Isabella

Grass, trees, and even water, albeit a small pool of water, were such odd things to see in the middle of the sands. Yet with Alphonso as her guide Isabella was able to see it all with her own icy eyes. "Beautiful." The fox colored wolf stated with a very light smile as she walked to the edge of the pool. "Isn't it though? I used to come here all the time, the plants draw in the best bugs." Alphonso stated as Isabella lowered her head and let Alphonso walk to the ground. "Thank you for being my guide tonight." Her eyes held the kindness her voice did not before she looked around the area before spying an old decaying palm tree. "No problem Madam Izzy, I am just glad you were smart enough to travel by night." The gecko stated looking up at the sky. Isabella only nodded as she went over to the tree, rose up on her hind legs as best she could and brought herself down on the trunk, breaking it open. "Even in the desert there were insects hiding in trees, all of them yours as my thanks." Isabella said with another faint smile. Alphonso was one she never minded smiling around though even then it was typically not much of a smile. Alphonso however did seem to have a wide smile on his face as he looked at the bug buffet before him. "Amazing Madam Izzy! I shall feast like a king." Isabella nodded as Alphonso dashed over to the log and comped down on anything he could get his jaws on. While he ate his fill, Isabella moved to the grass and lay down looking up at the sky. Here the stars were endless, there were no trees to block them, no clouds nothing but as many stars above them as grains of sand all around them. Though it was beautiful, peaceful Isabella felt nothing but uneasy. The only reason she took such along walk was because of an old recurring nightmare struck her. It was a day she would never forget, the day she knew to close off all emotion. That day she was forced to kill another wolf in the most painful way she could after her Alphas, Betas, and her parents had torturing the shaggy male. She tired all she could to give it a quick death but remembered the feeling of her father seized her scruff and pulled her back making her own fangs do enough damage to the wolf to have him bleed out of a massive gaping wound. That wolf never did anything wrong, the Alphas just wanted to show her how they had 'power' how they cut down any wolf that so much as looked at them wrong. It was awful, Isabella knew all life was important and special, every kill should be a quick clean one in her eyes. That night would never leave her mind, perhaps it would never leave her dreams. "I hope you can at least rest well...." She spoke looking to the stars as if asking for an answer. Her voice was soft as silk, so pure yet filled with enough sorrow to impact the emotions of any who heard it. The nights, when she was alone she did not mind showing such sorrow as if the wolf's spirit would somehow hear here and know she never meant for such a thing to happen. "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."

The night was his most favorable time upon anything. It made him appear almost invisible; if it wasnt for the white caressing half of his angular face. He would sigh, before looking at all the stars held tight within the sky. It seemed as though there where hundreds, thousands,and even millions of little beaming lights shining down. With a few moments of gazing, Vaughan would hear the sound of murmuring within the distance, a wolf that seemed all by herself, perhaps preferring the company of her own voice? Walking towards the woman his large paws would step within the greenery and only as he stopped a meter or two away was she talking to her companion. It appeared strange, extremely small and vunerable. Vaughan would put on a comfortable smile upon his face, looking down upon the woman. " beautiful, isnt it?" he'd give out a sigh, before leaning back upon his haunches. " You seem as though your trying to hide so much sorrow, do you care in confiding with another?" The offer was there; Vau was always a very good listener, and yet he also respected a wolfs wishes if they preferred to keep it to themselves.

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Isabella

There was another who approached her, boldly from in front of her. A bright white mask in the night was almost all she could see for the moment but as it got closer she could see it was a very large black and white male. Her body stiffened as the male sat before her, she would not show this weakness in front of another. She didn't show it to her old pack, she wouldn't show it to this stranger. Her eyes locked on the male's watching him carefully. He didn't seem to be a threat and in fact seemed interested in her. Was that even possible? For another wolf to be interested in the pain of a stranger? It was true she would never turn away from a wolf in need but rare was the wolf that showed any care for her. Of course rare was the wolf that caught her in this state. Happy was one thing, she was happy at the Ocean for example but this? This was different, and for once she did not know how to react. She was silent for a long moment, watching the male and thinking of how to respond. "Why? What does another care for a stranger. One as weak as me." Her voice was a struggle between her two sides, wavering between her empty control and the sadness she felt. It went back and forth between the two and would sound somewhat broken. At least she was able to hold control over herself, she sat proud with her ears up high and her eyes confident yet showing her pain. Adjusting her position she was ready to retreat or dash forward if she needed to. Those that were kind one minute could be aggressive the next. She wanted to speak more, if only to prove her voice was not this emotional mess and perhaps to get more out the male. "I am Isabella VentFlurrer." So far so good, her voice was her own. "I have sorrow yes, but why would you want to here it?" She lost control again the sorrow came though. She wanted to sound strong, bold, maybe even a tad aggressive but her words sounded to her like a coward, a weakling. She hated it and no doubt this wolf in front of her saw her as such. "After all even the cruelest wolf would help a sniveling little pup." Her thoughts were to try to get her to become stronger as she waited for this stranger to reply. Though all of her conversation she was sure to keep her voice quiet enough to not reach Alphonso, this was her conversation not his. "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."

