A Break In This Storm
Her form slipped through the chilling rain, her paws powering through the slush and the mud without complaint-her legs had gone numb a few miles back. She had been searching for a new pack, and for the past two days she had been staying in a makeshift den outside of a claimed territory. The lone female did not wish to enter the lands unannounced, and was too tired the day she found them to properly introduce herself. Then, she was ravished, and spent yesterday hunting in neighboring lands to replenish her strength.
Now the heavens pounded the earth with chilling rain, so much so the wondering woman could barely see the trees she passed. The porcelain lady stuck her nose close to a towering tree; the branches would block out some of the rain and leave behind scent to mark the border to the claimed lands. She took deep breaths along the wood, until she finally caught the scent of the pack. Chanel let out a long sigh, the air in her lungs creating a small white puff. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to find them in this storm. But she needed to join, or at least attempt to, today. She couldn't take it anymore.
The loner lifestyle was not suited for the young woman. She was a follower, who needed someone to guide her and give orders. All this freedom and unknown was unsettling her. She had been born into a pack, so she had never been alone, truly alone, for this long. Realizing that, her violet eyes flicked towards the heart of the territory. Soon she felt the rumble in her throat, and planted her legs firmly on the ground as she tilted her head back and released a long howl into the storm. Her voice was full of power; fueled by anger and confusion, laced with concern and desperation.
She needed to join this pack. Whatever it took.
He had already been around the borders this morning, having noticed how swollen the clouds looked. At the moment he was sitting within his den, watching the rain pour down over the already slushy ground. Mud puddled claimed most of the plains already, making the Primo let out a soft sigh. It wasn't the worst he had seen here, not in quite awhile, but it still put a damper on things. He had hoped to scout out more prey today, but not in this. It was hard enough to see a few feet from his den, let alone trying to track something. His pale tail thumped on the ground, his yellow eyes closing for a moment. It was in times like this that he found his grief the most, when the distractions of being an alpha slipped away and he was alone in his den. Bass thought about calling one of his kids to him, but he didn't want to force them to navigate in this storm. Not sure what to do, he started to pace back and forth. From one end of his den to the other, he was finding little comfort in the constant moving. But it was better than curling up in a ball and feeling sad, anything was better than succumbing to his emotions. He didn't have time for that, and most importantly he didn't have the energy. Another sigh slipped passed his muzzle as thoughts of braving the storm entered his mind. It would be something, right? Even fighting against the wind would be enough to occupy him. Just as he was about to step out into the rain, a garbled howl reached his ears. They flickered, twisting as he picked up the residue of the call. Someone was out on his borders in this? He frowned, the desperation was enough to reach him even here, and through the gusts of wind that whipped into his burrow. Concerned, his ears pressed against his skull as he quickly streaking into the plains, careful not to slide on the mud that sucked at his paws. Bass had to slow down though, not wanting to be coated in head to toe with mud again. He'd had enough of that a few years ago. The aging gentleman shivered at the chill of the pressing rain, his coat nearly plastered to his skin and he hadn't even been out here too long. Some rain drops stung him where they hit, the temperature seeming to drop around him suddenly. Oh great, freezing rain. If it let up today he had no doubt that his lands would be turned into one giant ice field. Shaking his head slowly, he pressed onward and towards where he thought the howl had come from. It took a bit longer than normal for him to reach the caller, having ended up going too far to the left to even see her. When he finally spotted her he broke out in a smooth trot, standing before her in a matter on minutes. He panted slightly, mud coating his limbs until nearly his knees. The male offered her a small smile, standing strong against the gales that blew around them. He was about five inches taller than the female, so he dipped his head down so that they didn't have to scream at another. "Hi there, before we get into things let's find somewhere to speak!" he said loudly, tilting his head towards his right. There was an abandoned den just inside the territory lines, enough room for two wolves to sit in comfortably. Turning to see if she was following, he made his way there. It didn't take too long to get there, and he squeezed inside first. Water dripped off his coat and onto the ground, but he didn't shake himself in fear of tossing more water at the female. Turning his head towards the entrance of the den, he waited for her to enter before they got into things. There was an obvious question on his features though; what was she here for? Was she looking to join, or did she come from another pack to rely information to him? Either way, they would have a much easier time speaking in here. Sure, it was just inside his borders, but he didn't care. As long as they were both out of the storm, he was happy enough. |
The cleansing of the earth continued, with no sign of letting up. The sky above swirled with threatening looking clouds, the cool rain rather chilling. But that didn't matter to the pearl lady, who stood huddled next to the tree to block out some of the rain and wind. A pack offered sanctuary to the dangers in the world; going hungry, attacks from larger predators, and going insane from solitary. It also offered a place to call home, a place to have friends and family, and possibly even pups of her own. Being part of a pack is what made a wolf.
