Masqurading as a man with a reason My charade is the Event of the season I hear the voices when I'm dreaming I can hear them say: ~*~ In the depths of the earth, the shattered beast did his healing. Only just the day before he'd managed to scrounge enough strength to drag his massive bulk from the pool of blood he'd made for himself on the battlefield. Most of it was a blur. There wasn't enough blood in his body for him to move and think at the same time. After he went down, he just remembered the challenger's howl, then a long sweep of blackness, and then... Ocena. The thoughts of failure and loss and anger didn't come til hours later - til after he'd manage, step by step, to walk the long, haunting stretches of snow til he found a suitable place to take shelter. Not that he felt the cold or wind or anything anyway. He barely even felt the pain in his wounds - just a vauge sense of warmth that he knew would turn to stabs of agony as hot as hellfire later on. But before that, he'd managed to camp down in the painted caves. Now, though, it was later, and the pain coming from his leg and his shredded neck was intense. Yet the hours ticked by and narry a sound or squeak was heard. The male wolf just sat there, eyes burning into the earthen floor, or shut in labored slumber. And always his muzzle was creased as though clenching his teeth and snarling in his sleep. At the moment, sleep was far better than the waking world. ~*~ Carry on my Wayward Son There'll be peace when you are done Lay your weary head to rest Don't you Cry No More

It had been a few days sinc that fight with the bear causing Glaciem trouble. It had been one heck of a fight, the most she had ever done in her life. Zanire couldn't believe it still, sh was usually calm and collected but she unleashed her full power onto that male. Which ended up bringing her down with him. It didn't matter though, the wolves had helped her climb out from under the rocks and even treated some of her wound. They were brave and earned a good place in her heart. If they ever needed help, they knew who to call.

Winter was over and because of that she could leave her den, begin the gathering of food to bulk up for next Winter. The thought caused the woman to come to a stop, violet orbs staring straight ahead at the cave system she was heading to. Pfft. Her lips flabbed at thethought, shaking her head and forming a small smile as she began moving again. Me have Summer and Autumn for dat.

Why was she heading towards these caves? Sometime before she began hibernation the bear met a young lad by the name of Creed when she was studying the images on the walls. Her mother told her they were cave paintings and that man had made them a long long time ago. They were interesting, and wanted to see if there was more.

But as she neared the entrance the smell of blood flooded her nose. Zanire stopped, extending her neck, sniffing the air some more. It was a wolf, possibly injured. What worried her though was the scent of Glaciem mixed in there, someone she had helped during the bear hunt. Zanire here... She called gently, lumbering into the cave a few steps before stopping. You okay Glaciem wolf?

Moving further in the bear kept her eyes peeling, nose sniffing the air, trying to follow its trail. Within moments she could see a body sitting up against a wall, a few more to realize who the body belonged to. Gargoyle! She barked, quickly moving over and standing before him, violent orbs running over his wounds. What happen? You okay?


"normal.
talk.
think.
you"


Awesome image made by Clash. <3

Awaken had been trugdeinb along the snow angrily. He'd heard a rumor that gargoyle had lost but he refused to belive it. He didn't want to belive it. And he didn't want to be under a new alpha's rule. He'd been searching franticly fornthe fallen king all day, fear tearing at his heart. A leaf of aloe and a poppy flower in his mouth. He'd learned alittle bit of healinh from watching Merci. He was better with poisons than he was with medicines. He just hoped he wouldn't turn his best friend into a frog. ?

Every so often Awaken's vaugely smell his scent. He took off ?in a dead sprint trying to reach him before something bad happened. "Gargoyle?! " He'd shout every so often, trying to get a response. He'd become frantic with worry. So worried he was beginning to remind himself of Merci. He sighed, recolected himself and kept searching untill he came to the mouth of a cave. "Gargoyle?" He asked, the echo ringing throughout the painted cave. His eyes were still ajusting and he couldn't see clearly yet, but he thought he saw a wounded beast lying in the cave.?

(sorry! I couldnt resist!)