As he'd sit near the fair lady her autumn colored pelt vibrated far better then his. His smile would widen upon his ebony lips; interested to know why she seems so negative about herself. Weak? Is probably one of the most doubtful insults a wolf can make about there selves. his cranium would tilt to look at the sky, wandering if she wanted to be left alone. " Perhaps its because i have a heart not to leave someone drowning in there own sorrow. You seem far from weak to me. If you made it through what evers been troubling you it shows your worth." Vaug would come to a pause for a little while, getting more comfortable before continueing. His mismatched eyes would look at her shift of movement, Her posture strong, her ears held up high, She looked proud, and she definatly has potential. " I like to hear the stories of another, it shows me just how far they have come along, i suppose."

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Isabella

The male had smiled as he spoke, why on earth had he done that? Isabella was confused, beyond confused. She never understood the emotions or actions of others very well and this wolf was a quite the puzzle to her. Though she had to admit, having another wolf care about her was something that did not happen often. It was one of those things she wasn't sure if she liked or not, however she did know the fall wolf at lest deserved to be spoken off. "It would be away to atone for the kill, to keep the wolf's memory alive." The thought crossed her mind and she liked it. There was another thought in the very back of her min she didn't want herself to here, that if she spoke her pains to another and admitted her crimes perhaps she would feel better. Admitting that to herself would be admitting her own weakness though, and at a time when she was this down it wasn't exactly something she wanted to do. The male gave his reason for wanting to help, or at least something that sounded like reason. To show her worth to have gone though her past and carried on, to see how far she has come along. "Well, I suppose having gone though it, I mean that says something correct?" Her words were mostly to reassure her self though she sounded very unsure. Watching him a moment she considered speaking but turned her head way. "It is not a happy tail, but I would do right by the victim in my story to tell you. I have spoken of this with very few." In fact the only one in the land of Alacrists she had spoken of the event directly with was Alphonso yet he had her full trust and they knew everything about each other. "If you would like to know then I shall tell you, your reasons for it are very strange however but perhaps it shall do us both some good?" That came out more of a question than the statement she wanted to be showing she was still very uncertain. "If you truly like stories of hardship then you shall gain something and if I speak it then, I see little gain for me but perhaps for the one I wronged." Every time she told the story she ended up feeling empty, so many emotions would come to her at once she would do her best to block them all and feel as emotionless as she sounded. That often left others unable to reply, even Alphonso only manged a few comforting words and the idea of a long walk. The words seemed to help but that was only because she did not want to see her friend surfer. None had been able to comfort her about the tail in a way to have her open up and realize she could let go of the sadness and guilt within. Even if they did it would require a bit of work on her part as well, admittance she was not weak and what happened was not her fault. Turing back to the male she met his miss matched eyes. "If you still wish to know, I shall tell you. Though I would at least like to know your name first." There was a chance she would open up, though this male was still a stranger and she did not know if she could trust him, it was also strange to her the male was so close and did not seem to be going anywhere. At least a name would help, there were still many doubts in her mind but a name was a start. "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."

Since loosing his previous kingdom by the Reformed Vau had grown a tendency to see others who seem saddened and he often tries to make it a little better. He used to be Naive, and often turned a blind eye on all others and now? He had completely changed. Becoming a high Lord of the ebony empire; holding it with pride and doing his best to eliminate all threats and welcome all guests. As he'd sit, he'd listen to the woman; rather intrueged to hear the story and how well she'd seem to hide it. " of course it means something, the victim has a right to be remembered, and to have the gratitude of his and your story to be listened to." He'd catch his breath for a moment, realising he had forgotten his manners. " Im Vaughan, High lord of the Ebony Empire."