She had closed her eyes, focusing on calming the earthquakes rippling through her body in attempts to keep herself warm, so she did not see the male appear in the distance. When she had opened her eyes again, the towering form was walking towards her, and she immediately stood up straight. Her ears continued to lay flat against her head, but the rest of her body stood strong with the winds crashing water against her form. Noticing his smile, Chanel tried to offer one of her own, but the chills that ran through her body made it somewhat hard.
Hi there, before we get into things, lets find somewhere to speak! His voice was loud, but the storm was louder, she could barely understand what it was he was saying. She just nodded her head, going along with whatever he had planned. It became obvious though, when the males form retreated into the territory and he looked back at her. Clearly he wanted her to follow, right? So she forced her numb limbs forward, trudging through the slick terrain after the him. Soon enough they came upon a den, clearly abandoned, but the male slipped right inside anyway. Chanel paused for a moment, her mind wondering over to possible scenarios where this doesn't end too well for her. A crash of thunder sent her nearly diving into the den however, shaking away any doubt she had.
Her form slipped low to the ground as she entered the den, weaving her way in until she saw the ivory male once more, sitting quietly to one side. Chanel took up the remaining space, sitting beside him with her tail wrapped neatly around her side. A nervous laugh broke through her lips, noticing just how drenched the both of them were; her coat stuck to her skin in a very unpleasant way, and water continued to roll off her form. "It's quite a miserable day out there, isn't it?" She asked, her head tilting to the side to peer at the male. Was he the alpha? Or just the greeting party? Either way, she kept her violet eyes locked in him, giving him her full attention.
One look over his shoulder was enough to tell him that the petite female was following him. When they squeezed into the den he was able to give her his full attention, both of them dripping water on the dirt below them. Bass let out a muted chuckle at her words, nodding his head. "Quite, it's been a terrible year so far. But anyways, what brings you to Abaven's borders? I am Bass Destruction, Primo, or alpha, of this pack," he said softly. There was no need to speak too loudly, the drum of the rain on the den was muted enough in here. He knew that it was a bit odd to be sitting in a cramped den with a stranger, only a few inches between them. He obviously bore no ill will towards her, a sweet smile on his inky lips as he awaited her answer. Even though he felt the ever present weight of his grief, it was starting to be slightly more manageable now. Besides, he had had this conversation so many times with a number of wolves that it was as easy as breathing. He would be able to shut him mind down completely and just race through the whole ordeal about telling strangers about Abaven and the like, ranks, their skills, all of that stuff. But there would be no emotion in his voice, and he didn't want to seem like a closed of brute to a potential new member. So he sat there, pushing his blue emotions down so that he could welcome this female into his pack if that is what she was looking for. |
Being in makeshift dens was something new to the young woman, seeing as she had been a part of a pack all her life up until recently. Her purple eyes scanned the small den, wondering what stories lay within it's walls. Who lived here? Where were they now? She wondered if it was just a loners den back in the day, or perhaps a family lived here. A mother and her pups, either a present or absent father. Whatever the story, it clearly didn't have a happy ending, for the owners of this den were long gone, their home taken over by the large male and herself. She didn't mind the close distance between the two however, her mind too consumed by business than anything else.
Quite, it's been a terrible year so far. But anyways, what brings you to Abaven's borders? I am Bass Destruction, Primo, or Alpha, of this pack. So he was the alpha after all. The sudden realization made the female feel smaller, intimidated by the high ranking wolf. She tried to shake it off though, coming off weak wouldn't make a great first impression. "Sorry to call you out in this storm then, Primo. My name is Chanel Frostbite. I come seeking to pledge loyalty to this pack." Her words were strong, as she wanted to be seen as a wolf who could handle herself, despite her size.
The storm continued to roar outside the den, but the drumming of the rain was muffled underground. The last of the water was dripping off her silky coat and into the puddles forming on the ground under her. She felt guilty for making the alpha come out during this storm, if only she had waited till it passed. As the droplets clicked with the water, Chanel thought about how to better her image in the eyes of the wolf who would determine what course her life took next.
She could talk about how serious she was about rules, back at home they had rule enforcers, perhaps this pack did too. Or she could mention her skills at hunting, she was quite good at hunting small prey as a loner, and had experience taking down larger prey with a group. Or maybe she could offer to teach, they had teachers in her pack for the young ones so that the mothers and fathers could attend to their duties. She would wait for Bass however, not wanting to jump to conclusions.
She didn't even know if he was looking to accept new members.
