Moonrunner - Alphess from the North

[iscourge]

Her claws clicked gently upon the rotten surface of the cabin deck. Her fur stood on end, and her teeth flashed with a snarl from the light that shone down from a few rotted beams. Mud caked her paws, chest, and the underside of her tail that was now permanently trapped at an upward angle

She was corrupted- through and through, her single emerald eye now shining with hatred and passion instead of pride and valor. Her teeth were still stained red from the bird she'd abandoned in the middle of a hunt, as were the underside of her jaw.

She heard about the outcasts from snippets of rumors, but never had she attempted to speak to one. She was a one-wolf pack, but perhaps, if she could find the others, she could either convince, or bully them to do her bidding... First things first, she needed a den. This seemed like a nice start, big, easy to spot from a distance, and she was sure if she tried, she could climb onto the roof and see for miles around.

[reeddragon]

She was exhausted, but her paws kept up the pace she'd set at the beginning of the day, refusing to slow down. The others seemed to have given up their pursuit, but she wanted to make sure they would never find her again. Their pack - her old pack - was no longer the life she was meant to live. She didn't know what fate had in store for her, but to remain in her home pack would only morph her into something she did not wish to be. She still cared for her former friends. Perhaps she always would, in a way. But the friendship had been broken...slowly, starting when the wolf that was to be her mate fell in love with their mutual friend and ending in her defeat for the title of alpha and their mating.

Kaine shook her head as if to clear it. She couldn't dwell on that. She had to focus on her survival, instead. Up ahead was a structure she recognized as having been built by humans. She knew little about the species, but if the building was still standing and intact it would be a good shelter for her while she figured out her next move...assuming it wasn't already claimed.

She gradually slowed her pace as she headed toward the cabin and stopped a short distance from the building. She stood for a short while, catching her breath and taking in the scents. There was the scent of one other wolf, but no territorial markings that she could detect. She would have to be cautious, but she would risk it. After all, what did she have to lose?

Once she could breathe normally again, she headed to the cabin, all her senses on the alert for the other visiting wolf.

[Sandtiger]

Traveling far had not been as easy as had been anticipated by this red wolf. Her now blood red eyes all aglow, glinting with a hue of evil intentions. She had been reduced to hunting on rabbits now, with new help of her former pack to catch anything better. But what she did catch, she did so viciously, and hung up the remnants in plain view at times. As she cleared through some pine trees, she saw from a hill... a cabin? She snarled and frowned, cause that was when she finally picked up an eerie scent.
Her eyes became filled with suspicion, turning a dark yellow, and narrowed. Her ears folded on the back of her head, Jaelyn easily climbed down the slightly steep hill and knew the wolf was in here, female by the scent of it. Stepping in silently, the only sound heard her paws lightly treading on the dilapidated wood, she saw the other wolf. A winged, black wolf, by the look of it. Sneering slightly, she approached from behind. Than she realized a second wolf was here, and tensed, but put that aside for the moment. "And who? she asked darkly, but strangely quiet, "Would you be?

[iscourge]

Her dark ears flicked forward, and she padded to the door that was blasted off the hinges from the howling, gale-force winds of storms long past. She could smell the wolf from here- the wind was blowing the scent directly into the cabin. Her lip twitched upwards in a snarl- the wolf did not seem threatening, though she didn't seem too friendly either.

A show of force, she stepped onto the deck, her wings opening to frighten the wolf, or to test her courage. "Who is this?" she snarled, fur bristling away from her form. "Why have you come here? Have you abandoned all else?" Then came that eerie voice.

She whipped around on a dime, almost knowing neither would attack. "I am Moonrunner... The outcast of the South, and the Alphess of the North." she snarled in response. She may have seen this wolf before, but now, she was almost sure she couldn't have recognized her. "Who, on the other hand, are YOU, to disturb me? Why have either of you come here?"

[reeddragon]

As she headed to the cabin, Kaine was aware of another wolf nearby, with the same destination in mind. Her fur stood on end, though she showed no other outward signs of hostility. She would rather not fight either of the others if she could avoid it. Not when she was this worn down from her journey.

The wolf she had first scented stepped out and faced her, spreading her wings fully. Kaine opened her own wings halfway in response. She may not want a fight right now, but she would not be intimidated that easily.

The other wolf didn't attack. Instead, she questioned Kaine, but - before Kaine could answer - the third wolf spoke up and the first replied to her. She then addressed the both of them, introducing herself and asking - well, demanding to know - why they were there.

