Journey to the Blood Stained Home

“But there’s more isn’t there? It’s not just the pups. I know how much pain you go through when the one you love does something without telling you. She left without a word. Is it that? Is it Spirit? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’m just saying this because I care. And if I’m going to help you, I’m going to need to know what you’re thinking. And what you were thinking.”

Soran froze and sat down awkwardly in the bramble, unaware of his fur crossing and tangling with the thorns. The whole conversation had begun to turn extremely uncomfortable and a string of frustration crossed his voice as he spoke. “I believe some thoughts are best left unspoken.” He replied, his dark eyes fixed on the sandy female. “I’d probably end up hurting someone if I knew what I was doing...” His claws tightened around the softly packed earth, briefly irritated the Maiara was meddling in his life. Though he knew she was only doing it to help, and she couldn’t help her maternal nature, her questions were simply too much for him to answer.

Maiara listened quietly as Soran spoke. She hadn't assumed that he would take her blunt words lightly, or pour his heart out to her (it simply wasn't something most males were comfortable doing) but she needed to say something that would shock him out of his passive attitude and at least make him think about it a bit. Therefore his reaction satisfied her, she wouldn't take badly what, unknown to Soran, was really going to be good for everyone in the long run.
"You're going to hurt people by not knowing what you're doing. You can't leave them both tied up, waiting for you to make a decision that you don't feel comfortable making. Who knows, maybe you still love Mahina, maybe you don't and you don't love Spirit either, but you can't have both of them. That's cruel." Maiara stated calmly, no flux of emotion wavering her voice. "Just consider it," she finished, bounding back to the densite and leaving the male to think.

Spirit perked her ears, looking up to see Mahina bound off to some others where they were greeting a new wolf. The she-wolf sighed, so many new faces... She rose to her paws and took a few steps forward but stopped, staring at the group. Spirit was still feeling swarmed by the new wolves and she felt another body surrounding them wouldn't do much good anyway. Turning away from the crowd the white she-wolf made her way to a remote part of the clearing, still in sight of everyone but at a comfortable and relaxing distance. She would make time to greet everyone after things settled down.

(Lame... No idea what to do with Spirit XD)

Elysia's eyes widened and she shook her head violently. Her lips curled up into a snarl, her hackles raising. She lowered her head, eyes glued to Mahina. Her words, they weren't a possibility. Pallatsera, she was a queen. She couldn't be dead. She shook her head. And yet, the mournful gazes, the fresh sorrows. Her eyes were brought to one male in particular. A dark brown/black giant of a male who had joined. His eyes, his were the worst. They looked as if someone had torn open a wound and was sitting in a pool of his blood, just laughing at him. It was true, but it wasnt. No, it was true - Elysia just didnt want it to be.

The snarl faded from her lips and the light in her eyes died. Pallatsera. She realized, with a start, that she had now lost two sisters. Versitha by choice an Pallatsera...well she wasn't sure how Pallatsera had died. She looked between them, her head hanging. She felt limp. She sat down, curling her tail neatly around her paws. It was a habit she had, also one Pallatsera had shared. She looked up, glancing between Derek, Kira an Mahina.

"Who of you knew her? Really knew her? I want someone to tell me," She swallowed, taking in a deep breath. "Tell me everything." Meeting with an alpha or beta could wait. She needed to know the story, the whole story, from someone who had truly loved her. She didnt want a casual acquaintance or a second hand story. She wanted the truth and all of it.

As Maiara found her way back to the densite echoes of a ghost made their way to her ears. The word Pallatsera passed from person to person.
"Who was she and why is she important?
She also heard. She looked to the white male who had uttered the words, missing Elysia entirely.
"Why do you want to know?" she asked, wondering why the respected female's name was being raised in the air by strangers.

(short post)

Derek threw a glance at Maiara though she was Alpha he felt this was his conversation alone. Seeing as the wolf in question bore a very close resemblance to his mate. He stepped forward "I did, i was her mate Derek" he felt her death weight down on his heart once more. Sadness he thought he had locked away creeping to the surface.

(Lame but i got to go to school.)

Elysia had been, for a reason she could not fathom, unable to pull her eyes from the dark male. She was unsurprised when he volunteered to speak, though his following words shocked her. Mate? Pallatsera had a mate? Had. How was Elysia already using past tense? Why did it seem so...fitting? It shouldn't be fitting. Pallatsera shouldn't be dead. She should have reunited with Elysia, like she promised. Elysia raised her hanging head, looking to this male. She stepped forward to meet him, having difficulty holding his gaze.

"I never knew she had a mate." Her words were quiet, mumbled. In the presence of this unknown male, one she felt she should have known, her natural quiet shy nature was taking hold. Her ears twitched uncomfortably and her eyes roamed the clearing. They - all the wolves that had apparently known Pallatsera - were looking at her the same way. She suddenly knew, for however long she remained with this pack, they would look at her the same. To them, she was Pallatsera's sister. She was a ghost in their eyes. She was a physical reminder of painful memories. A scourge. Her heart clenched and she looked away from them.

