Unbreakable Survivor

Day had transformed to night, the moon rising as a small crescent as if some higher being had taken a large bite out of the celestial body. Though the moon was only a sliver of what it could be, those small dots surrounding it were enough to light the way. The stars shining above were like a guide for the young she-wolf who wandered below them. Turquoise gaze watched their twinkling light, observing them and their position in the darkness above. As the youth searched the stars, she spotted what she was looking for, the star that always pointed north, usually to the colder places. Shadowed crown bobbed as she attempted to further identify her location. However, the young stargazer didn’t honestly know where she was. How could she know the names of places or packs when she was abandoned and left to survive on her own?

The old fear of being lost rose it’s ugly head, and the striped girl couldn’t help but whimper. Triangular auds pulled back upon her earthen skull, brows furrowing as the youth struggled with her resurfacing fear. ‘Get a hold of yourself’ she thought, ‘You’re not lost… Well, not completely.’ Her mind buzzed as she tried to shake the growing fear. "Follow the stars.” a whisper spilled gently from her dark lips. Pale chest swelled with air, as the girl took a deep breath. It left her sharply sculpted maw in a heavy rush, the warmth of her breath puffing out in silvery mist. Her fear slowly ebbed away. Shoulders releasing a tension the youth had failed to recognize in the moment. The girls slender figure released the lingering tension by a simple shake off.

Long limbs carried the tall youth as the chilled night air brushed against her thickening winter coat. The seasons had been showing their signs of change, though this was the first time the yearling had seen the transformation from blazing reds, oranges and gold, to chilling white. It was intriguing to see the seasons change. Now it was winter, and the youth had surprised herself with how well she had done to keep herself alive. After all, she had no parents, no siblings, no pack, to help her in her endeavor. As these thoughts circled in the back of her mind, that vivid gaze continued to glance at the stars as she checked on her current moving direction. She was traveling southeast and had to double check the direction of that north pointing star every so often to be sure.

The sounds of a shoreline reached the girl's senses, followed by the scent of moist salty air. It made the she-wolf pause, not knowing what the ocean or even a sea was. She had never been to the end of land before. Her curiosity perked, and the child continued in her southeastern direction. As the scent of the salty air became stronger, the young she-wolf knew she was getting close. What the striped girl saw next was a land made of sand and a large body of water which sent waves crashing upon the sand. Slender limbs carried her towards the shifting water that pulled away from the land. The water was cold as it curled around her paws, only momentarily pulling her attention.

Turquoise optics shifted their gaze across the water, spotting dark shapes within it. Large shadows she knew for certain were not living creatures. Were they earth floating in the expansive water? She needed to find out. The youth’s attention shifted towards what looked to be a piece of land nearby that stretched out into the sea from the mainland. Once again vivid optics turned toward the stars, gauging the direction in which she needed to go. According to them, the land mass was in a more southern direction. The girl continued along the shoreline heading southward, the waves roaring as they crashed upon the sand. Eventually the slender youth reached the spot she was aiming for, only to find an outlet blocking her way. Lips pulled downward as she contemplated her next move. Swimming was an option, however the wandering child wasn’t sure of the current, how strong it was as the flowing water passed by like an black snake. The moon told of low tides, and indeed with a closer look the shadowed faced youth noticed the flowage was at a lower level.

After considering for a while more, paws slid into the outlet’s moving water. The chill wasn’t as bad as she thought, and was actually surprisingly warm. Maybe this area was more tropical than the more northern areas. It would make sense considering how far south this place was. Paws pulled the youth through the water, the current carrying her a bit off course, yet not beyond the point of recognition. Eventually the striped youth made it across the outlet, the swim bringing her a bit of exhaustion, tongue lolling out of her parted maw. A few moments were spent getting her bearings, the stars her guide. Well, step one had been accomplished. Though she was still on the mainland, she was closer to the land floating in the sea. Now the youth had to figure out how to get to the land separated by sand and more water.

