studied him for a second but avoided direct eye contact. "No one lives here, then," she mused to herself, glancing up at the mountain again. The thought of finding his half brother piqued her interest again. Something in the way he said it mae her realize that it really would have been much less pleasant. The finality of his statement settled in and she scrunched her face for a moment at the thought of it. "Lucky then, to have found anyone but," she quipped. She pondered exactly what she could tell this stranger. He still intimidated her despite the fact that he didn't seem harmful. She sat and curled her tail around her hip. Sharing her destination couldn't hurt. His reaction would tell her if her choice would be a good one, perhaps. If he seemed odd about it, she'd just go a different way. It was strange not having her brother to turn to for moments like this. "I figured I would head downstream, toward the lake, I feel upstream would lead to that mountain and I'm not much of one for cold."

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


Nicostratos had been born into a special sort of lineage. His father was, for the most part, only spoken about in terms of a demon-turned-wolf or a monster. There was no doubting that Zarek, for all that he had ever been, had slaughtered most of the wolves who were dumb enough to travel along. In his older age, he had lost his mind in grief of the lost of his one true mate - a blond shewolf named Shai Tamari, who had been as special as dirt. There was no love lost on the name, since most of the lineage that came from the female usually had a taste of crazy about them.

Nicostratos, his twin Xanthus, and his half brother Kerberos all were different borne than from the womb of Shai Tamari. His mother was of little importance, ripping the conjoined twins apart at birth. That was why his ear was torn, and what seemed to be a fair bit of his tail was snapped off by loving teeth. His mother's teeth when he was fresh from the womb, deciding that the bigger was less worthy to live in fear that Nico would become too much like his father.

Eyes shined with amusement as the thoughts rolled through his head, realizing that the female was definitely from a more isolated part of the island. "Indeed, indeed. Luck is on your side." Laughter hinted in his voice, far too delighted with the fact she would say such a thing. "I am Nicostratos, but of course, you may call me Nico."

His head cocked as she explained where she was headed, and his head tipped to the side curiously. Well, he supposed that might make sense. His eyes twinkled for a few moments, and his words were dry. "Be careful of the Delta, the bears will be dragging themselves out of hibernation right about now." While his twin and him had slaughtered a fair few, the disappearance of Tree Nut - or whatever his name had been - had resulted in boredom. There was no one to taunt anymore in the Delta.

"The mountain is quite the icy place, it's not the best for those without cold hearts to match." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully the longer moments went on, "Why are you alone, little deer? Shouldn't someone be looking after you?"

[Deleted]

Her entire life had been spent in the peninsula, having not ventured far and only having her family. She had never known anything else and it was true, then, that she was naive to the world she had escaped into. Naive to the nature of the world, and of the demons it might hold. It was also true that the innocence of her naivety meant that Nico's name held no meaning, hints at his brother held no meaning. Where others might take notice, she took none. She had been so sheltered, so tucked away from everything by an overprotective dam. She wondered silently who they were, and why his brother would be such a danger to her after all. Perhaps that was a question for another day. Bears, you say? They're rather large, I hear. I have only seen scraps of them, myself. Her gaze shifted downstream, and then up to the mountain. Bears or no, a mountain is no place for me. She pondered it a moment more before shaking her head in finality, flicking an ear. His last question caused her to freeze and stare at him warily. What should she say, what could she say? Her father had gone mad, something had snapped in his psyche and he had devoured most of her family. Her mother, her siblings. Only her brother remained and the predicament he'd found her in had driven him to chase her out, not able to kill her as he assumed she had the others. It still hurt that he could blame her, of anyone, for the massacre.  There is no one to watch over me anymore, it is simply myself out in the world, her voice was tight and withdrawn, with little emotion to it otherwise. She didn't want to tell this stranger that she had been driven off. She didn't even want to think about it anymore. Quietly she whispered, I'll find a new home. Before standing and beginning to walk. She gave no indication of whether he should follow or not, but she assumed he likely would.

[Deleted]

Senka
Whether I'm the last one alive
Or ascend before my time
Better I'm the last one alive
Than a soul denied

Snorting the dark furred female shook out her thick coat. She was lucky it wasn't summer because her coat wasn't shedding yet and she was already starting to feel warm. Then there was the bugs, growling she furiously itched her neck. She had never had this much problem with bugs in White Forest. Grunting she pulled herself to her feet, bright ice blue eyes looking around her new home. She was busy marking the borders today her first task for the day, then it was to establish a den area, and finally to track and monitor the elk herds. She needed to get herself set before looking for members to join her pack. She hoped that soon her pack would grow and be fully established. She had also hoped her siblings and her mother would join her like she had offered, but she wasn't getting her hopes up. Her mother loved the cold and like where she lived she was a tough old wolf.

