OOC: Pre-pack

Toxicity took Calamity to the mountain which was the resting place of their father. The journey was a good ways from their pack and the time alone would be good for them, Toxicity had decided. She told Obi to look after the shrine and Venom and of course he obliged. With the things at the pack dealt with, Toxicity felt free to roam and take her time. It was one of her first real pack outings and she could feel it as a big step in her journey to adulthood.

To top it off, Calamity was joining her for her punishment training on building her own future. Toxicity had never really been in the company of any other wolf for so long and so she didn't know what to fill the time with. Most of the time she just was silent. Every now and then, however, she found a nice plant and would explain its ritualistic uses or place for them to carve their sigils. She wasn't sure how to bond with Cala, and the only thing she could think that they had in common was their religion. Not even the only thing they had in common, but it was really the only thing Toxicity had period. She had always devoted herself to religion. She could say confidently that she didn't really know much about anything else. As much as she poured herself into her studies and training, the more she lost touch with the rest of the world.

Through her dedication, though, she had come to know herself very well. She knew her body's limits and where she hoped to grow. She was becoming a confident fighter, but she still had much to work on in her religious ways. She hoped with Venom as empress that she would be able to host public ceremonies and have actual participants. No longer did she want her religion to be this hush hush Abraxas thing she did in the shadow of her Klein family. She wanted it to be a part of the pack. She was okay with other gods- even Abraxas canon mentioned other gods after all- but she wanted spirituality to be a part of everyone's life in the pack. She wanted celebrations in prayer, offerings before raids, offerings for plentiful seasons and bounties. To form a pack of true believers and worshippers even of all sorts of gods would surely earn them favor and strengthen them under Venom's reign.

The first part of that was this trip. With Calamity at her side, she approached the mountain. Mismatched eyes met her sister's form, "I would like you to scale the volcano's heights reciting prayer until sundown. I will find a place to pray and watch over you while you show your spirit. Work your prayer into physical form to conquer this mountain- the mountain of Abraxas."

Turning now, Toxicity put a little distance before them. She worked her way up the sharp edges until she found a chiseled out area that was flat enough for her to peacefully stand on. There, she would pray for her sister and pray for the purification of the Abraxas through their efforts- to form a more solid image on which to stand.

WC: 540

They had walked for so long in silence. Calamity was also used to her own company - and silence - but the fact that Toxicity was somehow now bearing witness to her privacy was disquieting. Although they trod along in mostly quiet interspersed with Toxicity's insightful comments, she found the noise inside her head almost deafening. Thoughts crowded in her mind. What came next - was she reciting the prayer correctly - did Toxicity think she was stupid, or a failure, or worthless - would she be able to even reach the summit? - what came next, would she be able to go home and feel somehow restored? Some sense of peace? Try as she might, Calamity couldn't quiet her train of thought. It just ran on endlessly in self-ablating loops. Finally they paused and Toxicity addressed her directly. When she mentioned scaling the volcano, Calamity peered over her own shoulder at the towering peak. Her father's strange tomb. Was she capable of making it to the top?

"I will. Pray for me," she murmured gruffly, her ears folded meekly. Who had she become? No matter. Whatever happened, she would be a different wolf once she reached the summit. She was sure of it. Setting herself to the arduous task before her, Calamity began her slow and steady ascension. Cala would persevere. She would overcome.

wc: 219

Pestilence had had quite a lot of thinking to do since being in Fireside for almost a season. She'd been promoted which was one notch on her belt, but the defeat against her first intruder had been as humiliating as it got. It was an outcome she blamed entirely on Toxicity, for it was the pain of her healing wounds that in the end brought Pestilence down. Now she was freshly scarred once more, her neck still aching at times but at least the sutures were gone now. The fur along her neck was growing back, and she only hoped it would grow enough to cover the ugly scars that bitch had inflicted upon her. What was worse was Alarr was the one to heal her, and he still made her feel... Pestilence didn't even want think about it. She steeled herself and headed up towards the Volcano, intending to see for herself the powerful force of nature she'd idolized ever since it had erupted.

The full moon was high in the sky, and while it would have been atmospheric and beautiful the speech cutting through the night was anything but. The voices up ahead were familiar, and Pestilence's teeth pulled back in hatred. That stupid bitch Toxicity was here, and one of her siblings was with her. Pestilence had no real grudge against Calamity, but she could still hate the other sister simply for the role of priestess that she held. Abraxas was bullshit, and one day Pesto would prove it.