First things first, the curious young she-wolf had to reach the other side of this bit of land. Limbs carried the child with an excited trot as she moved across the sand. It only took her a small while to cross the strip of land she found herself on. Once the tall youth reached the other side, she noticed that the land was further away than she had anticipated. The only way she knew to cross was to swim. After all, she didn’t want to wander too long in search of what probably was a pointless search for an easier route. However, unknown to the youth was a land bridge a few miles off.

After once again judging the water’s current and estimating the distance to the smaller of the floating lands, the child began the swim. She paddled and paddled, the land mass growing slowly closer, the exhaustion in her limbs growing the further she went. ‘Just how far away is this chunk of rock anyway?’ came her thoughts about halfway from her goal. The youth had never swam as far as this before and her exhaustion was truly gripping her now. The crescent had risen fully into the starlit sky, the sliver offering what little light it could. After floating for a bit to regain some of her strength the stubborn, or perhaps determined, child continued onward, completing the remaining distance. Paws practically dragged the child up onto the shore, exhaustion gripping her in its vice-like grip. She had even used the waves to ride the rest of the way to shore. Once she was out of the salty water she fell to her stomach, limbs giving out. She had made it, but now the youth was too tired to explore the area. Her senses were so clogged with the scent of the salty air she also failed to pick up the borders she had unknowingly crossed.

OOC || Using this as the Navagation Seasonal Skill Bonus. 1,196 Words (required 800 for Solo) Also Ciannait is on the Nephilim Island after swimming to the peninsula and then to the island. *hides and hopes she doesn't get eaten for accidentally trespassing* 
”Speaking”
Thinking

The chill of the winter wasn’t enough to take her out of her habit of patrolling during the nights. She preferred to be nocturnal, the moon as her guide and darkness her cover. This was Venom’s element, Empress of the night as much as she was Ashen. She finished her patrol of the shrine and was heading back to the palace for a meal. She needed to meet with her brother and Daimyo Plague sooner rather than later.

As white gloved paws brought her through the crossroads of Nephilim a foreign scent called her from the beach. Surprise flashed over her features, this was the second strange scent to wash up on her shores this week. She wasn’t sure to count it as coincidence, luck, or misfortune. That end was yet to be seen.

Sand greeted her toes and Venom’s sunset gaze found the yearling girl sprawled over the beach, exhausted there on the shore. Like a wet rat, she looked like she had just barely made it here. Again, Venom saw little threat in the half drowned she wolf. "What do you think you’re doing here, girl?” Venom confronted her, hackles raised to infer how serious her question was.

"Venom"

Unbreakable Survivor

As the child laid in the sand, she listened to the crashing waves behind her. Lips curled upwards the exhaustion clear. Yet there was pride resting upon tired lips. She had made it; Without drowning. The chill air met the golden marked youth, piercing her waterlogged fur. A shiver ran down her figure. She needed to find somewhere warm — and maybe try to dry off. It wouldn’t do the girl any good if she froze before she had the chance to explore this little floating land.

Turquoise optics blinked. How did this place float on the water anyway? Was it even floating at all? Now that the child thought about it, she couldn’t feel the land bob up and down with the water surrounding it. Weird. Rather than float on the water, maybe this place just jutted out of the water somehow. Like a tiny mountain. That was definitely an interesting idea. Lips pulled downwards. Still, a floating piece of land on water was a more intriguing theory.

So busy with her thoughts the yearling she-wolf failed to noticed the approaching shadow. The wind wasn’t blowing in the girl’s favor either, which didn’t help matters. She was upwind, the stranger’s scent unable to be brought to the child’s nose. The sand on the the shore also probably dampened the approaching figure’s steps. That and the noise the waves caused didn’t help any.

The voice that reached the yearling’s auds caused a jolt of surprise. Vivid gems opened and spotted two pristine white limbs in front of her. She was tall, this dark stranger. The girl lifted her head, taking in the inky figure, noticing that the woman before her didn’t seem all that friendly. The youth’s eyes widened and misted auds shrunk against her shadowed crown as nervousness overtook the child’s exhaustion. The woman’s question floated between them as the child tried to understand why this stranger seemed so agitated. ”I was trying to see if this place was floating on the water,” the girl answered, brows furrowing in confusion. Did this lady live here?