She set off again, stopping frequently to mark the borders of her new territory. She was keeping her body alert as she went, but so far today was quiet. For her first night in her new home she had slept peacefully and comfortably. Aside from the warmth and the bugs she was loving this place and knew she had picked the right spot to start a pack. She had some knowledge of the pack life from her father, rest his soul. He had grew up in a pack in the mountains before he had fallen for her mother. Pack life was a bit different in the cold then from here. There was more danger that came with the cold of white forest and everbane mountain. She was fully aware that bears did take habit here, but she knew it wasn't near as populated as further down. The bears would want warmer weather and better water source for fishing. She had thought this all through as best as she could.

Pausing to mark another spot her ears caught the sound of something in the distance. When she had finished marking she stood still and listened. She heard it again, voices off in the distance and inside her borders. She continued to listen, being sure she wasn't just hearing things. For the third time she heard voices and she grumbled and cursed under her breath. She should have marked borders yesterday, these two could be looking to claim or challenge her. Grunting she shifted her body and swiftly strode forward again. Her fur still firmly clung onto the rich smell of pine trees and of the cold she grew up in. Her scarred up body showed the rough life she had been born into and her torn left ear showed that she had survived.

Her body was somewhat stiff as she prepared for the encounter with the voices, unsure what intentions or mood they would have. She might have looked intimidating, gruff looking, thick fur, and scars littering her body, but she would be no threat unless they threatened her. Stepping from a patch of brush she stopped immediately to prevent herself from running into the female. There she stood on scared legs, with her scared muzzle and face looking to both wolves. Shifting she found her emotions drifting into awkwardness, unsure of what to say, how to introduce herself. Her head was held up, tail level with her spine and her ears pointed forward (technically 1 1/2 ears). She snorted and huffed before nodding to the two to start her greeting.

"Your in Pack territory," she said before grunting at herself and looking away from the two as she struggled from her lack of proper socialization as a pup.

Scarred muzzle opened once again to speak more, "Welcome to Lakeside territory, I'm Alphess Senka," much better and mentally she praised herself hoping the quick fix wasn't a put off to these two.

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


Nico was one of the most cautious characters in the world, but his tongue was flicking out of his mouth as he found himself wanting to taste the flesh of the female. He was not particularly interested in her as a living being, the acknowledgement climbed up to the forefront. She was a bit too terse, there was nothing about her that promised conversation worth sucking up and dividing into sweet little tendrils of explanation. It was not what he had hoped for, but still he humored her.

He started to trail her with her dismissive words, more out of habit than anything else. He was accustomed to walking in silence, but he was certainly not the most friendly creature in the world to intrusions. When he decided he was done with the female, he would be done with her; there was no doubt to be had and his eyes narrowed on the female with a thoughtfulness that could not quite be denied. Not so long as his thoughts rolled.

"If you're looking for a home--" His words started, his smile half hearted. But he had nothing to offer, and the intrusion that he so loathed seemed to come to his nose. The distasteful scent of female filled his nose, and his fur bristled with the sound of her approach. Who did some dog think she was coming out of the wood work to bother him? Nicostratos was not accustomed to being tormented, and his lips curled up over his teeth as he was forced to turn his attention elsewhere.

The lackluster female made her appearance, and he stopped in his tracks. Thinking it might have been something to worry about, the sharp bark of laughter was out of him before he even realized it. This puny little thing was claiming territory! Thinking she had a leg to stand on! His shoulders shook fiercely, and he forced himself to lapse a little better into the quiet, but at the same time he was choking. There was no doubt about it, he was struggling on the matter, and his head bowed. Oh hell!

"Darling you're the most hideous thing I've ever seen!" The male burst out as he rolled onto his haunches, not at all accepting of the words on her tongue. "Claim my lake? As if you could keep me out you worthless scrap of hide!"