It was rare to see this tiny female angry, but angry she was. Who was this interloper to walk onto their lands and think she could claim them? Didn't she understand that Glaciem was a family? That they would not accept just any new leader? Clearly not. But in time, she would understand. In time. Just give it time. And Ocena would take that time to find Gargoyle, who had vanished from the battlefield, an impressive feat considering how much blood he had lost. A whine slipped through Ocena's jaws at the thought of the crimson pooling around Gargoyle's body, panic filling her thoughts that she fought desperately to control. He wasn't going to die. She wouldn't let him. He wouldn't leave her. Ears pinned back against her skull, Ocena pressed her muzzle to the earth, tracking Gargoyle's form across the grounds. How had he managed to travel so far? A hint of exasperation filled her thoughts as she moved along, shaking her head irritably. Maybe he had had a good reason to wander so far, but Ocena couldn't think for the life of her what had possessed her mate to wander so far from the battlefield when he had been bleeding that much. Which she wasn't going to think about. Because if she thought about how much he had been bleeding, she would think about how much blood a wolf could lose and still live and then she would start to think about how much she couldn't do this without him. So no, she wasn't going to think about that. Instead, pinning her ears against her skull as she came to a stop before the yawning opening that lead into the earth, Ocena shook her head slightly. "Oh, Gargoyle." Her whisper was pained, but after a moment she padded forward, nostrils flaring as more scents began to twine together beneath her nose. Something . . . ursine. A bear? Down here? But wasn't it the bear that Gargoyle had offered his protection to? She remembered the scent. And another wolf, one that she hadn't met personally but one who smelled of Glaciem. A family member, then. The thought brought her comfort in the darkness that pressed in on her from all sides, reminding her far too much of being entirely blind. A shudder passed through her frame as she padded forward, only to come to a stop when she heard yells of her mate's name. That must have been the wolf that she had scented. What was his name? Awol? Something like that, she thought she remembered. The sound of his voice made Ocena pick up her pace, wishing desperately that her eye would adjust more quickly than it was so that this darkness would stop pushing down on her from all directions. It weighed on her shoulders as if it were something physical. It was everywhere. Why had Gargoyle chosen here? The scents and sounds grew louder as Ocena slowed to a halt, peering through the darkness to find her gaze settling on the massive form of . . . Gargoyle? Panic reared its ugly head again, and Ocena took a moment to get it under control before she approached her mate, ignoring the others as she nosed him gently. "Are either of you healers?" Ocena asked, fighting to keep her voice level. She wasn't sure she was successful, but she needed to try. They had to be able to help him. Why couldn't she do this? Why wasn't she a healer? Why couldn't she take care of him? No. Panic wouldn't help anyone. She needed to keep herself under control. She was their leader in the absence of Gargoyle (not the presumptuous youngster who thought she lead Glaciem). She would show them a leader that they could look up to. Ocena took a deep, shuddering breath, fighting to regain control over her body. No more panic. Gargoyle needed a confident, capable caretaker. And maybe that wasn't her, but she would do her best. Speech

Awaken sighed. "so it is true." He had tried beliveing the rumurs were false anf that it was just pup-talk. ?He?set the aloe to the side and cracked open one of the poppy seedpods. "i'm the exact oposite of a healer, but i do know afew tricks from watching Merianne. Eat these Gargoyle. They'll soothe the pain and may make you fell abit loopy." ?

Awaken found a large flat rock and began squishing the live, juicey leaves of the aloevera plant into a paste on his paws. It was toxic when injested but when applied to wounds it would work as a naural anaceptic. "this may burn but please, deal with me. He walked on three legs to gargie and gently stroked the wound on his forearm And afew of the deeper cuts.

He turned his head to look at Oceana. "do you know were i can find a lemmon tree?" he knew the leaves were bad news but the juice from the fruits helped to clean wounds. " If i had mud then i could mix his blood eith it and use it to clog the bleedibg ones." ?

