Journey to the Blood Stained Home

Okay, this is it. Karma's last post...here goes nothing.

Karma limped tiredly along. She couldn't make out what was being said as waves of exhaustion washed over her. She dimly recognised Rune warning to be prepared. For what, she didn't know. As a nervous greeting was called out, she froze: the voice belonged to Mahina, a long lost friend. Her mouth pulled into a tired smile as her tail wagged in a dull happiness.

The fae collapsed against the base of a tree, unable to stand any longer. Her weight had not gained since the illness had passed, which puzzled her. She ate healthily enough, but even through her fluffy fur, she was a toothpick. Her bright golden orbs were a dull yellow as her parasite claimed her sources of energy. It seemed that no matter what she did, it wasn't enough. Some Delta I am, she thought miserably. The world was fading at the edges of her vision. Her stomach grumbled in resentment of being empty for such a time. It was a sound that never went away as of late.

Struggling to keep awake to welcome Mina back was the last strain. Karma's pulse pounded in her ears as she laid down. One nap wouldn't hurt anyone, she thought as her eyes closed to the world. It would be the last time that the dark fae ever looked upon the world, held dreams of finding love, or leaping through fields of flowers. The last time that her heart crooned for the presence of the one she had harbored a secret love for. It would not be known, for her fear and shyness held her back. Gleaming grey eyes reflected in her closed eyes as the two tussled in spring fresh grass. She had come so close...

But not close enough, as the world faded to black, the fae passed on. Her chest ceased to rise and fall with the rythm of breath, and her heart no longer drummed on. Heat evacuated her body as the parasite died with her. Had it been thought about more deeply, she could have rid herself of the tapeworm that had consumed her life, as well as its own.

A cold wind blew, despite the sun. No longer would Banishing Winds have Karma on their side.

((That was the hardest post I have ever made))

Her head snapped to the side, her blue eyes resting on Karma. She hardly recognized the black wolf, but when she saw it was Karma, she couldn't help but leap over to her. The female was already on the ground by the time she reached her, and her breathing was already ceasing. "Karma..." She whined, feeling helpless as her friends life ebbed away. Mahina's legs shook as she leaned down, pushing her nose into the female's lifeless pelt. Her eyes were closed, as she bid her friend a silent farewell. As she rose to look at the pack, her tail tucked neatly between her legs, and her ears went down, in an act of submission to the pack, a ritual she had learned, and had not yet performed to the pack upon her arrival back.

Falco had heard his named called by Rune to venture forth to the new den, he awaited for the Alpha to finish his words with "Those who are to travel with me will meet me here tomorrow at sun high. Until then I suggest you all prepare yourselves the best you possibly can for what is to come." Falco got wearily to his paws and stretched watching the other pack members disperse around him. He shook his coat and trod over to Silver seeing her still lying under a bush; He smiled and gave her a quick lick over her forehead. "I have to venture with Rune and some others to the new den," he sat wagging his tail looking to Silver under the pine needles.

Falco's gaze whizzed and he spotted Karma through the forest; she seemed to fall lifeless. The hunter rose to his paws with a shock, Karma had helped him rescue Silver. He bounded over the twigs and sticks that blanketed the forest floor. Upon reaching her side he noticed that there was nothing that he could do to help the Fae. Her heart was lifeless, her body limp. Falco lowered his head respectfully and spoke ever so softly "Even in Death, may you be triumphant"; The white male placed a paw gently on Karma's limp chest. His ears drooped and he slunk back to where Silver lay. He sat near her and thought about the death of the pack member.

Mahina's head snapped back when she heard a familiar voice. It was Silver, obvious from the green eyes and the brace work on her hind leg. Her ears perked up, and she stood up a little straighter to greet her friend, mainly by offering her support. "Silver.." She breathed, a smile playing on her features.

Mahina stopped as she was about to say something, glancing towards Silver with a confused look on her face. "I'm sorry, but did you say tree?" She inquired, thinking about how a tree could do that much damage. Unless Silver was joking, and Mahina wasn't getting the joke.

Mahina gawked at her friend. A tree had almost killed her! She blinked, once again utterly speechless. She shuffled her white paws in the dust, watching the dust retreat under her pads. When she looked up, no one had said anything yet. "R-Rune?" She lowered herself down, crawling over to him. "I- I would like to rejoin..."

Shadow was sitting under a tree, thinking about this and that. She got up and decided to find Rune and ask him if she go out and hunt.
(I forgot where I was last.)

Ah, there you are Maiara; it appears the search team I was forming will not longer be needed as I have found you myself. Even though I know that the dangers are rather numerous I can't help, but feel somewhat excited that I will finally lay eyes on that place one more.

Maiara smiled at the reflection of easiness in Rune’s tone as he began, even though it hardened slightly into more serious matters at the end. And although as always, her unquenchable curiosity tugged at the edges of her mind, she soon found herself adequately distracted. At the edge of her vision she saw Karma’s dark form fall lifeless, but in the same moment another female had caught her attention. Clinking noisily forward, a collar hanging around her neck like a wall between the two friends, was a wolf she hadn’t believed she would see again. Mahina.

When it had become evident that the delta female had left the pack, Maiara had mourned the loss with the rest of the members, wishing vehemently that her friend would return. But now that she saw her in front of her, she wasn’t sure what to do. The loner before her was clearly Mahina. And albeit being the slightest bit thinner, she showed no signs of being the figment of a dream or mere substance of imagination. But although Mahina was there, plain as day with her tan coat glowing dimly in the moonlight, her words of welcome had stopped up like a plug in her throat. All the emotions that had initially come to her when the pack had realized Mahina wasn’t returning came suddenly back to her. Among them were sorrow, and unnatural loneliness...but also betrayal, and mistrust.