[Deleted]

Thoughts tumbled about in her head as she moved from their previous point. She seemed to walk with purpose, but had nothing in mind of what she was doing nor where this would take her. With the slightest angling of her ears, she acknowledged the start of Nico's sentence. The grey female didn't even give it a second thought, she'd find a home when she was sure that it would be a safe and reliable one. So involved was she in her own thoughts that she didn't pick up on the stranger until they'd almost run into one another. She wasn't used to this. So far from home, and still quite young. Scents worked different in a pine forest and near a lake than they did on a cracked and dry land full of heat.  She shuffled backward a few steps and stood warily. Meeting strangers wasn't in her plans. She had come here because she thought she could be alone.  Yet, she had told Nico that she would find herself a home. This, apparently, was already someone else's home. Nico's bark of laughter startled her and she stared at him as if he were insane for a moment before looking back and forth between the two. "But didn't you say..." Elara caught herself. He had not specifically said no wolves lived her. She had assumed it based on his response from earlier. Elara scrunched up her face in frustration, this day was leaving her feeling far from characteristic. She was frustrated at the intrusion, feeling lost and far from home, and even felt irritation or anger at the dark male's rude outburst. "Look, I'm just passing through whether or not this is your home or his," she said bluntly, huffing and looking back and forth between them again, slightly worried. Whether or not her quip was rude wasn't a concern at the time. She felt like a little pup, lost by itself, with two strange and likely dangerous wolves. She studied the female silently, taking in her scars and stiff posture.

[Deleted]

Senka

Her eyes narrowed at the male as he began to roll with laughter. Mentally this male must not be right because there was nothing funny about what she had said. She studied him watching as he moved and he laughed. He was rude, that was plain to see before he through his comment into the air. A huff and a slight smirk was the first part of her response. Yes, this female knew she wasn't the perfect model for beauty, but all of the ugly scars were stories of survival, feats that she had went through to make it to present day. Each had their own story, ones that this male wouldn't hear. The comment he had made was no bother to her it only triggered her instincts to kick in. Her posture stiffened and raised, tail high and ears erect. Lips twitching as the muscles threatened to expose her teeth to the male, but she restrained.

"It's funny you said that, because I was thinking the same about you, Grey coat," her voice lacked emotion when she spoke, those her small smirk was still upon her face. She reverted to feral ways of addressing him, lacking the knowledge of his name she used the color of his coat to call him.

The female then spoke next, directing her words to the male. Senka's blue eyes caught the frustrated look the female had made before speaking to her. Senka nodded in reply at first, realizing this female and this male had little interaction before she had stumbled upon him. It was clear that the female really didn't want any attention and that she was vary frustrated.

"You may stay for a while if you like and are free to pass through," she replied to the female.

She didn't seem to pose a threat at all, if anything she looked like she wanted to get away from here more then stick around. Looking back to the male again her eyes narrowed as she moved forward, stance still stiff and tail still high in the air. He was something to worry about with his improper outburst of laughter made her concerned he had some sort of mental illness.

"Shall I take that as a challenge Grey coat. This territory is only marked by me so how is this your lake," a snort was fallowed and she only gave a little distance in between them, eyes narrowed and staring him down. She would not back down if he was threatening her or challenging her.

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


Nicostratos knew he had stumbled onto a fool worse than the first female he had found. And his tongue lolled out of his mouth as he simply went into staring at her - there was no real look through his eyes as he stared at her, skimming her. Where would be the weakest spot? Kill spots were known to be the stomach and the throat. It was not that he wanted to do, really, cutting away the breath and cut down the power that was, instead, he turned his gaze to the female who was angered with him.

His icy features eased into a smile, "No one can own a lake area," His words were faint in his mouth with a pointed look. "Which is why I can argue her urine stains. Really, my brother and I could waltz in here and who's going to stop us?" His eyes turned back to the female, who while might have had agility on her side there was just no way she would over power him. If she got a good shot in, it would have to be fore he managed to react at all. Unfortunately for her, that was not the laws of conduct. It sucked being a little noble.

"Don't be concerned, dear one." Elara was his only fascination for the time being, and he winced with focus coming back into his eyes. His nose flared and he stepped close to her, looking at her pointedly. "I know you dislike - but surely you'll agree?" His head twisted and he studied her, "Look at her. This is a wolf who has been bullied, who has stormed her way through things without a brain. She thinks she's valuable, but she's not."

"She'd have you slaughtered if you joined her pack, because you would be a sitting duck. A proper leader can protect those who she's in charge of." His snort of derision said blatantly what he thought of those capabilities of the female before him. The one who could not be dignified more than a glance. Still, his fur stiffened slightly, and he leaned in to bump his nose against Elara's shoulder. "Stand back, dear, so you don't get blood on you though."