The wind shifted and finally the scent of pack hit the oblivious girl’s senses. Then it dawned on her like a bright flashing light. This was the lady’s home. A pack’s territory. A territory she had just trespassed on. Well crap. She had done it now. It was no wonder then, why the lady with sunset optics seemed so agitated. The girl had no excuses to give as to why she had trespassed. The striped girl slowly sat up, almost matching the woman in height, but displaying a non-threatening posture. She didn’t want to cause trouble. Well, any more trouble than she already had.

OOC || — 
”Speaking”
Thinking

Confusion was the first emotion that Venom could see in the girl’s naive eyes, she seemed surprised to be confronted. Venom stood unflinching, ready to defend her territory from any wayward wanderer. Even a foolish yearling such as this. Not that she could see much in the way of a real threat to anything but her own personal pride. Having two wayward souls wash up onto her shore in such a short time brought her concern. Maybe not for the she wolf before her personally, but was there something going on that Venom could not see?

She would have to investigate further at a later date, the girl had to be her highest priority right now. Her serious gaze didn’t leave the she wolf as she looked up and spoke, completely oblivious to her transgression. She spoke of nonsensical floating islands, bringing Venom’s brow up in her own confusion as she tried to decipher the words. Did she mean something else? Who believed an island was floating over the sea? Well, she was certainly young.

Then the wind changed and the situation really seemed to dawn on the young woman. Her errant wandering brought her into Venom’s domain, and she did not have permission to step foot on her beaches. "So, what have you found?” Venom went on, taking a slight step forward to put pressure on the girl. She looked sheepish all of a sudden, like she realized finally the full predicament she found herself in. "Beyond the alpha’s ire?” She hinted as she drew herself up to her full height.

"Venom"

Unbreakable Survivor

The woman before her seemed to be judging her. As if she were stupid or foolish. It was as if the woman were looking down on her. Disapproval was clearly displayed in those rose colored eyes. It was always the same with adults. Disapproval, disappointment, always the judgemental stare. She hated it. It was the look this woman gave the child that reminded her of her father, his veiled dislike for reasons she still failed to understand. Her mother’s false concern as she raised the girl she would later abandon to the wilds. Was this dark woman before her the same? The girl’s expression hardened, a barrier thrust between her and the cold woman. Turquoise eyes held a fire within them. She would prove all these adults wrong. She was not dumb, nor stupid. Reckless maybe, but not stupid. How else would the child have survived on her own for so long?

However, the woman before her didn’t know that. She didn’t know the hardships such a young wolf had faced. How could she, when they had only just stumbled upon each other?

Then the question the cold woman asked perked the girl’s auds. Was she humoring her? Perhaps. The striped youth thought about the question as the next words left the stranger’s maw, watching as the adult before her took a step forward. It was an idle threat, the girl noted. A lot of larger animals put up such fronts to pressure the weak. She had experienced it with many bigger beasts she had encountered before wandering here. A memory sprung to her mind then. A moose she had accidentally stumbled across had preformed its territorial clove scraping and lowered his massive antlers towards the then smaller pup. Fear had rattled the babe and she had taken off in a sprint, the moose falsely charging her. Vivid eyes blinked the memory away as wind ruffled her drying fur.

So, this lady didn’t just live here, she was the Alphess. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Still, the child held her ground. She wouldn’t be pushed around so easily. Not like back then. Nevertheless, she knew if this lady truly wanted to, she could easily kill the youth. After a moment she remembered the question left unanswered. What did she find here? Honestly, not much yet. The earthen toned youth had only just reached the shore after all. ”Well, I found a pack’s land and it’s alpha,” she began head motioning to the grey brindled woman before her, though the woman had already stated that she wanted to know what else the girl had found here besides her. Except the girl hadn’t found the Alphess. The Alphess, and her ire, had in fact, found her.  ”And a beach,” the child continued, ”Also that this place is really hard to get to.” she almost muttered to herself a grin slipping onto her dark lips. The question she wanted to ask finally rose and left her lips, ”Does this land float on the water?” once it entered the the air, she realized how silly a question it was. Had she ever seen any land that actually floated? No. Lips pulled into a scrunch, brows furrowing, and eyes lighting, ”Nevermind.” the yearling then said as she allowed herself to glance away.

