The Pack Lands

Ameliora still had her gaze trained on Gale, though she could see the movements of the others from the corners of her eyes. Crimson, the male she had been following earlier, appeared to have been accepted by the dark furred Beta. The other creamish/khaki female that had been standing to one side was now bounding around. She splashed into the creek, sending droplets in all directions. Ameliora shook the droplets from her fur quietly, still watching them from the corner of her gaze. The khaki female was bounding in all directions, calling out to the newly accepted Crimson who followed her at a slower pace. She could feel his eyes on her as he passed, the pause in his step. She turned her head to look at him and smiled a slow amused smile. It was like she had her own private joke. Well, actually she did. A moment later and he had moved on, following the khaki female into the trees.

The other mottled brown female - the one who stared at Crimson with longing - soon followed as well. It was to be expected, her affection for the male was evident. Ameliora shook her head lightly. She had no time for the pursuits of love and found them generally to be quite foolish indeed. Her eyes narrowed and darkened ever so slightly. Males pursued females for their grace, their smell, their beauty. Ameliora's lip curled with distaste as her thought track turned to her sister Erys. She could still see the icy smile her sister wore and the false cries of grief as she accused Ameliora of murder. Ameliora shook herself, sending the thoughts away and instead turning back to the male who had spoken to her. His eyes seemed glassy. He was staring at her, but through her at the same time. She regained her calm composure, staring back in silence. She had said her peice, now it was his turn.

"If you're seeking acceptance here, speak with the dark furred female to your right."

She could see the tight clench of his jaw. His words were little more than a hiss. It was intriguing in a way, yet amusing as well. One moment he looked at her with longing - a longing similiar to the one portrayed by the dark brown she-wolf, but different as well. Then the next he hated her, then back to longing again. He suffered from indecision. Her ear twitched and she glanced to the side at the dark Beta. Ameliora observed Kira with dark golden eyes. After a moment she looked back to the male again, speaking quietly and ignoring the hiss that had been in his previous words. "She will speak with me when she pleases and not before. I hold no power here, and thus no authority to demand her attention." She spoke with a formality, as she often did. Her words had a distinct intellectual tinge to them, as she often spent her time in those pursuits - or had in the company of her elder sister Raelin.

Thoughts of her sister caused her eyes to darken once more as images of flashing hooves entered her mind. She was shortly brought from her reverie by the sound of splashing water. Her head had dipped unconciously in thought, but now she brought it up again to meet the male's gaze. Almost as if he didnt realize what he was doing, he had stepped into the water. Ameliora watched with surprised interest as the male pushed himself with a quiet desperation through the water. He emerged sopping wet on the banks slightly in front of her. Without pause or words, he had approached her, leaning close and breathing in her scent.

Ameliora reeled with shock. His approach had not concerned her, but his sudden proximity and the unfamiliar action surprised her. Without time to control herself, she stumbled backwards away from him, her paws scrambling slightly. Her ears flattened back against her head and her hackles raised slightly. She wasnt sure she liked the way he was looking at her. It was unfamiliar - yet well known. It was the way ever passing loner had gazed at Erys, but never looked at her. She forced her fur to lie flat and her ears to raise from their backwards position. She regained her composure slowly, shaking herself and settling back down. Her tail re-curled around her paws - though now with a tight tension.

"Who are you?"

The question came out on a breath. His eyes no longer held the hatred and fury, but she almost wished they did. They were curious, and curiosity made her uncomfortable. However, the question made her smile, a small slow smile. She would have thought the answer was quite obvious. At least it was to her. Her answer was nearly as quiet as the breath the question had come on. "Not who you wish I was."

"She will speak with me when she pleases and not before. I hold no power here, and thus no authority to demand her attention."

Before Gale had swam across the creek, he had paid little attention to those words. They rang inside of his mind for a few short seconds before evaporating into nothingness. All he was fixed upon was her speech and the way she held herself. Even as he pulled himself closer to the water, he could feel himself analyzing the female. She was everything that had been Elysia and yet not at the same time. Did they share a similiar personality? Likes? Dislikes? Those things would be figured out in time. The real question was, did he want to let her have any of that? Time was of the essence, something he rarely gave out to others. The two exceptions were Taru and Elysia. Since the latter was long gone, only Taru recieved any of it and pretty much all of it. She was his anchor. Only she could control him enough that the beast didn't lash at any of the other members and kept all his bad thoughts at bay.

It was after those thoughts were finished that he realized he had swam across the creek and was smelling the female's all too familiar scent. She seemed surprised by his actions and pulled away, her eyes wide with surprise. Just like Elysia. Why were there so many similiarities? Why did her ghost have to appear after he thought he had his life pulled together? It all came down to why. There were so many questions that he had and yet none of them would recieve the answers he wished or any at all. Had karma decided to get back at him? Or was this a message to not give up on the vanished scout? A few questions still swam in his brain until he noticed the fae's flattened ears and raised hackles. As far as he knew, he'd never seen Elysia raise hers and that gave him strength and resistance.

The warrior backed up gracefully until his back paws were in the water. If he drew upon all of the similiarities, it made him weak. However, it he sought out the differences, that granted him the strength and desire to stay away. Quickly, he looked her over, scanning for those differences. Her coat was the best place for him to start. Her fur colour was nothing like Elysia's dark bracken and cream. Rather, hers was a light silvery-grey mixed with different hues of darker grey and black. The top of her head and down her spine was a lighter colour that contained white. A mixture of white was present on her muzzle as was a distinctive black stripe. The fae's ears, chest and sides were a mixture of greys that blended in nicely with one another. Her undercoat and legs turned back to the light grey mixed with white. Finally, whereas Elysia had the most gorgeous brown-and-amber eyes, the other female had golden-yellow orbs.