She walked a few paces, sure the male would follow. She wanted privacy, not their stares and wide eyes. She thought she might break. She had always thought she of all had known Pallatsera best, but she knew nothing. Now a male whose name she didnt know would fill in months of a life she should have known backwards and forwards. Elysia straightend her shoulders, holding her head high and proud (again unknowingly mimicking Pallatsera's movements). She would be strong, for Pallatsera's memory and Versitha's future. She turned to face the male, her eyes tranquil despite her inner turmoil. She said nothing, just waiting for him to speak.

Derek gave a brief glance at those around him. Those that had been there for him through the months after Palla's death. He knew not what this new female would bring but he fear it would mean he would need his friends once more.

Turning with the female he moved a few short steps behind her, trying to take deep breaths and prepare to dig up the memories that still felt as if they cut his true flesh. Looking at the female pained him, she held herself so much like his beloved mate that he wished he could run, but he never ran from a fight, not even when she was taken from him. He knew she wanted him to talk first but he truly did not know how to start, his own inner turmoil, while masked like hers, was dangerously close to the surface.

Over the past few months he had learned to control his emotions, they had become so violent that he was afraid of them, more of them than a rabid bear. finding his voice, even if it did sound weak in his own ears he gathered his courage "What is your name?" He asked needing some link to the female before he answered her questions.

(I'm assuming that the mix coated fae is Charna?)

Charna turned to look at the male who had nudged her and licked her. She remembered him, but it seemed that the pact quarrel had been forgotten. Relieved, Charna smiled. Quarreling wasn't a fond pass-time of hers, so she was glad that it wassn't popping up again. Derek paced behind this new fae, obviously pained. It hadn't been much of a surprise to her that he had had a mate. A wolf as dashing and powerful as he held a lot of allure to him.

Inwardly, Charna shrugged. Did the strength of a wolf really matter? She had always taken interest in kind wolves, though she had never felt Cupid's arrow of love. Her grey gaze flicked over the stature of the charcoal black wolf that stood beside her. The male seemed strong enough, but she wondered how far his strength extended. "Hello there," she chimed, glad that she wasn't the only one confused, and also relieved that she had someone to converse with.

Charna was confused by the wolf's actions. Something wasn't quite adding up. Had she...no. That couldn't be. She had never loved or ever been loved. But why does it feel familiar? The male introduced himself as Zero-san, then as Zero-kun. It was all confusing.

"Can I just call you Zero?" she asked, eyes pleading. A shiver trilled through her spine. Shaking her head, Charna pushed all this strangeness away. She met his warm gaze and smiled, if not awkwardly. "I'm Charna."

(goodness lame XD)

Mahina watched as Palla's sister and Derek walked away. Her pelt, which was slowly loosing it's brown pigmentation, rustled in the bitter breeze, driving her into the warmth of the forest and her thoughts. There was nothing to think about. Not her sisters, not her parents. She was going to forget all of that, or at least try.

The wind bit her once more. She backed further into the forest, until she was not in sight of anyone. The female turned and dashed into the forest, her yellow ivories bared. In the past she would stay where she was, drowning in her own absurd thoughts. Often times she would forget who or what she was, and found herself back at the beginning.

Mahina slid to a stop, far from the pack. She snarled and growled, swatting at bushes and knocking off what remained of their leaves. She would fancy she heard thunder, but it was not possible this time of year. She leaped upon bush after bush, tearing it apart like a lifeless hare. She pinned down everything from berry bushes to thorn bushes, her paws bleeding heavily by the time she was tired.

Soran grimaced at Maiara's final outburst and he watched as she dashed away towards the group of scents beside the densite. Instead of following, he padded towards the only open place of comfort, where the footsteps of the elk echoed wildly through the surrounding forest. Seeds and brambles snagged at his fur as he wound his way through the underbrush, careful not to disturb the careful arrangement of the fallen leaves.

The male broke through the tree line that bordered his hunting grounds, the conversation he had had with Maiara earlier still buzzing in his mind. Though he was no long the Lead Hunter, he still felt comfort in the familiar surroundings and scents of the elk as well as the looming scent of dew covered grass. He had no intention of hunting today; he would leave that up to Falco and the other hunters, and instead slid to the ground uneasily. His head hung outside the border of the Grounds, but moved his torso beneath the shade of a nearby bush.

Although sleep had failed to claim him earlier, this time he welcomed the comfort of the darkness behind his eyes as he slipped into sleep, his head sprawled across his creamy legs.

Kira stood quickly as the one who identified herself only by Pallatsera's sister walked off with Derek. She padded quickly, further into the trees, needing to recollect herself. She laid down, curling her tail around her paws as she gazed at nothing but the tree in front of her, taking deep breaths. She knew less about Palla than Derek of course, but she couldn't help but have all the memories that the her and the previous alphess shared flush back into her mind. She flattened her ears and continued gazing at the tree, not knowing what to think.