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Isabella

Isabella paused in her train of thought as the male spoke his name and pack. "Ebony? So Raisa started her pack then? I see, if she trusts you as a pack mate, as a High Lord then I see no wrong in telling you of the past. For the sake of the victim of course." The last addition was a little too sudden as if for a moment she admitted her own feelings but then covered them up. Rather than being the flawless it just showed she was slipping or she felt she was slipping at least. Backtracking would only make things worse so she went on. Turing form the male she looked forward, it would be easier than looking at him while she spoke. "I don't know where to start except for I am the one who wronged the victim in my tail, I deserve nothing from suffering for it." For a moment her ears fell back but they quickly rose as she shook her head. "In my birth pack I was such a scholar, a diplomat, more so than even the Alpha's own pup. They, the Alphas saw that and they liked it. My parents the Deltas liked it as well. If only I wasn't who I was, they never would have wanted me to act like them. The Alphas, Betas, and my parents wanted me to know more to know that I could be like them, beasts, rouges, bloodthirsty blighters." Her ears moved back, flat this time as she thought of all of them. "I knew they used blood as power from the start, I saw a killing no one knew I saw." Pausing she snarled a moment before going all. "All life is important, precious, and should not be taken without cause food for example." Her fur bristled as a bit of her anger came though both in body and in her voice. "Any who they saw who 'challenged' them or any they saw weak enough to strike and have them not fight back. I was to learn this by experience on my first year by summons to the Alpha's den. My parents and the Betas blocked the exit as a shaggy, thin wolf was brought in. The wolf was an outsider in our lands and the Alphas decided it had done them wrong though the stranger was half starved." Isabella closed her eyes as if doing so would keep the memory from coming to her mind. "It started all at once. The Alphas telling me they liked me and wanted me to be like them. So to start it off they jumped on the wolf and attacked its legs so it would not be able to run. The Betas were next tearing at its sides causing pain only nothing lethal. I wanted to turn and leave, I wanted no part of that...that slaughter!" Though her voice rose in a yell it was a desperate yell, with both apology and pain. "My parents just made things worse before the wolf died they made me come forward before the Alphas." She stiffed as if she could still feel them on either side. Opening her eyes she sighed. "I tired, I really did try to give a painless death to the wolf by grasping its throat and just killing it. But, they Alphas wouldn't have it they ordered more blood so my mother had my father jump forward. I felt is fangs sized my scruff and pull back. My fangs were already set, I couldn't help it I just." She paused feeling a knot in her chest. She didn't know what that was, she didn't even feel that way when she killed the wolf she froze then and felt emotionless to defend herself. For a moment she shook, no, she wouldn't sink that low, all of this was one thing but shaking would lead to sobbing, sobbing to crying. Not something she would let happen. "So, the throat was ripped out, the poor thing just lay there unable to move bleeding out. I was as frozen as that wolf and only tired to meet its eyes and let it know I was sorry, that I didn't mean for that that I only wanted to give the wolf some mercy!" She shouted this time with a catch in her throat and a desire to change her past. Pausing she let it all sink in as she turned to Vaughn. "That is...what I am hiding what I live with and the crimes I have done. Speaking of it is, I feel strange I don't like it. I just wish it had never happened yet it has and I will never be able to change it." Isabella felt sadness and recognized it yet didn't know how to react. It wasn't as if she didn't feel sad before she had her moments when she still felt things yet this was on a new level. If Vaughan was really truthful and trustworthiness then maybe some how he really could help. If not she would just suffer and feel her own 'weakness'. "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."

He would smile as Ebony was already becoming known to the rouges, and perhaps all in due time they would come to seek shelter, to develop and become strong. " She created it not to long ago, where quickly growing." Within a matter of weeks they reached around ten wolves, and there was no denying more where following. He would quickly discard the thought, awaiting for the story. He'd see how big this was for her, and would show her the gratitude and intrigue she so deserves. The story would unfold; into such detail vaughan could easily visualize the whole scene. If anything, he could clearly see the distress that Isabella went through, and Vau went through something similar. Except it was his loved ones that where at stake. He would nod in understanding once she had said it all, and the deceased wolf should be lucky to have another hear the story. " You should have never been put through all that, Isabella. You where so young to. The rouge wolf will surely live on in your memory, and now mine. Justice is served. Not many wolves are given a second glance after death." His eyes would look upon her once more before continueing " If your still feeling distressed about the scenario, i suggest you keep yourself busy, thats what i would do, going with a small group of friends would be a good support. Or perhaps earning your keep within a pack, perhaps hunt or heal."