This all calmed him completely and allowed him to slip his mask back on with practiced ease. Now he appeared calm and collected on the outside and no one would be the wiser. Except Taru of course. The delta had a way of being able to see right through his expert poker face. But this new female wouldn't have a chance. There was a careful calm in his eyes that acted as a barrier; not allowing any of his inner emotions to slip through. It was this expressionless face that earned him credit in his years as a loner. No one could tell what he was thinking and that gave him the power over them. There was no way that any wolf would be able to see through that facade.

"Not who you wish I was."

Her reply stirred another emotion in his chest but he didn't allow it to show. The fae's reply reminded him so much of Elysia's when he asked what rank she held the first day he met her. The scout's response had been cheeky, something Gale wasn't used to. It intrigued him; he followed her to make amends and find out more about her. He knew that she was Pallatsera's sister since Bayne had told him that the alpha female had passed on but it took him a few moments to realize that. Once they started talking it was then he decided to play his games. He wanted to see what sort of wolf was behind that kind exterior. What he found wasn't what he wanted to. Regret to this day still ate him alive for what he did. Mostly because he didn't know what kind of wolf Elysia had been when she ran. If he hadn't changed her, would she have stayed here? With him?

"I can see that." Came the biting reply. He wasn't going to lose control if he could stop it. "You seem to be avoiding the question I ask. Is it because you know that knowledge is power? But you are in another's territory and do not offer your name. How can I trust you enough to lead you anywhere into our territory?"

He didn't wait for a reply. The Wanderer swam back to the other side of the creek in order to put as much distance between himself and the other female as he could. Once he was on the other side, he shook the water from his heavy coat and paws. He flicked his tail to remove whatever was left before turning to face the fae again. There was a cautious look in his eyes, one that he portrayed to all the loners who wandered into the territory. Thankfully, none of the inner turmoil he was experiencing showed on the surface. He had to keep repeating the same sentence to himself over and over again. She's not Elysia. She's not Elysia. She is not Elysia.

She could see it in his eyes. He wasnt looking at her. He didnt want to see her, or hear her voice. She doubt he cared what her name was, above a superficial desire. All he wanted was to be reminded of the female she resembled. All he wanted was the memories she provided. Ameliora's eyes narrowed. He was like all the others. He didnt want her. He wanted Erys, or someone of Erys' equivalent. For one of the first times, Ameliora turned her face away from the male. She didnt want to look at him and be faced by his longing. Somewhere, buried deep down, she wished the look was for her. Not because of some attraction to him in particular, but simply to be wanted. She shook her head, swallowing an embarassed growl.

Love was destructive. That much she had learned. But it was destructive in so many different ways. Her father Briac's foolish love of Erys had blinded him to her selfishness, and robbed Ameliora of the love she had deserved. Erys' love of herself had turned her own soul black, destroying all that she could have been as a sister. Ameliora's own love of Raelin had broken her heart, tearing her to peices as her sister bled out in the flowing plains grass. Ameliora's ears twitched. But it wasnt only her family that had been destroyed by love. This male was shattered, though he seemed to be attempting to rebuild herself. Then there had been that female - one Ameliora had encountered just outside the Banishing Winds Pack territory. Though she was technically killed by starvation, Ameliora knew her heart had been broken far beyond repair. She had given up, and she had died.

Ameliora was pulled from her thoughts by the male's movements. He had backed away from her until his back paws touched the cool creek water. The longing in his eyes had hardened. His eyes were cold now. In a way that made her more comfortable. Her own muscles released some of their tension. They were just sitting, staring at each other as the male's eyes grew more and more frigid. Whatever he had once seen in Ameliora, he was desperately banishing from his mind. Ameliora watched with interest, noticing the cool calm barrier that rose in his eyes. The inside peek she had had to his emotions was closed now - as hers had been but for moments of surprise. She relished the chance she had had to examine him, and was determined that she would get it again. She couldnt read beyond his mask. Not yet at least. But she would find a way. She would wiggle her way under and she would know everything. Then she would leave. She always did.

"I can see that."

His reply was biting, angry. But it was a different sort of angry than the hatred she had first seen. It was more on the brink of emotion. He was struggling to control himself, as evident by the slip in his voice. Her curiosity piqued. So he admitted she resembled someone he missed, but who? Ameliora felt the sudden need to know. Her ears perked and she narrowed her eyes analytically. Her voice was quiet, not probing, not even curious. Just a statement. "Who was she?" She was fascinated how someone could have had such a hold over this massive male. Even the males that had passed through her family had only been entranced by Erys momentarily. It had faded when she rejected them. They always moved on, always talking about her unattainable beauty. But this was different. She had stuck. Perhaps she was dead?

"You seem to be avoiding the question I ask. Is it because you know that knowledge is power? But you are in another's territory and do not offer your name. How can I trust you enough to lead you anywhere into our territory?"

He didnt even give her time to reply, though she wasnt sure if she would reply. He had already turned and swam his way accross to the opposite side of the creek once more. Her pelt prickled with irritation. She was now invested in the conversation - for better or for worse. He couldnt dangle information than yank it away again. He had clambered out onto the shore, shaking his fur dry and turned again. He was looking at her, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The hard determination chilled Ameliora, but also drove her. She needed to know - to understand. She glanced at the water. She had no particular desire to get wet. Her ears flicked as she stood slowly.

She heaved an irritable sigh, glancing slightly back at the Beta. The Beta had made no move to adress Ameliora, so she assumed she was free to stay within the general area. She moved forward fluidly, pausing at the water's edge. She held her head high, annoyance flashing in her eyes. With a breath, she plunged herself into the water and swam quickly to the other side. She scrambled from the water, shaking the water violently from her fur with annoyance. She sent a glare to the male, her own words biting mostly because of her own discomfort around the male. She would find what she needed to know, then she would leave.

"Everyone knows that knowledge is power, not everyone knows how to use it." She sat again, narrowing her eyes analytically as she looked him up and down. Her ears flicked. "And I dont want you to lead me anywhere, so I dont need you to trust me." She straightened, regaining her calmness - though it took a lot of concentration and force on her part. There was a long silence before she spoke again. "You speak hypocritically. You expect my name, my history, without giving me anything of yourself." Her eyes were cool and pointed. "How can I trust you?"