She slunk forward, watching as Toxicity directed Calamity up the mountain and found herself a place to settle. With Calamity's back turned she pounced, aiming to come upon Tox with her full weight and her jaws aiming to grasp down upon her sister's muzzle in hopes that her warning could be cut off. Calamity didn't need to be involved in this, this was between Pesto and Tox and Pesto sure as fuck didn't need the fight becoming two versus one.

TOTAL WORD COUNT: 1089

Pestilence Klein - Abraxas vs Toxicity and Calamity for Melee
Round 1/?
Age: over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Sharpened claw covers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather bracers
Companion 1: Red-handed howler monkey, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Saw-scaled viper, Male - Battle
Skills: Exper Fighter & Advanced Intellectual [Ranking myself down for a fair fight OOCly!]
Specialty: N/A

Toxicity saw the hesitation and doubt in Calamity's eyes. She needed to get rid of that. Doubt had its place, but not here. It was possible that she was so overcome with doubts and pressures that she was holding herself back. Her mortal form and mortal mind were still weak. If she sharpened those, she would be able to come into her godhood surely. Toxicity would love to have her sister by her side especially in worship. The shrine could use an attendant, especially once the walls were up. And while Tox knew she was to have a litter in the next season, she wondered if her siblings would also. How wonderful it would be to have a large brood of pups to raise in prayer and worship together.

In the moonlit mountain, Calamity began her climb, and Toxicity began to say her prayers over her sister. She prayed for their guidance and for godhood to enter her body. She prayed to their father and to Abraxas himself. She felt as if she could feel their power through the moon that beamed down upon them, casting their fur in a blue-tinted light. It felt as if it was their father's gaze looking down upon them benevolently. It had none of the warmth a regular mortal might expect from the idea of their father, but it was all Toxicity knew; a distant, cool light looking down on her. He was good to them, loving when he was alive, but that was so long ago and she was so young that she could no longer remember the fondness in his gaze nor the scent of his coat. Her siblings resembled their mother more than Archon, and Toxicity only hoped her litters would show of their father.

While Tox was lost in thought, she did not notice her other sister as she crept us behind them. She was so focused on Calamity that her first thought when the weight of Pestilence was upon her was that it must have been a mountain cat. It was only when the scent- the stench marred with that of a pack of mortals- flooded her senses did she realize it was instead her sister. Her mind reeled. What was she doing here? How was she here? The force of Pesto knocked her off balance and she slid some way down the mountain. She didn't bother to call out for Calamity. She had taken Pesto once and she could do it again.

She spun around and fought to steady herself on the loose rocks of her footing. She cast a quick prayer and glance at the moon which she had likened to her father just moments ago. "Haven't found that inner peace outside the pack yet, Pest?" Tox called. "I thought you'd be living in eternal bliss and filth as a mortal by now." Toxicity kicked off towards her sister, "I see the filth part is at least right."

Toxicity honed in on the newly healed neck wounds of Pesto. She aimed for those, hoping to rip them open with her jaws once more in order to end this fight swiftly.

WC: 526
TWC: 1615

Toxicity Klein Abraxas ft. Calamity vs Pestilence Klein for melee
Round 1/1
Age: over 1
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Advanced Intellectual & Expert Fighter
Specialty: N/A

She was intent on her work. Even as her paws began to blister - this was, she thought, the longest that she had ever walked without rest - Calamity tried to channel her mind past the pain. This was spiritual work. Was she getting anywhere? Closer to god? Or just more bloodied and bruised? The former princess closed her eyes and almost wept. This was so much more difficult than she had ever expected it to be. All that she wanted was to be welcomed back into the fold. Just as she lifted her head to look at the moon above, she heard a scatter of loose rocks behind her and a heated snarl. Calamity turned quickly, her tail raised high in alert. Pestilence... here? Her nostrils flared. Would Toxicity want her to keep walking or return and help?