Bass let out a soft laugh at her words, shrugging his shoulder in a casual manner. "Not a problem, at least we got you out of the storm as well in the process," he said, shaking slightly to try and puff up his damp coat. At least with them in a rather small space, they were starting to share what little heat they had. He couldn't imagine leaving her out there at the borders in this, while she could have waited would she still be stuck in the storm? He didn't like the thought of that, and honestly he wasn't too bothered. His nose wrinkled a touch when she called him Primo though, even though he was alpha he was never one for formal titled. Abaven was his family, and he wanted to be seen as such, he guessed. "And please, call me Bass. It's a pleasure to meet you, Chanel. Now before you go and toss yourself into the mix here, do you know anything about my pack?" Bass asked, raising a single brow. He firmly believed in going over what his pack was about as well as the ranks to see if they would fit in as if they were coming home. While they had a bit of a different aspect, he really and truly cared for everyone within the pack. He would hate to see her go out of her way to join and then find that it just wasn't the place for her. They had an assortment and ranks, and he hoped that there was something that would suite her fancy. Keeping his golden gaze steady on Chanel, he wondered just where she had come from. Lately there had been so many howls at his borders, a lot seeking to make themselves into something. It was a boost that they so desperately needed, but numbers didn't always equal activity. Since the death of Hansel he hadn't even held a training, but was hoping to fix that soon as soon as the weather calmed. There were a few fighters here who he had a feeling needed a refresh in the basics, so instead of using what little energy they had in the winter, he just wanted to go over defenses and trying to predict your opponents attacks. Finding that he was drifting off in thought, he blinked slightly as he refocused himself on the younger wolf in front of him. She looked to be about the same age as his first litter, and wondered if she would find a friend in his daughters. Finch had been so much better lately, coming into her own even if it was a little late. But it was Sparrow who he worried about more, the girl seemed distant and seemed to want to be outside of Abaven more than within it. His pups seemed to like to scatter themselves into the wind, if only he could grasp their attention and make them realize that he was still here because of them. He could have walked away at any time, but he kept everything up and running so that they would have a safe home, somewhere to grow up and defend. It taught values and held a lot of merit in the training that they could attend. |
The pale woman had decided that Bass was quite an enjoyable person, and liked his company so far. He seemed pleasant, even in the unpleasant circumstances, which she admired. Hearing his kind words, Chanel smiled softly and looked to the ground. Indeed, she was a bit embarrassed to be caught out in the storm, but at least she was having the conversation she craved; talk about her future, whether it be in this pack or the next.
Now before you go and toss yourself in the mix here, do you know anything about my pack? Oh shoot. Her amethyst eyes widened softly, realizing she actually didn't know anything about this pack. She wanted to bite herself in the rear, she must look so stupid right now. Chanel winced, cringing at her mistake, and struggled to find a way to recover.
"Um.. well.. to be completely honest no. I don't. I'm sorry Bass. I am new to these lands, running from one pack to another, seemed like a good idea at the time. I just so happen upon yours. Would you be willing to tell me about your pack though? I would love to learn more about it."
The nerves were kicking back in, a turning sensation in the pit of her stomach. Had she made a mistake coming here, thinking she could join a pack without knowing the first thing about it? Probably. But hopefully, she had been right about this alpha being kind, and he wouldn't turn her away for this.
Her embarrassment was easy enough to see, and the older gentleman found himself letting out another laugh. For the first time in a few days he actually relaxed, his brown marked face growing softer as he gazed at the smaller lady. She was adorable, there was a part of her that made him think of Finch. He had the odd desire to coddle her and nip at his cheeks like he did when his kids were young. He wasn't sure what it was about her, but she seemed to retain quite a bit of innocence, just like Finch. "Don't be sorry, it sounds like you miss having a home," he said tenderly, his head lowering somewhat as he spoke to her. It was quite cute to watch her struggle, another chuckle rumbling in his throat. Very adorable. "But Abaven is more of a mercenary pack, our wolves can be leased out by other packs if there is a need for them, such as if they are low on hunters and healers, or need another set of teeth and claws in a war. Other than that we are a pretty close pack, I would say. Everyone feels like family once you settle in. We have warrior ranks, healers, officers and hunters. Most are self explanitory, but an officers job is to be out on the field a lot. They check in on wolves who are within other packs as well as keeping eyes on our allies and just all the packs in general. They are quick footed and fast, able to conceal themselves without being seen," he explained, shuffling on his rump as his wet fur clung uncomfortably to his form. "Would this be something that would interest you, Chanel?" There was no pressure, he wouldn't mind if she said no and went on her way. But with a storm like this he would probably let her stay in this little den, it was better than braving the wind and rain. He couldn't help it, she reminded him too much of his daughter. His fatherly side was already starting to take over. |
She didn't know why, but the alpha was laughing, and she couldn't decide if he was laughing with her, or at her. Either way, it was better than him being angry, which she was thankful for. She watched as his body seemed to relax as he chuckled and laughed, and she began to wonder just how often an alpha got to laugh like this. Back home, she never saw her alpha laugh, or even rack a smile. But Bass of Abaven seemed different. He seemed more warm, and not just because his body heat was warming her drenched self. "I do miss a home. I miss having a family even more." She admitted, turning her head towards the entrance of the den as she thought about her home, the storm outside seemed to reflect the conditions back home as well; cold, loud, and terrifying.
