Shadows and Tribulations ((acceptance))

[scrii]

(I'll be roleplaying Ecclesiastes as a male in this thread, just for the ease of reading)

The moon hung full and rather menacing in the indigo sky, shining harshly in all its cold glory upon the land. No clouds nor birds graced the skies that night: silence reigned supreme, threatening to swallow anything that defied its rule. Shadows danced on the ground, taunting the sunlight to show itself, to break the mist of the night. At that moment, it seemed that the sun would never show itself... or would it?

Bitter, searing pain... what have they done to me?! Let me go... I don't deserve this... where have you all gone? Have even the stars abandoned me? The heavens themselves?

Ecclesiastes snarled and shook his head. No. This was not the way to enter a new land. The past should be left behind, not laid out before him like spikes scattered around a field of the dead. No. Why must the moon shine so brightly? Why must it split the air and... and... cackle at me? Must it taunt me, even by day?

As the wolf battled with his past, he realised that he had come upon a still and silent area. Was this Arnlan? The packland he had been seeking for months on end? Yes, it must be. Why else would the shadows be dancing like that? Rejoicing in the pure cruelty of the night? Yes. This was Arnlan.

Hesitating only a moment longer, Ecclesiastes threw his head back to the hard glint of the moon, and a howl burst out of his maw, flowing through the air and sparkling down, like millions of feathers, drifting always downwards… Ecclesiastes was seeking to join the Arnlan pack. Whether he was successful or not was up to fate herself.

[michelle]

Among the shadows, or rather a part of them, a dim figure seemed to drift like snow over the cold terrain. He was not alone, but he was never alone. The land he tread now was a part of him just as much as the shadows were, and he silently reveled in it. But tonight, there was another. Wolf, like him, and yet immensely, undoubtedly much different. Having found the wolf’s tracks, he changed direction with a swift, almost imperceptible movement, making the subtle changes of the breezes look like amateurs and leaving anyone who may have seen him to wonder if he had changed direction or it was just their imagination, and he’d been traveling that way all along.

His pace quickened as he neared the foreigner, the fur on the back of his neck prickling. If this was a trespasser, he would see to it personally that the wolf was thrown into the pit with the rest of the Scum. He blended seamlessly with the shadows the trees threw, coming towards the outlander across the clearing from him. A moment before he would have stepped out from the trees and detained the intruder, the wolf he’d tracked down threw back his head and let an explosion of sound erupt from his open maw. And it wasn’t a call for help from other outlanders, no. It was a call for acceptance, one that Karolek had not heard in a long time.

Perhaps it was time to bring new blood into the pack. Now he did reveal himself, moving into the other’s line of vision and under the impassive face of the full moon and the soft light it cast. Strangely enough, the rays of moonlight didn’t seem to penetrate his black coat, the ebony fur seeming to absorb the light into itself, leaving nothing to reflect. Wordlessly, he studied the outlander for a moment. His coat was a mix of dark blues, blue-blacks, silver and white and mismatching eyes. Short, spiky tufts of fur formed a mane along the length of his neck, falling over one eye and half-masking the other.

Karolek’s appearance took this one step further, his eyes completely masked by the same black fur that wrapped his form. Nonetheless, he seemed to be able to see just fine, as well as or better than the average wolf. The only color on him at all were two neon green spots on each side of muzzle, symmetric. Karolek seemed to exude what can only be described a dark aura, if not a distinctly bad one. First impressions made one think of this quality that hung about him to remind them of calm nights, soft moonlight and whispering branches.

He seemed to nearly hum with the presence of Arnlan itself that lingered thickly around him, as if the land itself responded to his existence in any place at any time as an honor to itself, lying it’s essence across his shoulders like a mantle. He and Sofika were the absolute rulers here, for as long as anyone could remember, and yet they both appeared youthful enough, well in their prime despite the rumors. Tonight had brought this timeless monarch before this foreigner, the use of value of which he was now weighing in his mind.