"I am Kaine," she responded. "I have left everything behind, and am seeking shelter."

[Sandtiger]

Just as she was restraining herself from leaping out at the other black wolf, the other winged wolf spoke. Drawing her attention towards the other wolf, she forced herself to listen, with gritted fangs and teeth. So the wolf was named Kaine. Not a seemingly dis-likeable wolf. The spread wings of the black wolf were far from intimidating to Jaelyn, more amusing, if anything. And Jaelyn spoke with an acidic voice, but kept her tongue from worse things as she responded to the two wolves, particularly the black one, -I, am Jaelyn. I was an Easterner and recently abandoned my life there, for a rougher, but better life,"

[Xane;;]

When he had heard a distant howl coming from the south, Thor had thought nothing of it. But when, days later, he had heard a very similar sound coming from Jaelyn’s throat, the alpha began to wonder. He had no qualms about the she-wolf’s departure; sometimes you just want to start over, and that was fine. But it was the manner in which she did it that was unusual. Jaelyn had always been a bit, well, mysterious, yet the bloodcurdling note in her howl sent a flurry of questions dashing through Thor’s mind. This had been unexpected. And this had been a challenge, albeit an unintentional one, to his authority. Therefore, after a restless night full of Thor-to-Thor debate, he had rose the following morning with a resolution. Thor would leave his pack for a few hours at most, with Twitch in tow, and investigate this strange phenomenon. Thor was certain that his gut was right, that the two haunting howls were somehow connected. But what would Thor find at the end of the trail? Now that he could only guess. For Sira’s and her unborn pup’s protection, Thor had decided to leave all of pack-mates behind. And he had also left Swift with the alphess, so that in the case that things went wrong back home, the female slave could serve as a messenger. If Swift appeared, Thor would know it as a signal to return. But for now Thor was stuck with the young male slave, Twitch. And although Twitch could be a pain in the butt, he was settling into his new role and – “Confound it, Twitch, stop that!” The dust-covered Naama looked up from where he was rolling in the dirt. He quickly got up, cowering, with an apologetic look in his eye. Thor cast him a final growl and then moved on. Enough about Twitch. They would be in outcast land now, and based upon Jaelyn’s scent trail, she wasn’t stopping anytime soon. After an hour or so of steady travel, interrupted with the occasional scolding to Twitch, Thor approached the abandoned cabin. He knew he was in the middle of unfamiliar and dangerous territory, but Jaelyn’s scent now mingled with that of several other wolves, and each new smell piqued Thor’s curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat. Hopefully it won’t kill the wolf, he thought, as he cautiously neared the open meadow in which the cabin stood. At this point he swiveled his ears back to keep tabs on Twitch, who kept quiet behind him. It seemed the dolt was learning: Twitch had picked up on Thor’s serious demeanor and was now doing his best to not earn a beating. Again Thor had to rely on nothing more than good wishes, and he swallowed a frustrated huff. I hate guesswork. WORD COUNT: 520 NOTES: Hope you don't mind my spontaneity. <3

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[iscourge]

Moonrunner refused to bow her head to any wolf, though her wings began to lower and settle gently at her sides. "...Very well... Both of you, come." she murmured, turning to trot eagerly inside the house. Her muzzle dipped into a small pool of water that seeped in from the rotten beams. Her single-eyed gaze watched the two carefully, flicking from one to the other in a matter of moments.

"The winds of change are blowing." she commented, settling herself within the shadows, her white splotch almost glowing in the darkness. "It appears... One from each pack shall come... Perhaps we should form our own ah- alliances?" Her massive paws folded over the other, her dusty claws the only visible thing in the light. "I am sure we all have our grievances, none of which are reconcilable. I left the Southern pack for... Various reasons. Mayhaps if I would have stayed... Brock had to die sometime... But no. I decided it would be better for me if I fled from that pack of weaklings."

Her scarred muzzle rose, testing the air. "Were either of you followed here? I hope not... I'm in no mood for a scuffle..."



((Sorree it took so long for a reply. D: Internets have been sketchy, but all is well now! I'll be making another character for this pack- a male named Hephaestus. o: He shall have the power over fire, n I have an idea about that.))

[reeddragon]

The wolf that had arrived at the cabin around the time she did introduced herself as Jaelyn and said she had left her own pack for a rougher, better life. Kaine...could respect that, honestly. Trials only served to make a wolf stronger..if they could survive. Jaelyn's tone was acidic, but she didn't seem to be an actual threat, so Kaine forced her fur to lie flat.