From what she could tell, this land was quite nice, whether it floated or not. Which it probably didn’t. It was difficult to get to, and seemed pretty quiet, peaceful. For once the girl felt that her life wasn’t in danger. Well, except for the woman before her and her looming presence. It would be nice to sleep without the need to keep one eye open. Suddenly, the exhaustion of not only the swim, but of everything she had been though felt like a heavy weight bearing down on her. The girl turned her focus back to the woman, wondering. ”My name is Ciannait.” A pause, ”Ciannait Adhil.” She added her surname, though it probably didn’t matter either way. The girl knew she wasn’t from any prominent bloodlines, and so she also knew her surname held little importance. Still, it didn’t hurt to offer her full name, important or not. ”Miss Alphess, what is your name?” she then asked, simply curious, ”And if you don’t mind me asking, what is your pack’s name?” Darkened crown tilted to the side ever so slightly hoping that the cold woman would provide her with these simple, non-intrusive answers.

OOC || — 
”Speaking”
Thinking

Venom was always judging those around her, but usually her verdict was not so obvious as it was to a vagabond trespasser. She should have been more aware of her surroundings, she should have realized where she was, but beyond bad decisions Venom had little other opinion of her. She didn’t know her true intelligence or strength, all she really knew was the girl was on her land without permission.

The Empress silently threatened the girl, but she didn’t show any fear, only found her voice more easily. Venom confronted her and she began to speak. It was mostly gibberish as her mind flitted from one item to another, mostly the small amount of information she had about the island they were on. Like how difficult it was to get here from the mainland. Which really should have been an indicator for the girl, but here they were. She asked about the island floating again, and before Venom could drag her back out into the sea to observe the beaches that were firmly planted on the sea floor the girl told her to nevermind.

Venom lifted a pale brow, a small sign her attention was fully on the exhausted girl as she started to introduce herself, finally remembering her manners. "I would welcome you, but I think we’re a little too far past that now, miss Adhil.” She chastised gently as Ciannait asked after her own name. "I am Venom Klein Abraxas, the Empress of Ashen and its Empire.” She told her graciously. "You don’t seem like a massive threat to myself or my pack, but I can not ignore such trespass. Are you only here to observe my island? Do your loyalties lie with anyone but yourself?” If she was part of a pack the ocean had long taken away any scent of her compatriots.


"Venom"

Unbreakable Survivor

Silently Cian waited. The woman continued to hold her cold stance before the earthen toned yearling. It was as if the Alphess was contemplating something. Eyes the color of a tropical sea blinked, curious as to what the woman was thinking about. Maybe it was her, admittedly stupid, question Cian had blurted a moment ago. It was almost as if the charcoal cloaked Alphess was gawking at her behind her stony expression. Then considering something, before throwing the idea away.

Sunset eyes bore down on the girl. The golden maned youth was probably just as the older woman had judged — foolish. Her ignorance of the pack borders wasn’t necessarily the girl’s  fault though. Ciannait had, after all, been on the mainland shore, the scent markers of the pack’s borders never reaching her liver-toned nose. What parts of the pack’s lands that were on the mainland, the girl had failed to get close enough to scent the markers. The winds blew and whipped every which way across the waters, and so there was really no way for the ignorant child to know the isle she had swam to was packland. She may be a fool for trespassing, but  Ciannait didn’t see it that way.

Anyway, as the woman before her was an Alpha, she had good reason to be judgemental of those who wandered by, or in the youth’s case, crossed her pack borders. Who knew what a trespasser’s motives were? Cian tried to put herself in the white marked woman’s place, despite not knowing a thing about pack-life, or even being a part of a family. It was honestly difficult to imagine, especially with the girl’s background. Still, if she had something to protect, besides herself, the striped child probably would act just the same. Standoffish, cold, judging.