The moment passed and Karolek lifted his head the slightest amount, appearing as if he would be gazing into Ecclesiastes eyes if his own could be seen. The silence was softly broken by the sound of Karolek’s voice, whereupon the already seemingly utterly silent land appeared to hush further, leaving a void that one might compare to the silence that comes whenever a background noise is suddenly cut off, and true silence descends. The sound, which could not correctly be called a noise, washed over the landscape and filled that sudden silence. When the words came, there were questions spoken without the annotation of a question mark, because Karolek did not ask. He required, unquestionably.

“Who are you, and what brings you here to Arnlan.”

[scrii]

As Ecclesiastes shook his fur out, bristling under the glare of the moon, he started to wonder whether anyone had heard his cry. Was he a lost soul, standing alone on the battlefield of life? Or was someone coming... Blasted shadows, he thought bitterly. He loved the shadows himself, but at that moment, he wished that for just one moment, they might be banished, and he would be able to see anyone who may be approaching.

The wolf really didn't know what to expect. Would the Alphas come? What would he look for if he wanted to find them? Was he even meant to howl to get their attention?

Suddenly, though, he spotted two bright-green dots before him, and he flicked his tail abruptly as he realised that they were part of the coat of a wolf. Quickly noting that this wolf was of high status, perhaps even the Alpha, he dipped his maw in respect, his short, thick mane quivering at the back of his exposed neck. Then, the other wolf spoke.

“Who are you, and what brings you here to Arnlan.”
Ecclesiastes definitely knew who has was. But what did bring him to Arnlan? He hardly noticed the lack of the rise of tone in the voice which was usually present in a question.

"Greetings, Alpha," he started, hoping that this was, indeed, the Alpha, "My name is Ecclesiastes, and I come to Arnlan to seek acceptance within your pack."

[michelle]

Karolek considered the words silently, his thoughts masked by his expression and the fur that fell over his eyes. He walked slowly around Ecclesiastes, studinyg his form from all angles and mulling the tone of his voice, weighing it to see if he was sincere. The silence stretched on, but Karolek didn't seem to notice.

He lived his life in the quiet dark, and the beauty of what others might think of as a barren landscape, one that enticed him with it's very essence, and silence was an old friend to him. He and his kin weren't the governers and heart of this land for nothing. Finally, he came full circle and stopped in front of Ecclesiastes, offering no apology if he had made the wolf uncomfortable with his behaviour. This was still more that Karolek needed to know.

"Why do you seek acceptance here, and what makes you believe that you would be a valuable asset to the pack."

Again, there was a lack of any tone at all, just simple and undeniable requirement. A cool breeze whispered through the trees, stirring the fur on Karolek's tail and back, playing with the lighter strands of fur around his face before fading. Even after it had gone, the tree limbs rubbed gently against each other and seemed to whisper among themselves as the wind had to Karolek, putting anyone who saw them in the mind of gossipers, discussing this newcomer in their land.

Or perhaps, they were discussing their secrets with each other, reveling in being able to keep them to themselves, but wondering if the wolf that stood before Karolek now would be accepted as one of them and be eventually privy to some of their closely guarded dreams, secrets, and ideals. Arnlan was not a pack to be lightly joined.

[scrii]

Ecclesiastes kept his head low, his neck almost a straight line, as if still in the submissive position he had adopted when he had first spotted the Alpha. If this was not the Alpha, then he was an imposter. Those did not deserve the treasure of life. The long fur over his eyes veiled any glimpse of any emotions that might have been flashing through his lithe form, if there had been any.

Why must he taunt me so? It is as if he is one of the shadows... Pausing, and realising how true his thought must have been, he was startled by how neatly that fitted. Shadows... did they always taunt others? Revel in the pain of others? Or did they just test one? Test them... to what extent? Until they were driven mad by the ruthlessness of the pitiless creation of Nox? Perhaps one never knew. Who would know what shadows thought, if they did at all? No. Shadows did think. No one could deny that.

As the larger male paused before him, he raised his head in a slightly defiant way, determined to let his true personality shine through the shadow of his speech.