The black wolf seemed to accept their presence and invited them into the cabin. Kaine followed her inside, but kept near the doorway so she could see outside as well as inside. Moonrunner drank from a puddle on the floor and settled in the shadows, with only part of her body visible. This made Kaine uneasy, but she chose not to show that fact. She suggested forming an alliance between the three and went on to talk about her own reason for leaving. She didn't know who rock was, but he had to be something horrible if his leadership drove wolves out of the pack.

When the other winged female asked if they were followed, Kaine shook her head. "I was sure to lose my former friends and everyone else in the pack long before I arri-"

A very slight movement outside caught her attention and she focused her gaze beyond the doorway to the horizon. A tiny shape was making its way toward them, and her enhanced sight picked out the outline of another wolf. One with wings not entirely unlike her own. The other wolf seemed to have a companion, and the fact was made apparent as they drew closer.

Kaine's hackles rose once more and her gaze remained fixed on the figure. "Others approach."

[Shanto]

[/li][li]Ricochet[/size][/font]

On the other side of the vally, away from the likes of Thor and his smell was the odd eyed wolf the packs and outcasts of all ages knew as Riccochet. Over the past few months he had made a fairly good name for himself, not crossing the borders and living with his fellow batchlor male Tag for the most part meeting fellow outcasts along the way. The male was fairly large, tall and lean for the most part. Ricochet's coat was quite normal compared to some of the other wolves in the valley, but his eyes spoke.

Now he watched three females enter the cabin from his hiding spot in the tall grasses up hill from the cabin. He did not like this, and it agrivated him even more since the two batchlor males had previously claimed the cabin only a week or so before. The elusive male could see another wolf across the way, and was even more intriged than before. What was the alpha of the eastern pack doing way out here in outcast territory?

His eyes, bewitched said some for their many powers, looked closer at the wolves one he reconized from Thor's powerful pack the other from Brock's and one he hadnever seen before. Who was she? Ricochet deffinalty did not reconize the female. He crouched lower though and settled in for a possible show, his smell going the opposite direction of the cabin, and Thor's heading right to the ladies.

[Xane;;]

A sudden change in wind direction caught Thor’s attention. The distinct aromas of Jaelyn and two other females slipped out of reach, and Thor knew that now he was bound to be detected by at least one of them. It was decision time. Turn tail and leave with the knowledge he had already gained, or forge onward. Fleeing would of course be the less risky option, but it did not appeal to Thor’s pride. Yet there was another factor that made its way into Thor’s decision, which was space. His pack was reaching full capacity, and soon the land that they had already claimed would not be able to support them. That thought was very frightening to the alpha; famine, disease, and suffering would plague his pack if that indeed happened. And with the birth of his pups in the spring, there would be no room for error on his part. This was his pack, his family. Thor needed to claim more territory, and he would rather take from the outcasts than face the wrath of a fully armed pack. The strange gathering in the cabin could, however, thwart his efforts. And if his suspicions proved true, and there was a pack rising out of the outlands, would it not be best to destroy it in its youth? Thor set his face into a determined snarl, and Twitch reacted with an excited jerk of his tail. “Come on, doofus,” Thor growled, as he broke into a strong lope. Up the hill he went, Twitch scampering along in the rear. Now he was in the open grass, and it would only be seconds until he was greeted by the mysterious gathering inside the cabin. When he had covered about half the distance, Thor halted. He did not know two of the wolves inside, or what their respective powers may be. Therefore it was only fair for Thor to let them come to him. WORD COUNT: 361 NOTES: n/a

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[Sandtiger]

Jaelyn listened, grumbling in her head, thinking about this she-wolf's attitude, not the most favorable to Jaelyn, but she supposed oh well. she was with a relatively like-minded wolf, though highly different and that was all that mattered. Kaine didn't seem a bad wolf either. She listened to Moonrunner as she spoke. Jaelyn almost smirked heavily at the first phrase, that times are changing, the exact one in her dreams. And while she was not convinced to do something, she chose of her own free will, this she would very easily do from her own free will. But Jaelyn decided to respond to the following statement after it first. She had caught a strange scent, and quite familiar to the former Easterner, and only when it was fast approaching did she catch it. looking Moonrunner squarely in the eye with now orange eyes of annoyance at being followed, she said loudly, -"I had hoped" she continued "That I had not been followed, but alas," Glancing towards the entrance of the shack with menacing eyes, -"It appears a dear old pack-member, and a highly distinguished one at that, decided to drop by," She turned towards the shack entrance with poisonous, glaring purple eyes and teeth bared, her reddish fur bristled. She looked at Kaine and Moonrunner, trying to read their expressions.