"H-Hi… R-Rune? I- I would like to rejoin..."

The only thoughts swimming in her mind were that Mahina had told no one where she had gone. That she’d left without a word to her, or anyone. Submissive as she was, did she really expect all of her old acquaintances to reaccept her without hesitance? All she could bring herself to do was to gesture to the collar before walking off to see what had happened to Karma,
“You’ll scare away all the good prey with that thing,” she said blankly. And although the words stung in her mouth like salt water, she felt less remorse than she expected. Even less when she realized that Karma’s small form was no longer anything more than a corpse. Nudging the black fur of her friend with her nose, she bent her head over the body silently and took a moment to recall memories of the fae. But when thoughts of Mahina began to creep past and disturb the peaceful ones of Karma, she knew she shouldn’t put off the task of Mahina’s reacceptance any longer. She needed to hear the other side of the story. But even as she returned to Rune, with Mahina at his feet, as much as she tried to keep her gaze solely on the wolf, her eyes couldn’t help but flicker towards the brown leather that looped around her friend’s neck that, although obtained before her departure, only marked her as more of an outsider than any loner before her. She was unsure whether she could still trust the female. And unsure whether the pack could either.

(Don't worry Mina, I have nothing against you :D)

“You’ll scare away all the good prey with that thing,”

Mahina was at first taken aback at Maiara's words. Something stirred inside of her, and a mocking voice in her head told her to let go of the past, though giving up the last piece of her past was the hardest decision, she was finally beat into submission, she had lost her battle. Closing her eyes, the female let the collar slide off her neck and fall into the dust. It hit with a clatter, and as Mahina dug a small hole to bury it, she couldn't bare to open her eyes. When the collar was burried, she opened her eyes and looked to Maiara.
"I'm no different than I was before..." The feminine sat down, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm still me."

Falco saw Silver bound out from the pines to a wolf in the clearing in a white flash. His head jerked back in shock, the male sat there dazed a while before slowly getting to his paws and sluggishly following Silver over. It was Mahina, thats when it hit Falco, where had this wolf gone and suddenly she was back again. He though deeply and shrugged it off, maybe she just had something to do. The Hunter didn't worry and he stood beside Silver allowing her to lean upon him for support. He smiled simply at Mahina and ran his tongue over the wounds that had struck Silver, ridding them of dried blood. The corner of the males eyes caught Mahina crawling up to Rune and Maiara. His eras twitched briefly hearing that the wolf wanted to rejoin. He ignored it for the moment and continued cleaning up Silver's wounds.

Falco sighed as he watched Silver draw to where Karma's body lay. His ears twitched to her whispers and he wondered why she didn't seem to have payed much attention to him over the past few days. He shrugged it off and thought that it must be from the stress of her injuries and such. He bounded to her side as she collapsed. "Are you Okay Silver? he panted in her ear worried about her. He nudged her gently, his white tail swayed behind him in a fashion.

Kira perked her ears, deciding now was the best time to tell Rune about Shirota. She padded over, her icy gaze bright. "Rune, this is Shirota. He seeks acceptance" she says, flicking her tail.

((lame D:))

Falco helped Silver to her paws and watched as she soon slinked away once more. The off white colored male opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off by the sharp snap of a twig. Instinctively Falco went to hid defensive side, his head lowered and hackles raised. He was calmed by a friendly "Salutations" his ears pricked and he noticed the snowy white male. It was a lone, Falco smiled friendly and decided to leave Silver for a moment. The hunter shook his ruff and spoke "Hello, I'm Falco, you've entered pack territory friend, what is your purpose here?" Falco's tail swayed behind him and thought that he would have to hunt before leaving the pack with the search group. He shifted his paws watching the snow white colored male.

(extremely lame, also insomnia; Falco is an off white color with some silver grey down his back, just to let you know ;) )

Shadow saw Rune and trotted over to him. She planned to ask him about going hunting, but two over wolves were talking to him already. She waited quietly for the others to finish.

Rune's head bent inward until it nearly touched his chest as he caught a glimpse of the lifeless Karma. With a hint of sorrow still within his eyes he raised his head just in time to hear Maiara's words and see Mahina slip off the leather collar around her neck. A symbol that although part wolf Mahina, once belonged to the humans and even if she buried that symbol Rune wondered if she would ever truly be freed from her past.

With a tiring sigh, Rune nodded and then flicked his tail sideways as he walked off. "You may travel with the pack if you wish, but this does not mean I am accepting you again just yet. You left the pack without a single word to anyone Mahina…and I don't know if I'm ready to forgive you for such things yet.“ Rune said his voice somewhat ridged as he looked back towards the female for a short moment.

"Kira, if you have no preparations to make for yourself before we set out then I ask that you please take care of accepting any who need it...and what ever else the others may ask…your word is just as good as mine or Maiara's and I trust your judgment on such matters." With his announcement now completely over Rune headed for Silver who he spotted near Maiara. As he passed them both he stopped in, his tracks and looked down upon the young scholar. “I know you must be exhausted, but would you mind coming with me Silver for just a moment? I promise I won’t keep you long, but there are a few things I would like to discuss with you.” He added as he waited for her response to see if she would agree.

Mahina nodded slowly, her ears dropping and tail drooping. "Yes Rune..." She muttered, turning and walking towards a nearby tree. In it's shade she lay, her head resting on her paws and turned away from the pack.

Shadow heard what Rune had said, and trotted over to Kira.
(lame... but i deleted the awsome post i made on mistake. :C)