Hearing the word mercenary confused Chanel for a moment. Weren't mercenaries suppose to be meaner than this? She scooted closer, more interested in the description of this pack now more than ever. To others, she probably looked like a young pup listening to a scary story. Slowly the conditions of the pack started to make more sense; Bass rented out his pack members for other packs, which was strange to her, but made sense all the same. It was a unique way to run a pack, and it offered her the chance to meet people from all walks of life, which she was quite excited about.
When the older male finished, he asked if she would like the position of... what was it again? Officer? Someone who had the freedom to venture to other packs and sounded like they had to have skills like a ninja. She absolutely loved the idea. "Your pack sounds like fun Bass! I had no idea packs lent out their members like this, it sounds very noble and strategically smart. I'm glad to have run into this place." She beamed up at him. For some reason, she really liked this wolf. She wasn't usually one to instantly connect people, let alone trust them. But she did, she felt like she could already trust this alpha. That was a luxury she hadn't had before.
She took in a deep breath, "I like that the officer position in your pack has so much freedom, and gets to meet so many people. Sneaking around at my size shouldn't be a problem. I quite like the idea. I wouldn't mind helping people." The pearl female let out a breath, here came the moment of truth. Did she deserve to be in another pack? Would she prove everyone back home wrong? "Mr. Bass, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I would love to be an officer in your pack!" Suddenly the cold of the outside didn't bother her, the uncomfortableness of her soaked coat didn't annoy her, the ache in her limbs from traveling didn't hurt her. She was simply... happy.
Bass could understand missing having a family, it was a feeling that he held in his heart almost every day. He nodded in understanding, stretching forward to press his nose to her cheek if she allowed. "That's what I like to think of Abaven of, and I hope that in time you accept us as your family as well," he said softly, a genuine smile on his lips. He didn't move as she moved closer to him, welcoming her warmth on his chilled, drenched coat. It would seem that the rank of Pattuglia captured her attention, it had seemed to be a popular one lately. He had yet to name a head of that rank, and no one had come forward yet. He hummed softly, maybe he would ask Finch to hold a training or something. She never expressed interest in becoming Prima Pattuglia, and he wasn't going to just hand it to her either. There were a number of wolves with that rank now where they had only had a few before, so now was the time for everyone to prove themselves. In his mind, even new members could prove themselves worthy of such a position. Seniority was nothing in his eyes, if there was a newer wolf who worked harder he had no problem promoting them over an older, more quiet wolf. Or fox. He grinned at himself, her happy mood was starting to become infectious. "Well then, Chanel, welcome to Abaven. Your rank is named Pattuglia. All my ranks are in Italian, a language that my kids and I speak. I would offer to show you around Abaven but..." he drifted off, his yellow eyes staring out at the rain. They would only get more wet, it would seem like they were stuck here until it all blew over. Sighing, his gaze flickered back to the patchy female. "So, was your old pack around here, or did you come from another land?" Small talk wasn't that bad, right? |
There it was, the few words she had hoped to hear since the day she left her homelands; she was accepted into another pack. Her tail waved across the dirt behind her rapidly, ecstatic about her new home. Abaven seemed like a beautiful place full of honorable people that she could learn to get along with and maybe even befriend one or two. It already started feeling like home to the young female, perhaps that had something to do with Bass; he was so kind and warm, like a father she assumed. Chanel didn't know either of her birth parents, and although she had a pack to raise her, she never had any real connection to someone. But with the tall alpha just seemed to click with Chanel.
Whenever she thought of her father, she imagined someone like Bass. Not only in similar looks, but in his kind and gentle voice and the way his amber eyes didn't pierce her soul but rather invited friendly conversation. She imagined her father would be brave and strong, exuding these traits as he walked. The small girl looked up at the alpha, and for a split second, wondered if he really could be her father. But the thought soon passed, for she knew her father to be dead. Still, perhaps the new member could pretend, just for a bit?
At his offer for small talk, Chanel paused to reach back to the lands she once called home. "My birthplace is far from here, that much I'm sure. I ran away from my pack, and just kept running for days, until I bumped into you. My pack didn't really feel like my family, since both my parents died before I could even remember them, I didn't really have anyone to attach to, you know? No siblings, no extended family. Just random wolves that I knew but didn't really bond with." Her violet eyes seemed glossed over as she spoke, the faces of her old pack flashing across her vision but none really stood out-she didn't really miss anyone. Just like faces in a crowd, nothing like what family should feel like.