She looked away from him for a moment, shivering despite herself. She had spoken more than she often did. She was a being of few words, and she certainly never pursued and ended conversation. But in this she needed closure. She needed to know that she wasnt an object of longing. She needed to know she wasnt becoming Erys - that all she had run from had caught up with her. She breathed slowly, glancing up with a flash of defeated irritability. "Ameliora." That was all he was getting. For now. But she needed information, and this was how to get it.

((Whoops i thought you had started the chase in the post before Sepya, sorry bout that! ^^' Haha nice update on your location! It is a good idea, i might even change mine as well.))

As Ice was leaping mid air towards the wolf snarling with glaring greens, Ices mind jumped track when the other she wolf jumped and rammed her head straight into Ices chest, knocking the air out of her in a sharp yelp backwards. Ice blacked out right after the other female, Ice gave a small growl, "No, i can't blackout now, not now..." Ices voice faded as she passed out a few feet away from the female.

In her unconsciousness Ice was sitting in an empty blackness, her anger spiked as she remembered being slammed by the strange female, in the blackness of her mind Ice snarled, "Grr, i won't give in like this!!" Ice burst forward in a run through the dark of her mind, she didn't have a clue where she was running to, but she ran anyways, then a black figure made her stop, she raised her eyes up to the figure of her mind, she gasped at who she saw, it was Gemstone, her brother who was traveling as a loner, he grinned at her and said, "Get back there and show them loners what you're made of sis! Make them shiver down to their very marrow!" With that Ice began to open her eyes again, she was still lying on the forest floor, the strange female a few feet away.

Ice got back up on her paws, shaken a bit from the hit but otherwise fine, she shook out her fur violently with a growl and a sharp glare at the loner. Ice knew too well if she remained the wolf would surely begin to run off again and already they were close to the pack, instead Ice melted into the shadows of the forest and carefully watched the female with silent observation.

"Who was she?"

Gale was surprised by the female's boldness. Did she really think he would share such knowledge with her? She slightly irritated him but not enough to cause it to show. The irritation was mostly because she caught him to slip up for a long duration before he had been able to regain his cold self. Green eyes looked up and into the female's own and allowed him to see the analyzing look that was strolling over him. She knew that he saw someone else in her but he wasn't sure how she felt about it. For the first time, she had turned her head away from him. Had he angered her? Offended her? The warrior didn't usually concern himself with the details of how others felt but he had experienced some changes since joining the Banishing Winds. Even though he never wanted to share the long gone scout's name, he felt that he owed the silver-grey wolf that much.

"Her name was Elysia." His answer came out soft and held some affection for the name as well as pain. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't delete those emotions from colouring his voice.

The female glanced at the water after he swam across and he could see that she didn't want to take a dip. Yet she stood with a flick of her ears, a sigh and a glance at Kira. The beta had not yet acknowledged the female; she simply walked to the water with a quiet determination and a fluid grace. It was something that Elysia had done whenever she seen him coming. A small but sad smile flashed on his face for a few seconds before vanishing completely. Already he had another lapse in his mask. At this rate, he would lose everything. Once the female reached the edge of the creek she held her head high with annoyance sparking in her eyes. It was very amusing for the Wanderer; once she started to swim, he laughed quietly to himself but erased it from existance before she could hear it. She scrambled from the water and shook her fur almost like she had a killing intent. A glare was settled on him and he couldn't help but smile again. She had spunk. He liked that. Elysia didn't have that quality and not many other females did; it was interesting to see.

"Everyone knows that knowledge is power, not everyone knows how to use it. And I dont want you to lead me anywhere, so I dont need you to trust me. You speak hypocritically. You expect my name, my history, without giving me anything of yourself. How can I trust you?"

How true her words were. It was rare to find someone who understood the power it took to use the knowledge that could be gained. Suddenly, he found himself interested in the wolf she was and not the wolf he saw in her. She held a fountain of knowledge and probably great ideas; she was probably a very intellectually inclined wolf. One who he could probably have a discussion with about various things. There was a long silence which allowed him to catch what he had been doing. He found himself leaning in, listening to her words before he pulled back slowly. To speak with her would mean for him granting her his time. That would mean getting to know her. It would all only end badly. Either for him or her. He had been about to say something a little more cold in retort but he noticed a shiver running through her. He was no gentleman when he first joined but he had been learning. It was the determination that he implanted in her that caused her to swim across the river. Therefore, he was responsible for her current state.

"Ameliora."

He had just moved so he was beside her when she spoke her name. There was a defeated irritation in her eyes as she talked; he guessed that she really hadn't wanted to share it with him. But this was enough knowledge for him. The entire time that they had been locked in a verbal battle almost had allowed him to gather what he needed. Ameliora was graceful, brave, cautious, easy to irritate and intellectual. Those few qualities that he had gathered told him what kind of wolf she was and what she disliked. She seemed to hate it when others inquired anything that was personal. Much like him. Elysia had been more open to others and their questions.

"Gale." He murmured as he fur lightly touched hers. Since his fur was wet, it was darker and absorbed more of the sun; heating it quickly. His sprite bottle eyes showed that there was concern for her. "You're shivering. Let me help you warm up a little bit. We can't have you catching a cold."

Post Banishing Winds Gale would have done what he did best: leave without another word escaping from his jaws. But this Gale was a bit softer around the edges. It would take a great deal of time to break him down completely but it would work if one kept at it for long enough. He was like clay that had been molded and heated so it would keep its rough shape. Making a dent into the material would require persistence and patience but eventually it would happen. Granted, he would never let go of his true self since it was all he knew but he would be more cautious about it. Since he started spending time with Taru, he never snapped at the delta. It was impossible. He wondered if Ameliora would be want to break down his walls like Elysia had but for her own purposes. The answer would come soon. He was certain of it.