[iscourge]

Moonrunner scrambled forwards as any good Alpha would, and narrowed her one good eye. "That is...." she murmured, recognizing the creature instantly. "Thor. And I believe he brought a pet with him. You, Jaelyn. Do you still hold any sort of loyalty for that mess?" she growled, her gaze never leaving the Alpha from the East. Perhaps... Since she longed to be Alpha so bad, she should step forward herself.

So she did.

She trotted ahead, keeping her skull and tail held high, not even checking to make sure the other two wolves were flanking her. "Why have you come to grace us with your presence, Thor?" she called. "I have no quarrel with you."

The scent of another wolf rose from the East of the gathering. No, it was the scent of two wolves, though one was far more dominant than the other. A pale wolf stepped forth from the tree-line, carrying a young pup in its maw. Moonrunner recognized the scent from long ago- she had smuggled the young wolf into the wild places a few seasons ago, afraid to tell Mors of the new challenger. Besides, Gaellis was more loyal to Moonrunner than anyone. It appeared as though he succeeded in his mission.

Ellis could tell something was wrong, even through his exaustion. He carried the pup for well over two hundred miles to this very location, and was elated to scent others- friendly, non-hostile scents. But this wolf... He had never seen one so fierce looking besides the female he followed.

With Cougar dangling between his jaws, he gave the speaking pair a wide berth, and dropped the pup at the steps to the cabin. "Stay righ' here, alrigh'?" he ordered, nudging her with a dirty, calloused paw before he turned, and headed to Moonrunner's side, ears flat against his skull.

[reeddragon]

The wind had changed, but that didn't matter to Kaine. She had already spotted the intruders whose scents were being carried their way. She watched as the two approached and halted about halfway, ears flat against her head. She had wanted rest, but it seemed she would have to fight first. That didn't matter, though. Exhausted as she was, the odds were still against the intruding male, no matter how powerful he might be.

She continued to watch the male and his companion approach, vaguely aware of Jaelyn's explanation. The information she did pick up was that Thor was a powerful member of her old pack. So this was someone that she knew...that would make it even easier on them because Jaelyn could tell them what to watch out for.

Moonrunner scrambled forwards and took notice of the intruder. Seemed she knew who he was as well. That meant this...Thor wolf really had to be someone important. Perhaps an alpha. That still didn't matter. He was outnumbered.

Moonrunner stepped forward, and Kaine followed behind and to the right of her, her gaze still fixed on the intruders. Her ears were still flat against her head, and the faintest hint of a snarl marked her expression. If it was trouble Thor wanted, then trouble he'd get.

Another male approached the cabin, but Moonrunner took no notice. Kaine dared not take her eyes off the first intruder, so she barely saw the other male approach, drop something off, and then come to Moonrunner's side. How many other wolves did she know that were nearby?

This day's getting a little too interesting...

[Shanto]

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[atrb=background,http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx292/jerichoian94/RicochetTableMIDDLE.jpg] "God bless outlaws like me." Now this was going to be interesting. Ricochet loved to watch a good fight but now this was just a bit too far over his limits. Four against one? He didn't count the slinking form behind the alpha because he was almost sure that the slave would hightail out of there the first moment the enemy showed their fangs. This was defiantly not a fair fight one Thor's behalf. The alpha was huge and powerful, but these were not good odds on his half. Now another thing Ricochet was slightly curios about was the ball of fluff that one member of this small rouge gang had just dropped on the porch. She curled around herself and he could see the she-pup nod to the male whom did not look like her father. Had they stole that pup? Why would they do such a thing? Pup stealers were often cursed by the pack and the valley, or so he had heard, had bonded together once before to kill group many many years before. The male with the oddly colored eyes didn't not make a move though, not even a sound as he watched this conflict start to unfold. Ricochet didn't like to pick sides but in this case he might have to bring some tricks in to help Thor if something did start to happen. He didn't like pup stealers, and a fire burned in his eyes. Ricochet had known the feeling of a loss like that. He had lost his true love, his pups, and his pack all the same time. Or so he thought. OCC: Thankies so much to Euphie for the absolutly stunning table for my favorite baby Ricochet! <3