Masqurading as a man with a reason My charade is the Event of the season I hear the voices when I'm dreaming I can hear them say: ~*~ Gargoyle sat, leaning his shoulder heavily upon the cave wall. Or rather's skeleton did, it was hard to say if anything was still animating his torn and weary shell. All he knew was that the cold stone had felt good against the pulsing patch of his neck that had had the flesh ripped clean off. It helped to stanch the bleeding too, at least for the moment. But Gargoyle's head wasn't thinking in terms of healing. His consciousness was buried away beneath shock and pain and bloodloss. He was operating in his most primeval of states, going on basic lupine coding. If anyone so much as came near him it was likely he'd bear feral fangs and snap at them - or would've if he'd had the strength to do so. But no, all he could do was sit and wait for either death or more sleep. Of course, that was when the realm of the living decided to barge into his cave. Not that the Chief seemed to notice much. The rumbling questions of the bear fell upon his tattered ears, but there was no sign he'd heard anything. A wolf's voice was next. A familiar one, calling out his name in a voice so hoarse and worried it might've touched his stone heart on another day. But no, for all appearances, despite all the calls of his name, he was dead to the world. Until... until she came. She didn't have to say a word. As soon as he felt her touch and smelled her scent, his eyes shifted. Slowly, and only slightly at first, but eventually his head swung round just enough to look at his mate. But his head still wasn't in the game. As soon as he saw her, a raspy weak voice, a pitiful sham of his usual thick rumble, threaded out of his throat. "Ocena-" As she had turned to ask the others if they knew healing, he'd moved his head towards her. But as soon as his neck came out of contact of the wall, the blood that it had been stemming back, fell to the floor in a sickening series of plops. In the most distant, detached regions of Gargoyle's mind he was once again astounded at how much blood a lupine body could hold. And how much it could lose before the soul was loosed with it. He winced vaguely at the sight and sounds. There was another wolf at his side now. And this one was - dabbing something on his leg? This wasn't his mate. Where was Ocena?! The wolf was talking, but the words weren't registering. All Gargoyle saw was the hint of teeth when the mouth moved. Was he being attacked again? Was the fight still going? Fine with him! He'd rip out the throats of any who tried to- WHUMP. He'd tried to move one paw, but somehow his whole body ended up moving - not in a graceful step, but in a crumbling fall to the floor that sent up dust and stray snow fluries. Honestly, it was amazing he'd staid up as long as he already had. Yet, oddly enough, after a minute, his vision started to clear. Of course, that meant the pain was more intense, but it also meant he could hear properly again. Now that his body didn't have to work to keep him up, it could devote what scraps of energy he had left to keeping his mind going for however long he had left. He'd slumped to the ground with hind legs still tucked, but with forelegs splayed out rather crazily. His chin had landed on his left arm, not on the wound, but near enough enough to jar the skin sharply. With a low, hissing intake, he raised his head, but only just enough to shift it aside and let it drop down into the dust. "I know that voice," he muttered hoarsely. "That's the rookie." A bit late perhaps, but at least he'd recognized Awaken's presence, albeit in his own way. He raised his vacant gaze to rest on the other male's features. "I'm supposed to bite off your ears aren't I?" It'd probably sound like the nonsensical musings to the others in the cave, but oddly enough it was a sign that Gargoyle was slowly coming back. ~*~ Carry on my Wayward Son There'll be peace when you are done Lay your weary head to rest Don't you Cry No More

Awaken sighed in reilf when his, who he still saw as, alpha was poking fun at him. "oh thank god your alive. He sighed. Technicaly since gargie wasnt his alpha anymore he could speak to him as if he were just another wolf. But he didn't feel like that. He still felt as if he wanted Gargoyle to be with him. Even if there was no glaciem for them to go to.?

Gargoyle's rambling was beginning to cause problems with his work. He didn't know what he was doing in the least. "please gargie. oops. Nickname sliped out. Eat your poppyseeds. They'll ease the pain.

Not long after arriving another wolf showed up, a male who had been on the mountain during that bear hunt and a woman. The female could handle Gargoyle, she seemed to be his mate, and the male seemed to know about herbs that would help. There was really nose use for her so the large beast turned, looking past her legs to the wolves. I guard entrance, make sure no one enter. And with that she lumbered away. The cave they were in had only one entrance, and in that cave there were small tunnels that lead to deeper caves. So she made her way down the main one, stopping at the entrance and plopping herself down in a sitting position. She would make sure nobody entered unless they were Glaciem wolves but even the she would not let him pass. Gargoyle needed rest and care.