Ameliora's gaze was piercing, trained on Gale. She was unwavering. She had given something of herself. He now owed her at least as much. She did get a name, but not the one she had been expecting. In revealing her own name, she had nearly forgotten her earlier question. But it all came back in a rush. Her eyes widened with shock and she was silent for a few moments. His words rang in her ears. She was deaf to all else, simply focusing on his words as they repeated themselves over and over in her mind.

"Her name was Elysia."

Ameliora shook herself, trying to rid herself of the shock as images flashed in her mind. She was barely aware of the navy female that approached Gale, nudging him in a familiar way. Her eyes flicked between them, though her mind was still racing. She felt suddenly breathless with a mixture of amusement and regret. It was all so enticing, so tempting, so intriguing. It was calling her, just begging to be discovered. She had almost all of the pieces. Ameliora leaned forward slightly, still staying slightly. This male matched the description of the one Elysia had often described - for Ameliora and Elysia had indeed met before. All she needed to know was his name, his name and she would be sure. This was Banishing Winds Pack, was it not? How had she not put it together before?

"Gale."

Ameliora barely noticed his growing proximity to her. All she could think of was her own elation. This was Gale. Not just a Gale. He was the Gale. Ameliora nearly cackled, but swallowed it deep in her throat. Her legs were shaking ever so slightly - though she wasnt sure whether from excitement or from cold. Everything was coming together beautifully. She knew it all. Despite his attempts to remain mysterious and aloof - she knew it all. He had given her nothing - but two names - and it had been enough. She knew why he hurt. She knew what he longed for. Her gaze flicked to the navy female, narrowing analytically. A slow, sad tinged, smile crept onto her lips. She murmured quietly. "I even know who you are." She didnt realize it was her first spoken phrase.

"You're shivering. Let me help you warm up a little bit. We can't have you catching a cold."

Ameliora's leg muscles tensed as she was jolted from her thoughts by the press of Gale's warm fur. She had to force herself not to flinch away though distrust welled in her eyes. She eyed him suspiciously, her muscles tense and her ears flicking irritably. She swallowed, attempting to regain her composure. She tossed her head, her eyes still darting furiously from the navy female to Gale and back again. Finally she calmed herself, now secure in her findings - but also in the upper hand she had gained.

"You must be Taru, or perhaps you prefer Rabbit Buddy?" Ameliora smiled, like she had a secret. She wasnt mocking Taru, or wasnt attempting to. Her words were pointed, her gaze settled on the other female - a Delta from what she had been told. Ameliora rolled her shoulders, looking back to Gale. She wasnt sure how to phrase what she needed to say, or what he wanted to know. She had never been the best at softening news, nor saving emotions. She was blunt, it was simply her nature. She shifted her paws slightly. She wasnt entirely sure who she should be adressing. From what Elysia had told her - Taru was her nearest and dearest friend, but Gale was her love. Honestly Ameliora wasnt entirely sure why. She didnt see anything loveable in him, but somehow Elysia had.

"She's dead. Elysia, I mean." Ameliora just kind of stated it. Out of the blue. She didnt want to tell some long story and get their hopes up. It was better to get it out in the open right? At least that was what she thought. She was sure there would be a burst of questions following her statement, so she continued quickly. "I met her on the very outskirts of the pack territory. She was already near death when I found her," she paused, "starvation." She shook her head, her eyes sad despite her attempts to distance herself from the female. She swallowed, feeling suddenly emotional. "She had lost her will. She just kept saying that she was waiting."

A low growl sounded in Ameliora's throat. She couldnt help but feel disdain for Elysia's weakness. She had just laid there, content to slowly starve. Ameliora had tried to save her, had brought meat and urged her to eat. But Elysia wanted nothing. She just waited. She had been so sure that someone would come - that Taru would find her, or Gale would come for her and they would be together, or even that Rune - an alpha apparently - would find it in his heart to forgive her and she would return to the home she loved. She was too stubborn to think differently. And she died, alone but for Ameliora, but for a stranger. Ameliora tossed her head, lapsing into silence as she waited for the explosion that was sure to come.

"Nice name,"

Gale had not noticed that Taru had followed him. When she nudged him, he didn't feel it. It wasn't until she commented on Ameliora's name that his attention immediately went to her. It was almost instinctual, the way he sought out her gaze. He needed for her to know that he felt nothing for the female who he was sitting close enough to share his warmth with. She was nothing more than the ghost of the one he lost. Truthfully, his heart was still somewhat broken from Elysia's depature but Taru had slowly helped him rebuild it like he had helped her during the great depression that the entire pack went through. Her grief had been born thanks to the scout's disppearing scent. The two of them had lost a lot of weight, though his was far less noticeable. He dropped so much because he was afraid to lose Taru to starvation. Every morning before dawn he would hunt for her. The first time he brought her a rabbit, she refused it and he learned not to hunt the small creature. His heart shuddered at the memory of her howling in the night. So much pain and sorrow filled the sound that he always found his way to her. He didn't know if she knew it or not but every night, after she finished expressing her pain, he curled up beside her and kept her warm. During the rains, he would stand over her; stopping the pounding water from collecting on her coat.

"I even know who you are. You must be Taru, or perhaps you prefer Rabbit Buddy?"

It was this comment that caused the warrior to leap from his sitting position and take an aggressive stance. Who was this female? How did she know that Taru was called Rabbit Buddy? Something had happened for Ameliora to know this but he didn't know what. Green eyes were gauging everything. She seemed almosted pleased with herself for piecing something together. For a moment, he pictured himself attacking the female. Not out of anger, but to protect the thing he had spent so long rebuilding. He turned his head and looked at Taru, a vicious light in his eyes before he gazed back at Ameliora. This fae wasn't going to break the thing that he spent so long trying to protect. If her words hurt Taru, he would react violently. There was no doubt about that. Before the haze of hate clouded his mind once more, he realized one thing: Ameliora had known Elysia.

"She's dead. Elysia, I mean. I met her on the very outskirts of the pack territory. She was already near death when I found her, starvation."

