The Winter Den

Kira perked her ears as Falco made his way to Silver, a smile on her muzzle at the two. She stretched her paws in front of her, flexing her claws into the snow before falling back down to the crisp white surface. She got to her paws, shaking out the little flurries that had clung to her coat in the night. She sat down, her gaze flicking from Silver and Falco to Altair and Mahina.

((lame Dx))

Falco smiled seeing that Silver was okay. He looked to the two laying on the ground, "your not interrupting anything". Falco simply smiled and gave a nod, turning back to Silver she was saying her good-byes to her sister. Watching the other wolf depart Falco spoke softly "I'm just glad that you are okay, especially after the tree accident and all. I was just worried as to where you were. But that's okay now, your here and safe, that's all that matters" Falco nuzzled Silver again lovingly. He smiled to her and wagged his tail in a friendly disposition. With a shake of his woofer white coat he rolled into the snow playfully and rolled around in it. He soon got up and shook the white substance from his coat and chuckled lightly.

"Now, I'm sorry Silver, I must depart for a little while, that is unless you wish to come. But the pack has some hungry stomach's and I need to fill them" he said again softly, smiling at his mate. Taking a couple of steps back he howled calling all of his hunters to come and hunt. His howl was strong and roared through the new territory in a simple melody. The hunter swished his tail and stood proudly awaiting his fellow hunters. As he waited he thought of the possible food hey could catch. This pack was ever-growing, surely they'd need to catch something big, such as a bison or a bull elk.

Soran raised his head slowly from where it had been resting on the tip of his paws as the sound of footsteps approached; the scent immediately registering as Dakota. Despite her cautious tread, he didn’t feel reproachful about the attack on them earlier but a trickle of disappointment still seemed to ebb in his voice. “I would be lying if I said I forgave you, but I’m not one to hold a grudge against old friends.” He sighed, picking himself away from Spirit carefully as to not wake her.

Something about the way the bronze female had refused to say mate only confirmed that there were still those whose hatred was directed towards the two of them, even if Dakota had reacted out of a different reason. “You said you returned to the territory to see your pups, but I think there were other reasons besides that as to why you returned to this place.” Clearly she was leaving again, and he knew his words wouldn’t change her mind. Whatever business she had had with the pack, ended along with the fight.

Soran held Dakota’s golden gaze with one of slight hurt and apprehension, no matter the situation, the hunter had been and always would be his closest friend. No amount of blood spilled on both sides could change that, so why did it seem his connection to Dakota was weakening. These were not the words he had prepared when she had left the first time. Even in the short span of time that she had been gone, he’d changed, such as all things do.

“I was hoping you had perhaps returned to visit those who still mourned for your departing.” He said, sitting down beside her. Had she really expected to just return to the place that, whether she knew it or not, was still connected to? This last discussion was beginning to turn the direction he had anticipated.

((lame..))

Soran gave away a heavy breath and rested his head down for only a moment to let her comment sink in. Exhaustion had begun to creep up on him again, but he couldn’t just let their discussion hang the way it was. “I’m not quite sure actually...” He admitted, a slightly perplexed expression crossing his face. “Wouldn’t the second good-bye be easier, if it was proof your paths would cross again someday?” He shuffled his paws slightly as his tail curled around his body in an attempt to conserve heat.

Spirit began to shuffle in her sleep as her pleasant dream turned dark. Her legs twitched slightly as she began to run for someone unknown enemy in her mind. She woke quickly, raising her head up from the ground she drew in the night air; taking deep breaths as she looked around her. Spirit let out a relieved sigh, it had only been a dream. She glanced to her side, noting the absent warmth of Soran, finding him a short distance away speaking with Dakota.

The white she-wolf rose from to her paws, stretching her limbs slowly. He needed time to clear things up with the brown she-wolf and she wasn't going to interrupt them. Flicking her tail behind her Spirit turned to walk away from the densite. She didn't really know where she was headed, after all she had never been to this den with the pack before, but she let her paws carry her over the white ground. Her gaze flickered up to the sky, finding the moon was rising into the black sky. It's light bathed her, making her fur illuminate in a slight glow; matching the snow around her.

Without really knowing how she got there Spirit found herself in a small clearing, not far from the den. She sighed, her warm breath turning into a white mist as it hit the chilling air. With night's decent the temperature had begun to drop and Spirit noticed it as she sat down in the middle of the clearing. But she pushed past the cold, gazing up at the twinkling stars above her. Was it possible they held the answers she needed? Could they help her with her problems? She shook her head, a shiver passing through her momentarily. Spirit sighed, her gaze dropping down to her paws as she listened to the sounds of nature around her.

Soran couldn’t help but give a faint laugh as well; the conversation was becoming a strange one indeed, but a good one nonetheless. “Then at least we got to meet again. I’d rather exchange the few words with you I have before you go,” He finished, finally sliding into the snow without effort. “And I doubt that. You weren’t the only one angered by Spirit and I.” A small smile still lingered on his muzzle, even after the laughter had died away. If Dakota did leave again, at least they had been able to have one last conversation, instead of hasty good-byes.