"normal.
talk.
think.
you"


Awesome image made by Clash. <3

Walk | Talk | Think

Nervousness plagued the healer's mind, but duty stayed her on her course. Slow careful breaths moved in and out of her muzzle, a conscious effort to keep herself calm before she arrived where she was needed. She had heard, as others had, of the impending challenge, of the threat to the Glaciem's way of life that Gargoyle intended to defend, and though the thought of losing her home, or watching it be turned into something that it wasn't, was worrisome enough she was even more frightened by the condition her leader might return to them in. He was strong, dependable, but he was still mortal. He could still bleed. And that was a scary thought. How much? Could she fix it? Even after learning what she had under Asheni, even after training under Soleil, she still doubted her own skill from time to time, especially when it was important to her to do well. I can do this. I know what I'm doing. The thoughts were made with as much conviction as she could muster, and with her measured breaths she continued to move through the snow.

She had ransacked her growing herb stores before she set off, the yellow-orange calendula plant suspended within her jaws. Poppies were easy enough to find in a pinch, but she needed something to kick start Gargoyle's recovery and figured this little plant might do for now. Her travels brought her close to the Glaciem's border, and there she caught the scent of Gargoyle's mate, Ocena. She hesitated, debating, before she set off to follow it, hoping that it might lead her to where she wanted to go.

Sure enough, it did. As it led her to a cave system, Mercianne nearly dropped her carried plant into the snow and halted before she could get too close to the cave. This had to be the right place. The scents went here, into the cave. But sitting before it, reminding the nervous white wolf of a sentry, sat an imposing bear, looking for the world like she meant to be there. Merci's eyes traveled anxiously from the bear to the cave, and slowly she set down the plant she had been carrying. Ears tucked, dark brown eyes somewhat averted, she addressed the bear and asked, "Are they in there? The Glaciem wolves?" Her question tumbled from her muzzle anxiously, never having dreamed that she might hold a conversation with a bear like this. It was certainly a first for her, and for all appearances the bear seemed peaceable enough. Hoping desperately that she might be friend, Merci shifted her weight where she stood and cautiously picked up her plants, wondering if they might help signify her intent in being here.

ooc: Since she is in the entrance now I'm just going ahead and posting.

As she sat there Zanire wondered what had happened to the male, it felt like only yesterday that he was just fine, helping get rid of the bear causing his wolves trouble. Now wasn't the time for her to as though, she would wait and ask once he recovered and got some rest.

Pulling the beast from her thoughts was a white form moving towards her. Lifting herself onto all four the woman's violet orbs focused on the creature, a wolf. She took in a deep breath, trying to identify who this being was. What she got was a female, a sweet yet bitter scent mixed in there along with the scent Glaciem wolves had. Not long after that the woman spoke, asking if Glaciem wolves were in there.

Zanire just stared at her a few moments, gaze eventually falling to the herb she picked up. Gargoyle no look good. Man in dere, Awaken, and a black and white lady. She informed the young shewolf, ear twitching before taking a step to the side to allow her to pass. Go. Her voice, though her sentences were broken, was gentle and friendly.


"normal.
talk.
think.
you"


Awesome image made by Clash. <3

Panic rose in her chest like a tide as Awaken spoke. He wasn't a healer. Clearly the bear wasn't a healer. Ocena was far from a healer. What was she going to do? She couldn't let Gargoyle die. She needed him alive and strong and fighting for the pack that he loved. "Help him. Please." Ocena fought to keep her voice even again, and it was a struggle, but she hoped desperately that she managed it. "Whatever you've learned. Use it." It wasn't an order. It was a request, the desperate request of a desperate woman. So she stood, silent and useless as Awaken went to work. "I . . . I'm sorry. I don't know where you could find a lemon tree." Her voice cracked a little as the panic rose again at the thought of not being able to find the medicine that would help Gargoyle. And that was when the behemoth stirred. Her voice was spoken in a soft, hoarse whisper, and Ocena turned to him, only to flinch as the blood spurted outwards and she let out a whimper as he hit the ground with a thud. Nononononononono this couldn't be happening he had to be okay. Panic made her thoughts blur together viciously and the wolfess turned a horrified gaze towards the wolf. "Help him." She begged Awaken even as Gargoyle spoke, his voice a far cry from the rumble that she was used to. But if he was talking, he was going to be okay, right? She needed him to be. She would shred his ears if he wasn't okay. Leaning down carefully to press her muzzle against Gargoyle's head, Ocena took a deep breath. "Is there anything I can do?" Her voice was even again, under control. She would be strong for all of them. Speech

