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Post by Squeeji on Nov 16, 2009 19:23:08 GMT -5
The Arnlan lands were particularly eerie upon an Autumn evening, the shadows of the trees looking long and drawn out like human hands trying to choke out the land, killing it off for Winter's cold.
Ulixes shuddered at the thought, because it wasn't as though Arnlan needed to be made any creepier, it was already pretty good at being that, especially knowing what sorts of monsters laid within its horrible borders. Shadow wolves so terrible that even they sent the great Nightshade off with her tail between her legs.
In fact, the Advisor could go on and on about what legends he had heard about Arnlan, its wolves and its mysterious Alphas, but what he knew for sure was that it wasn't know for its hospitality.
Yet, here he was, not even a wolf, trailed shortly behind by his pack's Beta, trying to call out these dark creatures to ask for exactly that. Hospitality. Because soon, his pack, Geera would be made up of nothing more than tattered refugees of a land that no longer wanted them there.
The hybrid grumbled, his ears for just a moment pinning against his skull as he thought of the injustice of it all, but still, the wolves of Geera needed to be taken care of, and he'd rather they went to Arnlan than Sallin any day of the week. The normally hot tempered youth sighed, letting his rage roll off of him and he looked around to see where Tak was.
"Where is she?"
There was impatience in Ulixes voice, he didn't want to be here longer than he had to, and even being alone this close to Arnlan's borders made his skin crawl. Well, he wasn't going to wait any longer, as he tipped back is head and howled, letting the whole place know that he meant to be here.
After all, with all these shadows about, he was almost certain they already knew of their arrival.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Nov 16, 2009 20:04:15 GMT -5
The autumnal shadows of these dangerous lands for dogs like them seemed to engulf Ulixes even though he was a short distance in front of her. Tak picked up the pace, finally falling in step next to Ulixes. She could no longer see him in the growing shade of the ink-black trees, but she knew he was there. Even if she prided herself in her level-headedness, she still had to fight back irrational thoughts of demons and wolf-monsters that brought the terrible Queen NightShade to her knees.
She shook away the thoughts of wolves of terrible strength and tooth with a soundless flick of her head. She had to pay attention to here, and now. The ground was knobbly with roots and uneven dirt, making it difficult to keep a steady footing. If Arnlan did indeed prove hostile they could make an escape, but the shadows that trick the eye and the ground that trip the feet would make getting out of there a sheer miracle.
"Where is she?" the form next to her spoke with impatience.
"Right next to you. This land proves treacherous, lets hope these wolves aren't the terrible monsters the tales groomed them to be..." she said in her low drone, her voice showing no sign of panic or fear, even though her instincts were screaming at her to make as much space between her and Arnlan as physically possible. It was her duty to be here of course, she would not run, it would be cowardly.
Ulixes howled into the air to let their presence be known, but Tak had a feeling the shifting shadows were more than a trick of the moonlight. The fur on the back of her neck pricked, she had a feeling they were being watched.
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Post by nightblood on Nov 16, 2009 20:28:38 GMT -5
They were indeed being watched. NightBlood didn't have the skill level of her alphas, but being an Arnlanian wolf meant that she had her own ways with the shadows, even if her own children were better in the ways of disappearing, even the light-pelted Sure'thim. Blood-red eyes scanned the two strangers with more curiosity than hostility. In her younger years, the two would have been begging for death by now. But the Beta was experienced now. Questions needed to be asked first. Then they could beg.
Night inched forward to get a better look. A blonde male and a gray-brown female. An odd pair, but what was even stranger was their scent. They carried the scent of multiple other canines on their pelts. Was this a truce calling? A declaration of war? That male looked like he enjoyed picking fights. But they both looked too scared to be trying to pick a fight with the wolves of Arnlan, let alone ask for an alliance. Outcasts, maybe? That would be an easier explanation. Well, both of them could not be helped here. Arnlan was pure wolf. These shadows were no place for dogs or half breeds.
A gust of wind shifted the scent away from her and blew in the opposite direction. No doubt, they would learn of her presence soon. It was then that the male lifted his head and howled out. Well, at least they weren't going to risk trespassing. She didn't feel like running and chasing today. As soon as the male's voice dissipated, NightBlood raised her own call, sounding for the Alphas to meet here as well as announcing to the pair that they had been seen. She stood up properly and walked forward, stopping short of entering their full sight. Only a paw stepped into a rare beam of light that miraculously shone through the branches of the trees.
"I am NightBlood, Beta of Arnlan," she said, introducing herself with a bow, "What is it that you seek here, strangers?"