"Why?" His voice, too, was nearly monotonous, but not quite. Rather whispery, a voice that sent shivers trickling down one's spine when it spoke suddenly from the night. "Alpha of Arnlan, I seek acceptance into your lands because I believe that it is the only one which provides the phantoms and spectres of the night which fuel me. What could I give to your land? I hold a belief that I could provide my skills of spying, hunting or even merely staying to the darkness and offering my advice."

It was the most Ecclesiastes had ever said in a single turn. What would the Alpha think of his words? Were they riddled with holes and vile errors that were unfit for this land? Again, fate would have the final say. Whatever happened in between... That was up to the Alpha himself.

[michelle]

Listening silently, Karolek watched without a flicker of expression or emotion. His instincts from ruling the land were so strong in him that they roared at him to open the outlander’s throat, or chase him from the borders. But the past winter had been ruthless, and their numbers were low.

Could he trust this newcomer? This young male intrigued him; whether it simply be because he had not laid eyes on an outsider for so long, or because he was honestly an interesting type, Karolek didn't know. After all this time, he couldn't tell the difference... and what did it matter? If he caused trouble, he would be easy enough to kill.

"Very well, Eccslesiates. You may enter and remain as a member of our pack in our lands under one condition; you follow the rules and you don't question our authority. Most importantly, if you accept these conditions now, you must know that you can never leave our lands again -- ever."

He chose to leave out that if the newcomer declined, Karolek would kill him now before he could leak out any information about Arnlan at all, even the most insignificant bit. This was one of the reasons that Arnlan had never fallen in all the years Karolek and his sister had ruled; they didn't allow mistakes. There was no room for them; and he was making sure now that Ecclesiates would not turn out to be one such mistake.

[scrii]

Every muscle in Ecclesiastes was tensed during the brief moments of silence between his words and the Alpha's. But what was the use? If he tried to run, he was sure that the Alpha would be fast enough to chase him down and kill him. Attempting to fight back was even more foolish. And the moonlight would forever soak into his blood, the shadows continually taunting him and enveloping him in their relentless grip.

As the Alpha spoke, he nodded shortly. Ecclesiastes understood. But did he feel any relief? Any joy? No. One could not say that. His heart had been turned to stone by all the betrayal that had been dealt to him in the past. Still, he was glad to finally be part of a pack. One that he knew would not let down his trust, nor abandon him. And he would not abandon it. Dipping his maw again in respect to the Alpha, he spoke his possible last words for this first encounter.

"Thank you, Alpha of Arnlan. Though, may I know the name of my leader?"

[michelle]

“My name? I am known as Karolek. My sister rules alongside me; she is known as Sofika. That is all you need to know. Enter the mainland now; Arnlan will know if you try to leave.”

His words fell on dead air, fading away into silence almost the instant they had been heard. Studying for one more silent moment, Karolek turned away from the newly accepted pack member. To some it might be strange that he used the name of the pack in his warning, but to him it made perfect sense. Arnlan would know if anyone tried to betray them, or leave the packlands. Without making a sound, the black wolf leaped back into the shadows under the trees and disappeared, simply gone like a whisp of smoke after a sudden breeze. He had much business to attend to, that of his own and assisting his sister in handling the outsiders that were pouring into their borders. It bothered him, seeing all these newcomers.

But it was necessary, so he swallowed his discomfort and compensated by being brutal in who was accepted and who was not. Karolek refused to allow tainted wolves into Arnlan, wolves that would corrupt the others with spite and hate and filth. The only time they were admitted were as slaves, what the pack called Scum. The Scum were kept in guarded pits and used for dirty work, fed only scraps and left to sleep in their own waste. Luckily, there weren't many wolves that tried to infiltrate or betray Arnlan, and all that had done so were either dead or in one of the Scum pits now. He wondered if Ecclesiates would become a valuable member of the pack, or if he would end up in the bottom of one of the filthy pits too; he certainly hoped it wasn't the latter. Only time would tell; he would be watching.