Charna nodded to the male, noting his annoyance. Uh Oh she thought. I did something wrong again. She wondered where his irritation had come from - she had only told him her name, as he had to her. The tag at the end. Maybe that was it. She sighed, a fight with the male wouldn't bode well, but she found that she was confident in her fighting abilities.

Charna paused for a moment. Never once had she been in a fight, so how could she know what to do? She shook her head. This pack was driving her more crazy! Feeling a bit nervous about the male, she looked around for an exit to the wooded area. She moved around and came upon a rather dominant looking wolf (RUNE). Perking up, she yipped out a greeting.

"Hi!"

(no offenses to you, Zero ^^)

Faith had no clue who this wolf was, she had no clue what was even happening. Trying to find her voice, she walked over to this wolf called Zero. A dip of her head, before she stood before him to shaky to even sit. Her voice was nearly a whisper"hello...Zero-san" she said. Her ocean colored eyes, couldn't bare to look at someone. Her shyness took over her, she was no someone she was not. well at the start she might seem that way, no one really knows what is at the core of her.

Rune’s head twisted around as a greeting entered then soon exited through his ears. It was a voice he did not recognize and the scent this wolf carried did not particularly register within his mind as one he had met before. Although, it was obvious the one who had spoken had been within the packs territory for a good while now as a few of the other members scents mixed with that of her own.

“Greetings! I do not believe we have met before, so may I ask who you are and what status you hold if any within this pack?” Rune inquired, his words direct and clear as he took a few steps forward.

(This was really lame, but I was taking the lovely advantage you gave me Charmander.)

Derek threw a glance at Maiara though she was Alpha he felt this was his conversation alone. Seeing as the wolf in question bore a very close resemblance to his mate. He stepped forward "I did, i was her mate Derek" he felt her death weight down on his heart once more. Sadness he thought he had locked away creeping to the surface.

Maiara caught Derek’s glance with confusion and irritation. Was asking a simple question enough to incite tension in him nowadays? She understood that after all he’d been through he deserved a little understanding as to why he reacted the way he did, but still her fur bristled instinctively at the disrespect. He hadn’t been the same ever since Pallatsera died. The easy wolf he had been prior: new mate, new father, seemed to have caught fire and settled into smoldering ashes the moment he laid eyes on her corpse. Perhaps this was the reason for his sudden annoyance with her. Watching as he turned away and the loner she’d overlooked followed after, she saw briefly in the female’s face and build, a visible but not quite exaggerated semblance to the former Alphess. Now it all made sense. The newcomer was likely a relation of Pallatsera, which would no doubt stir up some old emotions in the Beta. She would not be a victim of his mood swings, but she understood why he had reacted in the way he had. She could not chastise him for his loss.

Charna's tail wagged as the male greeted her. He was the alpha, she guessed, hence the "my pack" bit. She smiled brightly, "I'm Charna." Rank? She froze. "Uh. Scholar..." she didn't mean to sound cautious, but what with everything, she was just confused. Memories came like a wave. Things she didn't remember where she was a wolf that she wasn't.

Her grey gaze met the male's, "am I forgetable? If I died, would it be like I never existed?" Her voice had taken a new tone. One that was experienced, rather than naiive. She paused. Why ask a stranger such questions? Groaning inwardly, she forced her mouth shut and awaited his response.

"In all honesty...yes at this very moment you are probably forgettable and if you died right now it would most likely be as if you never existed at all. At least to those who now surround you and who know so little about what you have accomplished, who you really are, and what makes you different from all the others. Because they know none of this you are simply a face that seems to blend in with everything else around them and with that some just can't help but to forget you." Rune replied, his voice somewhat lowered as he still took in her question. It had without a doubt surprised him and such questions were not his area of expertise, but for some reason he felt as if he owed her an answer.

"Luckily, I know just the thing to keep you from being forgotten." Rune said as his voice lifted and his muzzle began to play an odd friendly grin. "You see Charna was it? The key is to make yourself known by letting others hear and see you by making friends and forming memories that not even time itself could break apart. You see when you have these sorts of things it becomes rather hard to be forgotten or at least this is what I believe." He finished up as he nodded his head in agreement with his own words.

(Horrible XD)

Charna sat down, pondering his words. Friends. Aliss had been around with many while Charna had been confined to the den. The male's words bugged her a little deeper than she usually let herself be bugged. Why the sudden change? She fought an inward battle, then looked at the male, "I've never had any friends. So, I guess that makes it so, huh?" Her usual chipper self was back.

"But what of the one being brought up? Pallatsera was what they said her name was. She had friends? Was she more liked than the recently deceased wolf?" Lack of experiencce led her questions that were tinged with curiousity. Judging by the wolves, the Pallatsera female had been better...if that was the word...than the one... was it Karma that Derek had said had died? She frowned. "Better" wasn't the word she was looking for.

Guessing that the subjects would be rough, she offered a warm smile to the male. "Well, I'm a part of the pack now, so I guess I'll make friends. Well, what exactly is a friend?"

(It wasn't horrible, Rune. Not compared to this. Seclusion sucks XD)