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Post by Squeeji on Nov 17, 2009 18:43:24 GMT -5
Hazel eyes darted askew at the grey female and Ulixes shook his head, he really hated this place, but he got the feeling that Tak felt similarly to himself in that regard.
However he did smirk a little, perhaps due to the stress, but like always, with that gauge taken out of his face, it looked more like a sneer than anything pleasant. "At least they're prompt." He commented as his howl was returned. He could appreciate timeliness.
Though when the big female who looked almost twice as scarred as him broke the clearing, he said nothing. Arnlan's Beta wasn't what he had expected...it was disapointing really. 'I thought their warriors were untouchable...?' Of course, he didn't say such things, almost visably biting his tongue. Good thing Tak was there, as Beta she would no doubt be better suited to talk to this...Nightblood.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Nov 18, 2009 1:13:24 GMT -5
Tak only drew in a breath of the scent of another wolf a split second before the female's booming howl called for the alphas of the land to come forth. Her hackles rose in surprise, but she rested them knowing they were not in danger. Yet.
Tak scowled in spite of herself for her current squirrely behavior. It wasn't like her to act like this. She was just... way out of her element. It was dark, she couldn't see two feet in front of her face, and she was surrounded by shadows impregnated with wolves.
A scarred foot stepped in the moonlight. Tak could make out the form of a severely scarred female, making Ulixes look like he was perhaps mauled by puppies.
Well... it is some form of monster... she thought in amusement.
"I am NightBlood, Beta of Arnlan," the female said, making Tak's eyes widen. Maybe she should be a bit more discriminating with her thoughts. "What is it that you seek here, strangers?"
Tak's eyes were getting more accustomed to the dim light of Arnlan, she could see Ulixes fighting with his usual demeanor of telling it like it is. Deymon didn't exaggerate that fact.
She smirked slightly and looked back at the Beta, returning to her stone-faced appearance.
"Beta NightBlood of Arnlan, I am Beta Tak of Geera." Tak began, pausing to allow Ulixes to introduce himself.
"We come in peace. Our packs have shared an alliance several moons prior, in preparations for the stagnating war." Tak tapped a claw on an exposed root, a sort of "knock on wood" gesture. She hoped that statement wouldn't come back to blow up in her face.
"We now come for hospitality. Our land is choked, dying. No new blades of grass break our dead earth, thus, our prey run away from it. We are starving, dying. Our Alpha is ill and can no longer travel."
She sighed almost soundlessly, looking at the Beta through her scarred features.
"We understand your pack does not cater to dogs. We will make concessions for dogs and half breeds like us." She lowered her haunches to the knobbly earth, carefully selecting her next words.
"However, there are a population of wolves in Geera, we ask humbly to you, your alphas, and Arnlan, your hospitality to wolves that may, or will-- come to your border."
Tak bowed her head, staring blankly at her paws. At least she could attempt to secure a future for the wolves of Geera. She hoped. If not, there was no where left to turn, except to tell the wolven population that they were to be vagrants, or Sallinians.
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Post by nightblood on Nov 18, 2009 17:16:11 GMT -5
"Beta NightBlood of Arnlan, I am Beta Tak of Geera."
Night's regard for the strangers just rose a few dozen feet. A fellow Beta in her midst. This was a treat after all. She took a few steps forward, stopping about a yard from the two to give them a better look at her. Obviously, there was much to be discussed here.
"We come in peace. Our packs have shared an alliance several moons prior, in preparations for the stagnating war."
Now the name rung clearly in her ears. Geera was the dog-and-wolf pack where the scarred alpha called Deymon was from. He had come here with his mate, DriftSand, as well as Kahvie and Sonny of Synl seeking a truce among the three packs. Now she remembered.
"We now come for hospitality. Our land is choked, dying. No new blades of grass break our dead earth, thus, our prey run away from it. We are starving, dying. Our Alpha is ill and can no longer travel."
So Deymon was dying. To her knowledge, he had no heirs and it seemed that Tak was in over her head. She didn't blame the gray female. NightBlood herself would have sought help if the same situation had shown itself here in Arnlan. She would have to sacrifice Arnlan's pride to call in favors from Geera and Synl. It might not have been the best move politically, but it would save their tails.
"We understand your pack does not cater to dogs. We will make concessions for dogs and half breeds like us. However, there are a population of wolves in Geera, we ask humbly to you, your alphas, and Arnlan, your hospitality to wolves that may, or will-- come to your border."
"We may be well away from Sallin's territory, but their ears travel far," NightBlood warned, "We will take this discussion inside our borders."