There was a relief in Gale. At least he was sure that she wasn't out there somewhere in pain and alone though starvation was the exact same fate that he hadn't wished for Taru. He wouldn't want for anyone to die that way. Least of all Elysia. Yet, there was a release somewhere. With the knowledge that the scout was gone, he could move on at last. If these words didn't affect Taru too much, maybe he would tell her how he felt. There was nothing to hold him back and already he could feel something inside of him wilting up. Elysia was going to be a lost chapter, one that he would never revisit. Given the chance, Taru could be the rest of the book. But was it really that easy? He doubted that it was. Regret would always be present in his heart. Regret that he hadn't stopped Elysia from leaving the pack and wandering off when Rune accepted him. Did he even tell Taru what had happened that day? The expression of worthlessness was something he never wanted to see again. Now that he knew Elysia's fate, would her ghost disappear from Ameliora? Would he be free to love how he wanted? Or would she continue to haunt him, filling up his thoughts with her? No, he wouldn't let that happen. She was . . . dead now. A faded memory that should remain that way. The majority of his heart wasn't hers anymore; it was the delta's. She held almost every single piece of him and would continue to. Elysia only had a fragment that would never amount to what he felt for Taru at this moment. Strength was being granted to him because of these thoughts.

"She had lost her will. She just kept saying that she was waiting."

Waiting? What had Elysia been waiting for? Gale didn't ask. He had just been about to go to Taru and stand beside her when she brushed past him. His paws ached to follow but he found that he couldn't. It was against his rules to follow her unless she requested his presense. To make her think he was looming was not a thing he would do. Rather, he watched her walk to the creek. A stone cut through her delicate flesh and he could feel himself cringe. Her blood was now heavy in the air and with every breath, he shrank inwardly. He wanted to go to her, to help her but he wasn't allowed to. Taru was a being who didn't want to be helped twenty-four seven; he would have to retire here. As he green eyes tracked her progress, he didn't bother to disguise the feelings that shone in his eyes. Sadness, the feeling of letting her down, and the deep affection he felt for her were all there and evident.

"Taru." He called her name in a whisper, not daring to speak louder. Instead of waiting to see if she somehow heard him or not, Gale turned burning eyes to Ameliora.

"Is that all you came here for?" The question was a low growl as his fur bristled. He took a step towards the female, his fangs bared. He was a warrior again. No, he was the Gale of the Western Wind. "To bring pain to the wounds we had closed? You just had to reopen them didn't you! You ruined her and you ruined me! Do you know how long I spent protecting her from what happened? Building her up so she didn't starve anymore?"

His voice caught on the final note. His feelings were starting to come into play; confusing him on what he felt. There was something about Ameliora. It called to him, wanting him to go to her. However, it would not compare with what he felt for Taru or even what he had with Elysia. The Wanderer's anger was powerful as was his sorrow and longing. It was too much. If Ameliora was foolish enough to hang around, he would snap and she'd be his target.

"Bless you he said shyly as he looked back to his paws. Mycroft gave a nod to Kaiana at her suggestion of a hunt, that would be good. "Just before Rune and Maiara died is when I joined" he said lifting his head slightly looking back to the Silvery female.

Kaiana flashed Mycroft a dazzling smile. She was glad that he seemed to be more open now. He was much better like this. Her darker grey ears lowered at the mention of Rune and Maiara. When she had come here, the beautiful Alpha Female had just died and Rune had been there. Though at the time, she hadn't known that it was him. The Huntress looked at Tegan, curious as to why he hadn't spoken yet. She nudged him discreetly. He of all wolves should know how she felt about ignoring others.

"Hello! Not to have been easedropping, but I heard you two mention that you were hunters. I'm also a hunter, and am new to this pack." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I was hoping that you would be willing to teach me to hunt with a group. I have only hunted by myself my whole life."

"Hello," Kaiana craned her head so she could look at the new she-wolf who approached the three of them. Her smile was still on her face and she slid over so there was room for the other Hunter to come and join them. "I would love to hunt with you! How about you Mycroft? What do you think?"

She found herself sitting closer to Mycroft and she offered him a comforting smile. He probably wasn't used to groups. Neither was she; they all could learn to get along with more wolves all at once. For once, her social awkwardness didn't make an appearance. There was no point in denying that she was happy about that. She wanted to make friends here and these two Hunters would be the best place to start. Her jaws had opened to ask for introductions when she caught a very familiar scent. The silver plume at her side began to wag at the scent and therefore, the fae stood up gracefully and dipped her head to the others.

"Please, excuse me. I just want to go and see my friend but I promise that I will be back. Just talk amongst yourselves and I will return before you know it." Her soft voice informed the others before she turned on her hind paw and walked away.

The world was dark now, moonlight shining through the thick, leafy canopy. When it struck Kaiana's fur, it turned her a beautiful silver-white. She walked through the forest, completely at ease as she followed the scent of the Master Scholar. When she came across the source of the scent, she froze. In the creek where Maiara had died Linnëa was laying the shallows. From her angle, it looked like her friend was dead. A whimper came from her maw and her entire body started to shake.

"Linnëa!"

One can imagine the surprise Kaiana felt when Linnëa leapt out of the water. Her feet were begging her to flee but she stayed rooted in place, her ashen eyes growing wide. Had her friend been brough back from the dead? That scared her the most. When she saw the alarm on the Master Scholar's face, she relaxed slightly.

"What?! What happened?!" She said, inbetween pants.

"I thought you were dead.." The young she-wolf shivered as she saw her friend in the water in her mind's eye. "Stay away from the water. It's a scary force."

"I would prefer Taru,"

It was not the reply Ameliora had expected, not in the least. She didnt react, not at all. Ameliora would have been lying if she said she hadnt been looking for a reaction. She was testing, probing lightly, but she wasnt doing it out of some sadistic amusement. She found the whole situation interesting - yes that was true. But she didnt take joy in watching their pain. Her intent hadnt even been to cause pain. Quite the opposite really. She had thought it would bring them some closure, some sense of understanding - perhaps clear up burdening emotions.