The shadow clad woman rose a pale brow, her drifting attention now fully on the Adhil child. The next words that spilled from the woman’s maw were not what the child expected. She had thought the woman would shove the exhausted, mist marked, child back into the sea. She had every reason to. Cian was a trespasser, yearling or not. Simple as that. She probably deserved such treatment for her actions, if not worse. Instead, there was a tone unfamiliar to the girl. There was a maternal reprimand in the brindled woman’s voice, yet the child couldn’t name it as such after being away from anything considered parental for as long as she had. The girl didn’t know how to respond, a glimmer of uncertainty slipping past the walls surrounding the child’s heart.

”I’m sorry, ” the girl said, wondering if this was a dismissal, the woman no longer interested in the tired, foolish girl. Guilt swelled in Ciannait’s chest for being such a nuisance. A hindrance that wasn’t even worthy of an answer to her question. The waves crashed upon the shore as if reaching for the wandering, homeless, child. Was she being rejected again? Thrown to the wayside as always? Heart hammered in the youth’s sharp chest, however the girl refused to show her inner turmoil. Then a name was given. Everything seemed to stop. Her racing heart, the sound of crashing waves, the whirling wind. The words the woman spoke halted everything.

Her name was Venom. She was also an Abraxas, though the girl didn’t comprehend how powerful the dark woman’s bloodline was. Cian’s parents, if she could even call them that, taught the child nothing of the powerful packs and the bloodlines which ruled them. Still, the title of Empress was not lost on the girl. She knew the woman was an Alpha, but being an Empress entailed that Venom ruled over not only her pack here, but other lands as well. The dark woman’s wide spread influence impressed the surprised child. ”Empress….” Cian repeated full of awe as she began to see the dark woman in a different light. Powerful, intelligent, ambitious.

The questions finally began as the woman verbally confirmed the girl was not a threat. The Adhil already knew she couldn’t hurt the Empress, even if she wanted to, which she most definitely did not. Still, it felt good to hear to powerful figure before her to admit it, despite it being quite obvious. Shadowed crow nodded as she silently confirmed the woman’s suspicions. The girl had only come here to check out the island. However, now she was beginning to wonder if this woman would let her stay. ”What loyalties?” came a sudden but almost venomous reply. The moment it left her lips the girl dipped her head in apology, ”Sorry,” Cian swiftly corrected herself, ”I don’t have anyone, no one but myself,” turquoise optics which had drifted away from Venom’s face returned to the woman’s violet-ruby eyes. ”Unless you would allow someone like me to stay,” came her brave, daring words.

OOC || — 
”Speaking”
Thinking

Venom was genuinely surprised about the tiny little apology she was given before she could investigate further. The young girl did manage to regain a little of the Empress’s respect as she answered her small discipline. She gave appropriate reverence for someone with such a lofty title, which was much more than she could say for some certain wolves. The gravity of the situation seemed to finally set in for the fiery little fae, and her demeanor shifted to reflect that as Venom spoke and offered up the information she wished for.

Ciannait nodded along with Venom’s assessment. She only wanted to see the islands, with how tired she was, how silly it was to swim here like that, how unprepared she had been… Everything pointed to the girl telling the truth, so Venom would internally take pity on her. Maybe she was too soft just as her brother Chimera claimed she was maybe this little drowned sea rat truly deserved to be taken pity upon.

The girl snapped at her then, and before Venom could react she had already lowered her head and offered another apology. She had manners somewhere in there, but she was obviously out of practice with all of the slip ups. At the very least she’d gained the Empress’ curiosity. She had no one, not anymore at Venom’s guess. Was she betrayed herself, or were there darker forces at work here? Venom couldn’t know, she could only take a chance as she questioned if she might be allowed to stay here in Ashen.