As she stood to leave, a thought came to her. Blood howled for her daughter, whom she knew was close. In a few moments, the young female ran out of the shadows and stopped a few inches from her mother.
"Zuka. Shut down this border for the day. Turn away any loner coming in from this side of the territory. If they picked up Geeran scent, they could be spies."
The Scout looked questioningly at the strangers, but nodded in understanding. The 'Important Council Business' look from her mother was enough to send her on her way.
"Stay close," NightBlood said gruffly, turning her attention back to the Geerans. With that, she bolted forward, leading them to a more secure location while making sure she kept within their sight range.
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Post by Squeeji on Nov 18, 2009 23:49:10 GMT -5
When given the pause to introduce himself, Ulixes was succinct, his voice gruff and short. "I am the Adviser, Ulixes." He wasn't one to wax poetically when it came to the spoken word. But he did nod as Tak explained the situation eloquently.
"We may be well away from Sallin's territory, but their ears travel far," NightBlood warned, "We will take this discussion inside our borders."
It seemed that he agreed with such a concern from the big she-wolf, "Just like their Alpha's name sake...a weed that chokes off the land." it was hard to tell if he was scowling, or if it was just his face, but the blond was defiantly sneering right about now. "After you miss." he grunted, but gestured that he was no doubt following, even though he still carried himself with a certain carefulness. He still wasn't comfortable here.
Especially after that smaller female seemed to creep out of nowhere to guard the border they had just come from, cutting it off, he understood the concern for spies that might have followed, but now he was getting the distinct feeling that perhaps, that was more to keep them in...than to keep others out.
Fortunately, they had to run off before he could protest, the last thing he wanted was to be left alone.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Dec 1, 2009 21:28:46 GMT -5
Tak nodded, and watched with an uneventful expression as the Beta's underling seemed to melt out of the shadows to take over her job. They were going deeper into Arnlan. It made her skin crawl, but her eyes were getting adjusted to the night and rational thoughts once again took hold. Arnlan probably wasn't full of bloodthirsty vagrants. After all, they were solidly against Sallin. In Tak's opinion that put them into the alignment of "good."
Tak would much rather have tea with the alphas here than ever step foot in Sallin, where nothing will protect her kind from murder or slavery.
Nevertheless, she followed Ulixes up the narrow path, just a breath behind the Beta.
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Post by nightblood on Dec 9, 2009 12:17:56 GMT -5
"I am the Adviser, Ulixes."
Blood nodded to the blonde male in greeting. They had no equivalent rank for him to converse with, but perhaps Pollux or even Khenti would do. Her son was, in her humble opinion, the best candidate she could see for their open rank of Adviser and Pollux's was the next rank assigned.
"Just like their Alpha's name sake...a weed that chokes off the land. After you miss."
The Beta grinned at his comment. That summed up NightShade pretty well, especially considering the scar she had given her on her neck. That wound had very nearly taken her life, choked her of her air supply. She would feel the same pain very soon. With Ulixes' motion, NightBlood took the lead and headed into the heart of the land.
There were few times in her life that Night's leg actually cooperated with her. Though she had no feeling in her left hind leg, it hardly slowed her down at all today, or at least for this run. She tripped only once the entire way to the clearing. All in all, it was a quiet journey. Even the birds were silent. Any other day, the Beta would welcome such calm, but with the troubling news that the pair behind her had brought, it seemed rather eerie. She pushed the thought away as quickly as possible as she slowed down and entered the only lighted area in Arnlan. With the overcast skies, this small gap in the trees didn't seem to be much lighter at all, however. NightBlood had to fight to keep her hackles down.
The dark wolfess took up a spot on a rather frozen rock beside a large bolder and raised her head, bellowing out a summoning cry. It was high pitched, urgent. The kind NightBlood hardly ever used. The last time it was sounded was the day she had 'died'. This time it was specifically for the alphas. No one else would answer it.
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Post by Squeeji on Dec 29, 2009 18:35:04 GMT -5
It was a quiet run, no birds, only the sound of breathing, and the heavy hitting of paws on turf. Ulixes couldn't think of anything more alarming, then going deeper into this unnatural place, but he grinned and bore with with some humility.
Albeit with a healthy dose of paranoia, he could only picture in his mind an ambush after the beta howled for others. However not one to make a scene he sat obediently as they waited for other of Arnlan to join them.
Part of him thrilled at the prospect of seeing the mysterious Arnlan Alphas who would spoke of like legendary beasts, but he wouldn't hold his breath, he assumed that the scarred female was just calling her fellow Beta to help deal with this nonsense.
But he dearly hoped he was wrong.
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