Soran gave a simple nod in understanding, the last thing she needed was lingering looks as she left the territory a final time, this time to search for her pups. With a flick of his tail he turned away, secretly uttering a silent farewell to his oldest friend. Despite the brief conversation, he felt as though something had finally settled; there was no need to worry for the female any longer.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he quickly noticed Spirit had moved away from their original settling place, perhaps due to the absence of warmth. Though looking farther past, he noticed she had placed herself in the snow not to far away. His paws crunched lightly beneath him as he approached from her side and lowered himself to sit beside her. The male touched his nose to hers, however briefly as to not startle her; but he felt himself just as troubled as she looked. “Whatever happens now will be done and over with. It’d easier to spread out the problems and deal with them one bye one.” He said, though his words sounded weak, and hardly made up for all the days events.

Spirit's ears perked as she heard the sound of snow crunching; footsteps coming towards her, though she didn't look up until she felt Soran's touch on her nose. She wrapped her tail around her paws as she listened to him speak. She nodded silently in response, nuzzling her muzzle against his. She didn't know what she could say, or rather should say. She sighed, pressing closer to Soran as she felt herself shiver again; as much as she loved winter her small size did little to keep in heat.

"Hopefully such problems will be put past everyone soon." She said, her gaze focus on something in the distance. "Everything will be much better once they are..." She stopped, not really knowing where she was going with this. She leaned her head against Soran's shoulder as she mulled over her thoughts.

[ Lame.. ]

Elysia, to say the least, was a bit shocked. One moment, this strange female was spitting and attacking Spirit - then Soran and now..what? Elysia wasn't sure. She knew she shouldnt be involved. It wasn't her fight. It was Spirit's and Soran's and that female's. Spirit and Soran were her pack mates, so she should stand for them - but it felt wrong to say anything or make any movement. Eventually, everything just seemed to die down. The pack dispersed and Elysia found herself alone yet again. Her ears flicked, she was not enjoying this whole "I-Have-No-Friends" thing. All it meant was that no one explained what was going on, ever.

Elysia hauled herself to her paws. Now that the adrenaline had finished coursing through her blood, she had chilled once more. She shook herself, dislodging flakes of snow and droplets of water. She shivered, padding towards the main den. No one seemed to look at her, notice her at all. It was one or the other - she was invisible, or she was Pallatsera's ghost. But she was never Elysia. It was a pain really, she would have liked a chance to be Elysia and to be accepted as Elysia. Though perhaps she had brought her own troubles to herself. She had left Kanae and Charna and Mahina and Insomnia. It was her choice.

She needed to stop being so picky, just buck up and put on a brave face. She sat herself down, curling her tail around her paws pensively. She looked around, seeing wolves grouped in pairs. They all had friends, mates, mutual jokes that she just wasn't in on. What she needed to find was a fellow loner, or Taru. Elysia cracked a grin. She liked Taru.

(Sorry for the lame post, trying to catch up)

A cramp had begun to seize Altair's left back leg. He tried to hold off the pain but it became too much. Slowly, he pried himself away from Mahina and stretched out his leg. His leg throbbed with pain; he carefully lowered his paw onto the ground.

"Excuse me for a moment." He said as he slipped into the cover of the woods.

He headed towards the central clearing to check on the situation. All the wolves were in groups of two or more. They spoke in almost hushed whispers; it was obvious that they wished for no other to hear their words. Some spoke more openly about their feelings and such while others hid their inner turmoil beneath masks.

Shaking his head, Altair looked around. A lone fae was looking at the other pack members, her tail curled around her paws and a faint smile on her face. He considered going over there and eventually he convinced himself to. Slowly, he sat himself near her.

"Hello." He spoke quietly with a smile on his face.

His ginger-and-white fur was slightly puffed up against the cool winter air and his paws were kept closer to his belly.

"Your a big fella, aren't ya?" she let the words slip out and grinned wildly.

"No, you're just tiny." Altair replied as he gently pushed the dark fae to the ground with his muzzle.

The snow from where she landed flew upwards and he watched as it sparkled before hitting the ground again. His gaze was drawn back to the fae in the snow; he laughed. The sound rumbled from deep within his chest.

"The tiny ones are the ones you should look out for," she replied, lunging forward and nipping him playfully on the muzzle.

Altair lowered himself to the ground his eyes locked onto the dark she-wolf. Her fur was an array of various hues of blacks, greys and whites. The nip on his muzzle made him relax. He had been slightly worried that she may have been offended but since she wasn't he could let his guard down.

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around." He leapt and pinned her down with his enormous fore paw. He was extremely careful not to crush her ribs with his sheer weight advantage. "The larger ones tend to be the more viscious though in this case, I'm the example of a gentle giant."

There was just enough weight on the small fae so that she couldn't break free easily. His tongue lolled out from his mouth; he grinned mischievously. Leaning down he drew his tongue over her face before pulling away and laughing.

Altair looked at the fae with concern shining in his eyes. He stepped closer to her until he stood over her. He craned his neck down until he was close enough to smell her. She was still alive, that was good. Fear had washed over him because he had thought that maybe he had crushed something vital.

"Hey you." He called softly as he prodded her with his nose. "If you don't wake up in the next ten seconds, I'll throw you into the river."

"One, two, three," he began. "Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine."

"Ten." Altair concluded his counting.

He waited a few extra seconds before he put his muzzle beneath her back and rolled her over. A chunk of her scruff was in his strong canines. He grunted as he lifted his head just getting her off the ground. She was light but he still had not fully healed from his injuries; this was harder that it should have been.

The muscles in his neck twitched at the added weight but he refused to buckle. Luckily for him, his specified breeding gave him a thick, well muscled neck. He stiffened his legs and made a few steps forward. The fae's hind paws were barely brushing the snow as he walked.