The string of curses that flew from Taru's mouth indicated that this was not the case. Ameliora didnt say a word. She simply sat, her tail curled around her paws, and listened. She didnt nod. She didnt growl or snarl or protest. She didnt smile or tease or mock. She didnt withdraw, or frown. No pain flashed in her eyes. Anger flashed, ever so quickly, but it wasnt anger at Taru. No. In fact, Taru reminded Ameliora very much of herself. As Taru was cursing her, cursing Elysia as well, Ameliora was transported back into her own memories. Instead she was standing over Raelin's body, and it was Erys she was cursing - Erys and Briac and all who were blinded by beauty. But the positions were switched now. As Taru was Ameliora, Ameliora herself had become Erys - something she had always feared.

She clenched her jaw, forbidding herself from uttering a word. Taru was experiencing grief of the deepest kind, for it was accompanied by betrayal. Ameliora took it without blinking. Perhaps she deserved it, perhaps she was standing in for Elysia. Perhaps no one deserved it, but Taru needed it. Whatever the reason, Ameliora was there to take it. She just sat and watched as Taru said her fill, then brushed past Gale. Ameliora merely blinked as Taru sliced open her paw, but strode with determination onwards. She had to admire the delta's strength - physically and of character. She made no hiss,no wince of pain as she waded through the water. All she left behind was the tension in the air and the crisp smell of drying blood.

"Taru."

Ameliora's attention was drawn to Gale as he spoke. His voice was a whisper, but his eyes were filled with affection - an emotion Ameliora had yet to see in the male. She glanced over at Taru's vanishing form. He loved her. But he had once loved Elysia. Elysia had gone, and his affections had shifted. Ameliora felt a pang of anger, more on behalf of Elysia than of anything else. She narrowed her eyes slightly, but otherwise kept herself calm. Love was a fickle thing. Independeble. It never lasted. Just look at Gale. He moved from one to the next, no concerns.

Is that all you came here for? To bring pain to the wounds we had closed? You just had to reopen them didn't you! You ruined her and you ruined me! Do you know how long I spent protecting her from what happened? Building her up so she didn't starve anymore?"

Ameliora turned her attention back to Gale. It seemed not all had vented their anger. Her own anger rose. Unlike Elysia, she would not sit quietly and take his anger. She would not absorb it in silence. Taru had been different. Her anger was not well and truly directed at Ameliora, but more at Taru herself. But not Gale. He was blind - blinded by love and by beauty and by everything that Ameliora herself abhored. Her lip curled and she stood defiantly. Her eyes burned as she stalked to stand nose to nose with him. She was smaller than him, but her legs were well muscled and her spirit was strong.

"You needed closure! You think you had moved on? You are foolish to beleive it when we both know it isnt true. She haunts you. You dont know why she left you, why she left Taru. You keep wanting her to come back - you couldnt stop yourself from approaching me because I carry some resemblence to her." Her eyes narrowed and she lowered her voice. She might be angering the male, but her words were what he needed to hear. "I'm the one allowing you to move on."

She stepped back slightly, eyeing the male with distaste. She distinctly remembered the look of devotion and love in Elysia's eyes when she spoke of Gale. She had been sure that he would plead her case with Rune, that he would come for her to bring her home. But he had abandoned her. Ameliora shook her head, disgusted. "She spoke of you every day. She spoke of how you would fight for her - that you always had. That you would win her acceptance back, and be reunited. All she wanted was to come back for you." Ameliora paused, her hackles settling. She motioned her head towards the trees. "But you were too busy moving on, finding someone else to protect. I ask you this Gale - who ruined who?"

"You needed closure! You think you had moved on? You are foolish to beleive it when we both know it isnt true. She haunts you. You dont know why she left you, why she left Taru. You keep wanting her to come back - you couldnt stop yourself from approaching me because I carry some resemblence to her. I'm the one allowing you to move on."

"I had moved on." Gale growled. More and more hate and heat built up in his system for every second that went by. "I would have been fine if you hadn't come here. Her ghost had been buried for the longest time and never would have resurfaced."

Ameliora stood nose to nose with him and held his burning green gaze. That angered the warrior the most. No one was supposed to look him in the eyes! All the hairs that could lift off of his skin was bristled as high as they possibly could. Only once had he been insulted for looking like a multi-hued pine cone. That had been a huge mistake on their part. His temper was close to snapping. So close that the dark aura that had lain dormant for the past year was beginning to surface. The beast was wide awake now, commanding for its release. Faintly, he realized that this was the exact effect that Elysia had had on him before she died.

His jaws opened and had just been about to snap shut on the female's muzzle when she stepped back and eyed him with distaste. A smart move on her part. A very smart move. Rather than sinking into skin, his teeth clattered together with a snap. His dark hued tail sliced through the air. This haze was horrible, clouding his every thought. The control he had before this was useless now. It might as well have never existed. When Ameliora shook her head with disgust, he let loose a vicious snarl that echoed through the clearing.

"She spoke of you every day. She spoke of how you would fight for her - that you always had. That you would win her acceptance back, and be reunited. All she wanted was to come back for you. But you were too busy moving on, finding someone else to protect. I ask you this Gale - who ruined who?"

The anger that swamped his body suddenly disappeared. Elysia.. had spoken about him. She had waited for him to come and find her. She wanted to come back to him, to be with him and he let her down by not going after her. Shame flooded his veins then, along with a tide of sorrow. It was his fault that Elysia was dead, not anyone else's. For the first time in his life, the warrior lowered his head and closed his eyes in defeat. If only he had followed her. He could have saved her life. Rather, he left her on the outskirts of the territory to die. Taru would hate him when he told her. That was something that he was certain of. He killed her Rabbit Buddy, her best friend. It had been unknowingly but it still happened. The delta had been accepting of his previous murders but this one hit far closer to home. For him and most definitely for her.