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Isabella

Isabella looked to Vaughan as he spoke. He did not see her as a villain or think her actions were crime rather he thought she was the one wronged. And it seemed that that he would remember the unnamed wolf and felt that talking of him was a proper atonement. The only thing she couldn't tell was how he felt about her, she didn't know if she was sorry for her or not. He didn't offer much comfort only a few words that didn't help much. He didn't even seem to acknowledge her emotions, her weakness. "Keeping myself busy seems more like an excuse, an escape rather than a solution. Just another way to get away. As you said justice has apparently been done but I feel no different. I will always carry the memory and pain. Friends are not so easily won in this world, not many can be trusted and what wolf would want me, a killer, a coward, a weakling as a friend? You think living though hardships makes one strong but clearly that is not the case if it still effects, and will always effect me." Isabella wanted an answer, her eyes held questioning and desperation but she didn't even know what kind of answer she wanted. "As for a pack I would need to know the leader would not be like my old, or one quick to leave. Even if that was the case no good hearted leader would take one who kills and freezes, then runs." Pashas she should have never opened up to this wolf, now her emotions seemed to be running wild and were getting harder and harder to control. He wasn't much help to her cause even if justice was done as he said she felt no better, if anything she felt worse. She had only froze and run after killing the wolf, and if she was in the situation again she didn't know how she would act, if she would be any stronger or not. For all her training, as much as she had control of her emotion and body she couldn't predict her actions in a situation. She could predict what she wanted to do yes, but what she wanted to do and what she did could have been two different things. "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."

She was not ready to let go, and Vaughan would find it hard to make Isabella see a balance. Though, it may be difficult, it didnt mean the ebony man didnt like trying to succeed in anything he can, and he would carry on attempting to make her see the lighter side. "Perhaps its not actually that you cant get over it, Isabella... but maybe you fear that karma may strike back, or maybe your scared if you forget about it you'll do it again. You need to trust yourself, you need to forgive yourself before moving on." "You" He'd look upon her once more before giving her a supporting, yet friendly nudge against her side. " I accept you for who you are, its time you accepted what you have done before you can go any further, do you think you can do that? VAUGHAN of EBONY

Isabella

"Why? Why is he staying, why not just leave? It would be easier for the both of us that way." Isabella thought as the male seemed determined to stay and help. She didn't really know if he was helping or not but at least she wasn't alone, right now she just didn't want to be alone. Loneliness wasn't something she really felt often, she liked to be alone but now she was happy this wolf who was basically a stranger stayed. He did more than stay though, he contused to speak. "Fear? I don't, fear....fear is useless to me. I don't fear karma or getting struck back, I don't fear forgetting I'd never do that. I don't fear myself....I can control myself I can. I am strong if I loose control, then I will fear myself and I will fear for others around me. I despise killing yet was so easily made to kill. How easy would it be for that to happen again, for some poor fool just facing a run of bad luck to die in such pain?" As she spoke it just sounded like she was repeating herself, going over the same things and in fact in her mind she was. Isabella was starting to feel worse and worse about herself, there was a moment when she wondered if she really was to blame, and if she could ever forgive herself. But that moment quickly faded as the darker emotions, the ones that built up mos tin her mind took over. "Forgive myself? No, never. If any wolf killed another I would never forgive them. If they were forced to then I-" She trailed off not really sure what to say. If a perfectly innocent wolf, one who saw the world as pure was forced to kill perhaps to save their own life or even the life of another then she would not blame them. No, she would only blame herself for any other wolf would have been strong enough not to kill, or at least that's what she told herself. "I-They are unworthy of such forgiveness." she spoke hoping beyond hope he did not catch the 'I' in her sentence. Siting in a cloud of her own disrepair her head lowered a the world around her faded away. All she could think of was every negative aspect of herself, every sorry every hate, every embarrassment she had directed toward herself emerged within her mind and ran over and over as she closed her eyes. "I am weak then, I have been holding this up so long but now those emotions I have kept quiet will simply kill me." She thought not even aware of Vaughan next to her. That was until he nudged her. Taken by surprise she was thrown off balance a moment but caught herself, displaced with a start as her eyes snapped open. Looking at the male she was nothing short of confused with him. He had accepted her? had accepted what she had done and still stuck by her? Why what good was she to herself, to others to the world. The part of her that sill sought to cover up her other emotions wanted to just turn her back on the male and keep quiet but there was something else, maybe the same part of her that didn't want to be lonely. Turning to him she met his eyes, tears threatening to spring from her own. There was only one question to ask and it came out in a weary, heavy voice. "Why?" "My words are for all.""My thoughts are not."