Then he whirled, thumping onto the ground as he reared and then slammed his paws on the ground, raising his tail just as high and approaching the self proclaimed owner of a land that she could never maintain. His lip curled, and the husky growl rolled out of his throat, eager for the bloodshed. "Dumb bitch."

[Deleted]

This was all a mess, so confusing. For a moment the young gray female wished she was at home, joking with Radek while lounging in the sun. The thought of her brother frustrated her further. The voices of the present snapped her back and she blinked as she was addressed by the scarred female. A quiet nod was all she could muster. Her senses were far too overwhelmed. When Nico turned his attention to her she froze and turned her head his way, listening silently to his words. There was a hint of something to his voice. Wariness settled in, followed rapidly by fear. Who was this brother he kept referring to, why were they such a danger? Momentarily she comtemplated fleeing yet something in her mind told her that might be worse than waiting this through. The thoughts weighed in her mind. Elara suppressed a growl when his nose touched her. She didn't want to be touched, she didn't want to be comforted. Instead she shuffled away from the two of them, head and tail low. To either one it would seem as if she had listened to him. Was that good? Was it bad? Still she was at a loss for words. Her mind couldn't piece together what she should say. Flashes of her past zipped through her mind; the fight with her father, the destruction he had doled out to her family, the look on her brother's face when he found them. She didn't want this to end the same way, with her running from something or someone else. She remained quiet through all of it, carefully watching the other two wolves and not knowing who she should help. She knew nothing of either of them, except that the male was definitely the more dangerous one.

[Deleted]

Senka

The male had his thoughts all wrong and assumed the wrong thing. Her marks were not from being bullied, they were from fighting off cougars, bears, bobcats, scraps and scars from large deer. He had not idea the he was messing with a calculating mind. Though she didn't boast about herself, nor did she like to insult back and forth. This ugly large male was no fear for her because she had fought off others bigger then him. Though she didn't argue, she didn't try to convince the female with him that he was wrong. If she wanted to believe him then she wasn't going to last to long. This male was deranged and mentally ill in her eyes. He would not be welcome in the lands lands again, him nor his brother.

Her ice blue eyes fallowed him as he moved around examining his body, his muscles, his movements. Her eyes never left him. He was a thread to her life and a thread to the legacy she wanted to build on this land, he would not end her. Right now his words didn't reach her, she was in her mode of calculation. convincing her mind that he was a smart, but angry bear. Unlike a bear this male would be able to calculate moves just like her so she had to be on her feet and be careful. She may be smaller then him, but she was lined with well worked muscles. The deep snow built her this way and here, without the snow, she was faster and more agile.She also had a vary high endurance from working through the thick snow all her life. She also was muscular under that thick coat of hers. She let her muscles relax, not putting to much tension on them so she wouldn't wear herself out more faster.

When he turned and approached his tail was held high and her mind shifted into her more feral self. It switched into complete survival and protection mode. Spreading her legs slightly she stood her ground eyes staring him down and hackles raising. What would be her first move? Digging her claws into the soft earth. She made a sharp fast motion to just charge right in and bite him, but at the last second jumped back, shot past and attempted to snap her jaws into the flesh of his flank before whirling away to escape any of his attempts.

[Deleted]

N I C O S T R A T O S


Nico was a fighter since birth. Ripped apart from his brother by his mother’s fangs when the pups had come out conjoined. It had been a shock to the system on their weak mother, who had nearly dried up her milk too soon from being weak from the birth giving. For most of the time, it was just not natural for two to come out at once. In the end of the world, it usually meant the death for all that were involved. Like nothing could be changed, Nico found himself in the same predicament.

It was such an oddity, how he positioned himself in front of Elara, almost like he was intent to protect her. Of course it did not make any sense, not when she had been permitted access to the land. But as his lips curled upward, he launched himself at the female without much effort, just about the same time as she did the same. His shoulders shook with laughter, almost glee as she used her agility to graze his hip, as his body was just a bit too far ahead. Still, she struck, and when he twisted his body to meet her hind end with his teeth she was already out of the way.

No matter, his fur bristling and his body moved rapidly for one of his size; not the fastest, but certainly to be underestimated by such a bulky creature. With an attempt to throw his body into her side, his intent was to get her down on the ground. His head was tucked against his neck, preventing things from going to good to worse. Still, he wagered that there would be no fatal bloodshed anyway; it was enough to have him relaxing significantly. It was a fun training exercise, nothing more.

If he succeeded in downing her to the ground with the bulk of his weight, the male was determined to come away with some piece of flesh; his jaws snapping toward her body, wanting to rip into anything he could manage.