"You may think that you know everything, but you know nothing about me and Elysia." He looked up again, his mask back in place. His eyes didn't recieve that protection and clearly showed his regret and the memories that were there. "I love her. I will always love her. Not because she was beautiful on the outside, but because of who she was on the inside. But that doesn't mean I don't have feelings for Taru. Not that it will last after I tell her what you told me. She will hate me but I love her enough to know that I can let her go even if the pain kills me like it did Rune. I am not so blinded by love that I cannot see that." He broke off his voice full of pain. "You're right. I ruined everyone. No one ruined me. It was more that every single fae I met tried to fix me before I cut them down.

"In the conversation that is to come with Taru, I will still be the one doing the heartbreaking. The only time that role has been reversed was when Elysia left me. I was alone and confused. But now I see that I'm still the one who hurt her. How do you think it makes me feel to know that I killed my first love? This was my fault. There is so much regret in me that I can feel it eating me alive. This will be one encounter that I will not survive. You may think that I'm settling for Taru because I can't have her best friend, but that is not even close to the truth. I care for her because she's heard everything that I've done and accepted me. I've also heard everything about her and accepted her. But the reason I love her so much is because I'm a better wolf when I'm with her. Even Elysia didn't have that effect on me."

He cut himself off before he continued with his words. There was so much more that he could say but he was done. Ameliora would not gain anymore pleasure from hearing the brute break down. That was the last thing he would do. No one other than Taru would see the pain and guilt that he hid beneath the coldness and heat. It was too time consuming and made everything worse. The Wanderer closed his green hues again and let the sound of birds chirpping settle in his ears. Beforehand, it had served as a calming sound but now it was just a bother. Too many thoughts swam in his mind; not allowing him to find the quiet he so desperately needed.

"Please. Leave me alone." Those words came as a choked whisper. He needed to break down but he didn't want to do it in front of Ameliora. She might comfort him and this time, he didn't deserve the company of others.

"I had moved on."

Ameliora tossed her head, snorting slightly. He hadnt moved on. It was a lie, and a feeble one at that. She shook her head. Either this male was determined to convince her of something they both knew wasnt true, or he had deluded himself into denial. Her ears flicked as she listened to him. If he had moved on, why hadnt he been able to stop himself from approaching her? Why had he looked at her with such longing? Why had he smelled her? Ameliora wasnt the poster child for sucessful relationships, but Gale had not moved on. She didnt doubt that he loved Taru, but she doubted he had been able to detach himself from Elysia - or her memory. And he would never be able to give himself to Taru until he allowed himself to forgive - and forget.

"I would have been fine if you hadn't come here. Her ghost had been buried for the longest time and never would have resurfaced."

Ameliora's eyes widened slightly. Now this was just too much. He was blinded. She tilted her head, looking him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. She felt a pang of sympathy for the male. He thought he knew so much, that he understood it all. But he couldnt figure out himself. He couldnt handle his own emotions, so he forced them away. But that only made them all the more powerful. She had learned that herself. Her eyes flashed bitterness. Yes, she had learned her lessons - more than she had ever desired. "You and I both know that is a lie. I hadnt even mentioned her name. I hadnt said a word, but you were drawn to me." She looked at him, trying to force him to understand. "It doesnt matter if it was me, or the next stranger that entered here. Something would have provoked you. I just happened to be the final push."

"You may think that you know everything, but you know nothing about me and Elysia. I love her. I will always love her. Not because she was beautiful on the outside, but because of who she was on the inside. But that doesn't mean I don't have feelings for Taru. Not that it will last after I tell her what you told me. She will hate me but I love her enough to know that I can let her go even if the pain kills me like it did Rune. I am not so blinded by love that I cannot see that. You're right. I ruined everyone. No one ruined me. It was more that every single fae I met tried to fix me before I cut them down."

Ameliora's hackles had begun to bristle when his jaws snapped shut - dangerously near to where her muzzle had been moments before. He was being quite childish. Her eyes narrowed slightly, though began to widen as he continued to speak. She rolled her eyes towards the sky, her mouth twitching up at the edge. Her cool golden gaze met his green one. Her voice was a light murmur as she continued to survey him. "And finally the truth comes out." She considered standing, but considering this male's unpredictable temper, she stayed seated. She watched the male, her thoughts whirling.

Somewhere in the conversation, he had lost the intrigue she had seen in him. He had ceased to be a mystery, ceased to be unique in her eyes. She saw it now. He was just a wolf, just another wolf like them all. Broken, but healing. He was moving on, because he wanted to and because he could. All she was, was a step in his pathway. She was one of many stones to hop to, perhaps a lesson to be learned. But nothing more. She heaved a sigh. It was how it always ended. She was just the teacher, with nothing to be taught and nothing to learn. Her tail swished irritably against her legs. She wasnt here to play counselor. She was here to pursue her own interests. Conveying Elysia's last days had simply been a convienience which had turned very inconvenient indeed.

"That feeling, those words. Thats called acceptance. Learn it. Live it. Love it." Her voice had taken on a sharp edge. It wasnt just her annoyance, but the twinge of jealousy she felt. She felt it when she saw Taru and Gale - or any couple for that matter. No matter how much she hated Erys - she had always wanted to be that beauty. She envied the females who got that attention, and it made her bitter. She continued impatiently. "So what are you going to do now? Beat yourself up? Fat lot of good that will do. She's dead. She's been dead for a while now, I would know I was there when she died." Her eyes flashed. "Accept the fault, and make things right. Make someone happy out of this."

She stood, turning away from Gale. He was blathering on now, something about heartbreak and Taru and becoming a better wolf. Ameliora didnt want to hear it. She didnt want to hear about how Taru's beauty cured him of all his faults. She didnt want to stay and watch his destruction turn into a new life when hers hadnt. Her tail lashed against her legs as she stalked towards the creek. It had been a mistake to come here, a mistake to reveal herself. She should have simply moved on when Crimson took steps towards acceptance. Perhaps she could vanish, none more the wiser. She doubted Gale would have much interest in pursuing her, and the others barely knew of her presence.