Masqurading as a man with a reason My charade is the Event of the season I hear the voices when I'm dreaming I can hear them say: ~*~ Gargoyle heard Awaken through the haze. He didn't give any sign of noticing the slip up (not til later anyway) but he did push his nose towards the poppy seeds and flick out a tongue to lick them up. Chewing took too much work. He just swallowed them whole - though even that caused enough pain in his neck to make him see little shooting stars for a minute. There was still commotion going on, but he was starting to get a handle on it. Zanire was here, and she was guarding the cave. Awaken was trying to heal him - hang on - Awaken? Healing? Gargoyle's almost bulged. He was gonna die. He heard Mercianne's voice then, though it was echoy and distorted, coming from the other end of the cave tunnel. He recognized it all the same, and he felt better to have a medic here. Mercianne had trained under Asheni and Soleil; she knew her stuff. ....But even so. Gargoyle didn't know if there'd be any recovery for him this time. That was alot of blood he'd lost, and frankly, he'd only felt this weak once before. Course, he'd survived that, hadn't he? Honestly, he was too detached to care at this point. All he knew was the moment. And in this moment he heard Ocena's voice. That voice was one that he loved, one that could call him away from his wrestling with his demons, the one that could touch his heart like no other. And that voice sounded sad. It sound scared. It agitated the male still he'd shifted around enough to support his neck. He lifted up his head just in time to hear his mate asking if there was anything she could do. "Ocena..." he said in tired, hushed tones. He was calling to her. He knew what she could do; she could come sit beside him. That was all he could possibly want. ~*~ Carry on my Wayward Son There'll be peace when you are done Lay your weary head to rest Don't you Cry No More

Walk | Talk | Think

Standing up on all fours, the bear was even more imposing of a figure, and Mercianne couldn't help but take a hesitant step back, not wanting to pose herself against the creature should she somehow take her presence as a threat of some kind. But she didn't leave. She couldn't, not knowing the scent that she followed was so near, that the wolves she needed to find were so close just inside the cave. Perhaps it was because she picked up her plant again that the bear gave her another swift once over and decided to speak, recognizing her for a healer. She answered cooperatively and Merci breathed a small sigh of relief to know that she had found the right place, almost certain then that the bear had taken up her position purposefully. Awaken was there too - her ears perked of their own accord at his mention - and also a black and white she-wolf. Ocena. She was in the right place after all.

With lumbering steps, the bear moved, offering entrance into the cave to the little white wolf. Unable to speak around the plant she carried gently within her jaws, Merci merely nodded her head in polite thanks before stepping cautiously around the large creature and heading within, her nose wrinkling at the heavy scent of blood. Her heart beat sped in worry as she wandered further inside, first spotting Awaken's tail as she came closer to where they rested. She moved to step around beside him, spotting Gargoyle slumped against the ground with Ocena leaning down beside him. He did look the worse for wear. Open wounds, torn flesh, blood sitting in a small pool beneath one of his legs. And...did she smell aloe?

The little healer stopped as she came up beside Awaken, half on her way to better inspecting Gargoyle's wounds when the unexpected smell of healing remedies stopped her in her place. Sure enough, as her dark brown eyes adjusted to the light and she got another look at those same wounds just a little closer, she could see the glistening of the aloe over them, and slowly she set down the calendula plant she had been carrying. She lifted her head with a look of puzzlement, eyes narrowing gently as she more closely inspected Gargoyle's wounds. "He's...he's already been tended to," she muttered uselessly, glancing up at Ocena and then Awaken curiously.

WARNING FOR AWAKEN'S ILL CONTROLED BODYLY FUNCTIONS

Awaken ducked his head as soon as Merci walked him. He could smell the hormones of heat radiating off her. His eyes widened and he clenched his teeth. play it cool awaken... Nows not the time too. STOP IT DUDE!' his body betrayed his mind, in one of the most obvious ways. He did the only thing he knew to hide it. He ploped down on his stomach with a light yelp of surprize. 'Whyyy must you torture me sooo Merci... Why?!?!'

He would have groaned in embarassment, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. His fur covered what his body didn't and it was practicly invisable but the surprize of his body's reaction scared the crap out of him. He listened as she noticed they'd already been healed. "oh. Uh. I... Um.. Did my best. " his head ducked, trying to hide his face.