Venom gave a soft sigh as she considered the consequences of this decision, the only hint of the thoughts behind her sharp gaze. "I suppose you deserve a chance to at least prove yourself.” She finally relented, and allowed her stance to relax. She released the pressure she had been exerting to allow the girl to make her final decision. "You may take the rank of peasant, show Ashen your desire to be here. Meet your packmates and learn the land. Prove your skill before your season is up and I will promote you to full member of Ashen at that time.” Venom explained swiftly to her. "For now, I’ll show you to the infirmary. You can eat and rest before finding a place to call your den.” She stopped herself before leading the she wolf away, "Do you have any questions for me?"

"Venom"

Unbreakable Survivor

The golden maned child waited for the woman’s final verdict. Heart pounded within pale chest as the midnight air chilled her still damp fur. Would the woman before her grant her refuge? Or would she have to leave, turn tail and find her own way as it has always been. The thought of that caused a sinking feeling. Though she had managed to survive on her own so far the Adhil didn’t know how much longer her luck would last. There was always that chance she would become ill, or even fail to feed herself. The reality, the possibility that she would fail, that the youth could even die out there on her own scared the child. If she could find a place of safety, a place of refuge, Ciannait would take it. It seemed Cian’s answer perked the Empress’s curiosity. If she looked closely there was a spark in the woman’s otherwise unreadable expression. There was hope, but the girl didn’t dare to hope.

Those rose tinted optics seemed to grow distant and the Empress of Ashen appeared to be in deep thought. There was a sigh. Ciannait’s heart dropped into her stomach. It was no use asking to stay. She was a trespasser, and was deemed unworthy of staying. A hindrance, and an extra mouth to feed. Not that the earthen-toned youth would be a freeloader. She knew how to hunt, at least for herself. Though the proper ways, strategies, were lost on the young she-wolf. Out of necessity, and definitely desperation, the striped her had taught herself how to hunt. Just as the girl was ready to stand, attempt the journey back to the mainland, and probably failing, the Venom finally spoke.

Yet, it wasn’t the answer the young she-wolf was expecting. Despite her barriers Cian and erected, those oceanic eyes widened. What did she just say? She could stay? Did the shadowed woman really just say that? The tension that surrounded the Empress softened, Venom’s demeanor less defensive, and the Adhil youth dared to describe it as welcoming. ”I can stay?” She asked quietly, disbelief in her voice. The woman before her, now her leader, alpha. No, her Empress, fell silent for a brief time. ”Thank you,” came the youth’s overwhelmed response. She didn’t know what else to say to the woman before her. However, the girl truly meant it. Perhaps her struggled out in the wild were over. At least for now.

The Empress then stated that she would be granted the rank of peasant. A temporary placement to see if the girl truly was worth the Empress’s, and the pack’s, time. This little fact was not lost on the girl, and her mind blazed with the challenge. She would prove herself to them. She would show them that she was not just some stray that had been granted temporary asylum. Ciannait would show them all that she should be here. However, the striped youth didn’t know why she was so intent on joining this pack all of a sudden. She hadn’t been a moment ago, her intentions only to explore the island till she discovered the pack was here. It was a funny thought. Though the golden marked yearling was honestly excited to be a part of something instead of being on her own.

As the explanation, however brief, was finished, the Empress, her Empress, began to lead the youth towards the infirmary. Ciannait flashed a confused expression at the term. She had never heard of an infirmary before. Still, with Venom’s added description as a place to rest, the girl wondered what else this infirmary offered. The girl was asked another question and she stopped mid-step, thinking. Of course she had countless questions to ask the woman. Some probably unnecessary while others more important. Still, she didn’t want to be given all the answers, and wanted to find them herself. So the child shook her head, ”No, I think I can figure it out on my own,” she replied, ”But if I do have something I need answered I will ask.” Ciannait then stated, the idea that she could seek answers from someone slowing sinking in. Though it felt weird to say such a thing as the girl was so used to finding her own answers to everything, never able to ask for help or to be given anything. It was a nice thought, but one she would never take for granted. The youth then waited for the woman to lead her on towards this so-called infirmary, not having a clue where to go without the woman’s guidance.  

OOC || FIN? 
”Speaking”
Thinking