"Please. Leave me alone."

Ameliora paused, the water lapping at her paws. Her ears flicked, her lips pressed into a hard line. She smirked, though it held no mirth. The bitterness that had only flashed before was clear now. Her eyebrows knitted together and she turned away impatiently. "Being alone isnt as great as you might think." But she was done now. She wasnt playing healer. She didnt want to be his shoulder to cry on. That wasnt her job. Let Taru do that. Let them mourn together, then fall in love and have perfect beautiful puppies. Fine by her. She had a life to live of her own.

Makya wasnt exactly paying attention. His eyes kept darting nervously to the gurgling creek. The creek was quiet, small. It was shallow and flowed gently over the pebbles in its bed. But to Makya it was still menacing. He eyed it with distaste and suspicion. He had to swallow a growl when first Gale, and then the new female, dared to enter it. But they swam across like it was nothing. But it wasnt nothing. It was everything. It was powerful - something to be feared. It was a murderer. Gale and the gray female were flaunting it in the face of the river - their bravery and their foolhardy courage. Makya shook his head. He may be still in the throws of adolescence, but he knew when to respect Mother Nature's monsters.

He pawed at the ground nervously, glad when Kira accepted the male Crimson. That meant that business was done, unless Kira decided to confront the other female. Makya peered at the female. She was a mixture of creams, silvers and dark greys - actually remarkably similar to his own coat - right down to the golden eyes. Makya narrowed his gaze. They could have been siblings. It was eery. He tossed his head, feeling slightly irritable. What was she doing parading around? She should be here, begging for Kira's acceptance - maybe even begging for his acceptance. He was a delta. He had the power to accept or reject prospective members. But all she wanted to do what talk to Gale. Makya turned his head away. He didnt really like Gale either, and he didnt understand the name.

Someone had once tried to explain it to him. They said a Gale was a really strong storms. Well he had seen strong storms and they never looked anything like the pinecone of a wolf. They looked like rain and wind and cold. In Makya's opinion, if you were named after something in nature - it was because you resembled it. Cinnamon was brown - like the cinnamon root. Resemblence. Gale did not look like a thunderstorm. Makya snorted. And some whispered that he was the dumb one.

Makya took his earliest opportunity to dismiss himself, slipping into the trees. His pace increased as he fought to escape the quiet sound of flowing water and the flashes of Mother's sodden body. He shook himself, deep in the trees once more. He plopped himself down, looking more like a puppy than an adult. He was oblivious to the small group of Spirit, Crimson and Cinnamon a short distance to his left. He just sat, his shoulders sagging and his head low as he muttered unintelligably to himself.

Spirit flicked her ears as Cinnamon made her appearance known. How long had the brown she-wolf been standing there? Spirit shook her head slightly, was she becoming that unobservant or had Cinnamon fallen silent for a reason? Shaking it off, Spirit flicked her gaze over to the brown scholar as she parted her jaws to speak.

"As Linnea said, it is good to see you again old friend."

Old friend? Spirit bit her tongue. She regarded Cinnamon as a fellow pack mate, even tolerated the brown female; but she couldn't say they were on 'Old Friend' terms with each other. Spirit had known the female, had spoken with her previously but she had never gotten close with the scholar. She rolled her shoulders, turning to look away as Cinnamon redirected her focus on Crimson, the look in her eyes changing into one of adoration and passion.

Finally she met Crimson's eyes, her fur feeling too warm yet again "And welcome to you Elite Guardian Crimson."

“Hello, again Cinnamon.”

Spirit could see it. The feeling Cinnamon so blatantly poured out was almost too much to pass up. The scholar had obvious feelings for Crimson though he didn't seem to return the emotion. Spirit couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for the she-wolf - to love one with all of her heart when the feeling wasn't mutual. Her eyes flicked between the two, not daring to utter a word of her thoughts. Spirit found herself drifting to thoughts of Soran. The death of Rune and Maiaria had affected him deeply, the Beta had simply changed after it all. It brought sadness to her, seeing him in such a reserved state. Her rarely spoke to anyone anymore save for Makya and herself. Though this only piled on another layer to Spirit's own issues.

Ever since the fateful day her attitude had been shifting. The once bubbly she-wolf had turned colder. While she tried her best to remain social within the pack she found herself getting lost in routine. Loners and trespassers wore down the snowy she-wolf and piled stress onto her. She had barely anyone she felt she was able to confide in, to sit down and simply let everything out. Spirit snapped from her thoughts as a voice rang out. Spirit snapped her head upwards, her eyes finding Linnea as the she-wolf spoke to her.

"Spirit, you can take it from here, please. I have to go do... Something. "

Spirit felt herself tense up once more as Linnea stated her departure. Her piercing blue eyes trailed after the khaki female. Even as her form disappeared in the thick foliage Spirit's gaze remained locked on the quivering branches. It was only after a few silent moments did yet another voice break into the air, causing Spirit to look over at another female. She barely knew this female, though she did recognize her. It was Adena; one of the pack's Scouts.

"Hello."

It was a single word, only one. A very blunt way of greeting others. For a few moments Spirit simply stared at the Scout, blinking casually every so often. Her thoughts swirled about in her mind as she to come up with some kind of response. She turned to catch a quick look of those around her: Crimson, Cinnamon and Adena. Filling her lungs with air Spirit let it out in one puff, an exaggerated sigh. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The sun had already sunk below the horizon and night had descended upon the land. It had been a long day, a tiring one at that. She thought back to Linnea's words. 'You can take it from here.' What had she meant? 'Take care of', what was there to take care of? Crimson had been accepted and everyone else seemed someone what content with everything. Casting her eyes down Spirit spoke, "Well, I feel that there's nothing really for us to do at this hour. Why don't you all rest? Or at least take it easy." Spirit spoke slowly, her tone flat and defeated. There was nothing she would have loved to do more than curl up and fall asleep.