But... what did she want to do? Digging deep, Calamity found a white hot rage. How dare she beset upon them here, is this holy place? Couldn't this squabble have waited? Today was supposed to be her day. Her redemption. Cala snarled and kicked off at a run towards the pair of them. Pestilence had the element of surprise, but she bore newly healed wounds. Her battle gear was formidable. Slavering for a fight - for any way to prove herself - she skidded to a stop and ducked down to try and bite at Pesto's back legs and drag either out from under her. Her bracers may have protected her front legs, but she'd do her best to unbalance her sister so that Tox could put a quick end to all of this. There was important work still to be done tonight. I'm sorry it had to come to this. I will not ask for your forgiveness... but I am sorry.

Calamity Klein Abraxas & Toxicity Klein Abraxas vs Pestilence Klein for melee
Round 1/1
Age: Over 1 yr
Size: Large
Build: Light
Mutation 1: Antlers - Offensive
Skills: Intermediate Intellectual & Intermediate Fighter
Specialty: N/A

Pestilence was prepared to give her sister a spiteful retort when she felt teeth land hard upon her rear legs and they were pulled out from underneath her. Her words came out a strangled 'yak!' and as she fell, Toxicity's teeth grabbed hold upon her healing neck. Fuck, Alarr was going to literally kill her. She collapsed upon the rocky cliffside, feeling the jut of a boulder knock the wind from her as it stabbed at the side of her ribcage. She kicked out at Calamity from behind, bearing her teeth towards Toxicity at front but knew she had lost. Again. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Her snarl grew more infuriated, though flailing did nothing to get her back to her feet and out beneath her sisters' multitide of paws. "I hate you!" She yelled - a-la- teenager. "I hope the volcano takes you both!" As far as she was concerned, these wolves were no longer her siblings at all.

Quickly the battle was over and Toxicity moved to replace her teeth with the weight of her paw on Pestilence's throat as she cast a disdainful look down at her sister. A smile tugged at the corners of her maw as Pesto claimed she hated them. Her eyes narrowed, glittering almost with glee, "It's good for mortals to hate us, Calamity. It's their fear manifesting itself." Toxicity spared a look at Calamity. This, she could feel, was why they were here. "You feel the moon's light hitting us? That's father's gaze. He is glad to see you here, bleeding over his grave," she aimed to press harder on Pesto's injured throat, but not enough to choke her. "The blood you spill tonight is the last of your godhood, Pestilence. Feel it leave your body and soak into the mountain just like ou- my father's did. You can't even call him your father, can you? He never wants to see you- not even in death. Why would he? You're just another mortal Klein."

Tox shoved Pestilence, hoping to throw her a good distance down the mountain. She turned away as soon as her paw left the bloodied throat. As quick as she could, she drew Pestilence's sigil with the girl's blood, then turned to Calamity, "Break her sigil, Cala. She is no longer a part of us. Let the gods and souls of this mountain attest to the death of Pestilence Abraxas." She was the prosecutor here, and in Abraxas's name, Pestilence was no longer one of them.

She would wait for Calamity to do as she was told, then she aimed to leave, not once checking to see if Pestilence was in earshot or if she had fallen broken down the mountain.

Calamity withdrew immediately once Pestilence lost her balance. Her attack had served its purpose. She hadn't intended to draw blood and yet she still tasted something. Had she drawn blood? All at once her stomach felt queasy. Attacking their sibling like this was an entirely different kind of test of faith. Cala had been ready to double down on her faith and rejoin the fold, but was this the cost? She averted her eyes as Pestilence cursed them both. It's good for mortals to hate us... Slowly her eyes rose to meet Tox's bicolored ones, meek but in solidarity. Feeling this hate felt... bad. Terrible. But it made her want to do something about (if only to stop feeling so horrible). She watched stoically as Toxicity pawed Pestilence's signature into the ground and commanded that she break it. With a harried look over her shoulder, she watched as Pestilence disappeared into the darkness. The fight had ended so quickly that she wasn't sure it had ever occurred. Although the moon dimly lit the mountainside, their act of violence had mostly been a scuffle in the dark.

Break her. This was her only chance. Venom would trust her, Toxicity would grant her a more permanent position in their faith - she hoped - and perhaps their father would smile upon her once more. They would meet again, she was sure of it. "Pestilence Abraxas is dead," Calamity said slowly, bending her head down to scratch out the bloody sigil with a sharp tine of her antlers. Before following after Tox she spared one more glance down the mountainside, fighting to find Pestilence's body in the dark. When she couldn't make anything out, she finally turned to follow after. Tension slowly left her body as she moved rhythmically towards home. Gods, she'd been contracting muscles that she hadn't even realized existed.