[Open]Reunited[Cierra&Dax]

[reeddragon]

Teeth connected with flesh, but before she could make any further attack something knocked her off her paws. She landed hard on her side – thankfully the one with the uninjured legs – and remained still, the wind knocked out of her lungs. She turned to view her attacker and saw the familiar form of Dax.

Dax. Defending a trespasser on his own pack’s territory.

Recovered now, she leapt to her feet, looking between the two other wolves. “I hope there’s an explanation for this that won’t anger our alpha, Dax.” Her words were uncharacteristically biting, but she had been attacked unexpectedly by someone she had thought of as a friend when she was only trying to defend the pack. What was his deal?

[-sira-]

Cierra&Dax

A huff escaped his lungs and out his mouth. He didn't turn to look at the female outsider, he kept his attention on Safo. "Dax... Dax!?" her voice had begun to chime his name. A sigh of relief fell over him. It was such a sweet sound, her voice.  "Cierra, stay down... Let me talk to her..." he mumbled. In all honesty, he just wanted to turn around and rub his face into her neck once more. It had been too long.

 "Dax..." he nearly fell to the floor. His heart pounded. He couldn't take it anymore. He turned around and hurried his face into her soft, sweet fur. She did the same. "I'm here now, cierra" he whispered. After a few moments of the two getting familiar with their scents and fur and feeling of one another once more. 

He turned towards his pack mate. It was apparent that there must be some confusion. "Safo, do not hurt this outsider... She is my..." he wasn't sure what to call her. They weren't mates, but they were together... Or at least they are again. "Safo, is it? He and I were from the same pack, and we had grown close to each other... But we parted ways to make our escapes... We weren't together long enough to establish the 'mate' title for each other..." she could tell he was having a hard time explaining.  "We had hoped to find each other on our journeys outside of our old pack... But I had joined before I could hear of her existence as an outcast..." he threw the last bit in. Finishing up their explanation, they looked at each other. Happiness was written all over their faces.

[reeddragon]

Safo stood, waiting for the explanation that – it seemed – wasn’t coming. Both wolves were acting very odd now. They were both familiar with each other, and it made Safo worry. Surely Dax hadn’t been seeing outsiders behind the alpha’s back…? She hoped the situation was more honorable than it seemed.

And then – finally – they remembered they weren’t alone. She frowned as the two talked, attempting to explain things. Eventually they succeeded, and she understood. Good, that meant that Dax was just as loyal as he had always been. Still, this was a problem.

“Thor will need to know about this,” she spoke once the two had finished. “Sooner rather than later. You’re both lucky it was me instead of him that discovered…Cierra, was it? Anyway, you’ll want to talk to him before someone else sees this going on and jumps to the wrong conclusion.”

[-sira-]

Cierra&Dax

He waited for answer. He was unsure of the situation himself. But he was happy cierra was sitting next to him again. He had remembered Thor had the finally say in this decision. "Thor... What will Thor say...? he became nervous. So many wolves had come in. And now it was mating season. Would he allow this last minute addition just for his sake?

She looked back and froth as the pack wolves communicated. She now felt completely unwelcome. Like she was a burden. "Dax... I don't have to stay,.. If your alpha says no... Then I will leave..." she whispered. Trying to make sure there would be no commotion. He shook his head, the thought of her leaving again bristled his thoughts. "I lost you once, and I will not loose you again...."

[reeddragon]

“The more important question is ‘What will Thor say when he discovers this relationship?’,” Safo responded. “The two of you will be better off talking to him before someone else decides to do it for you.” She hoped for Dax’s sake that Thor would be agreeable. Aside from the trespass, she had no problem with the other she-wolf, and if she would be made into a pack member, that meant she was now a friend. The fight had been more or less forgotten in her mind.

Cierra whispered to Dax, and Safo momentarily focused her attention on the trees in the opposite direction to give them a little privacy. When she didn’t hear the mutterings anymore, she turned back. “Shall we head for the dens, or would you rather see if Thor will meet your ‘friend’ out here?”

[Xane;;]

Thor shook his head, his ears ringing. A siren voice still played in his head, long after the deafening sound had ceased. His deep brown eyes pierced the line of trees before him, as a growl tickled his throat. No one in my pack has that power. Thor took three flying leaps, and then opened his wings. They unfurled like a leathery canvas, and with a few powerful strokes Thor was airborne. He rose to catch an air current, which propelled him toward the dark center of the Teton Forest. He thought he heard growling and voices, but he couldn't be sure - the wind was whistling in his ear. Through the branches of pine and evergreens, Thor caught sight of a wolf's pelt. He dove down, pulling in his wings and leaning downward in a nose-dive. With an all-mighty crash Thor ripped through the trees, wincing as needles poked at his fur. He had folded his wings before making contact, so as he dropped down to the ground, he landed on all four paws without a scratch. Thor saw blood on Safo's fur. Dax stood alongside a wounded stranger, and for a moment confusion sparked in Thor's eyes. But then he stalked forward, immediately taking charge of the situation. "You," he snapped to Dax. "Get away from her." Thor's gaze burned into the trespasser's fur as he snapped his tail and caught Dax underneath the chin. The way that he was standing near the strange female was inappropriate in Thor's eyes, and that was his reason behind the reprimand. Thor jerked his head to Safo. "What's going on?" he growled, still keeping a cross eye on the uninvited visitor. WORD COUNT 339 NOTES n/a LYRICS n/a

[/table][/center]

[-sira-]

Cierra&Dax

He thought a minute, trying to find an answer for Safo. He wasn't sure how he would bring this about to his alpha. And was almost sure it would be a horrible ultimatum. Either stay with her and leave, or chase her out and stay. He had taken quiet a liking to this pack, and would prefer not to leave. And what good mate would chaise his other half away. This was quiet a heart strung contradiction. 

He had opened his mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted when he heard crashing through the trees. It was that howl that grabbed his attention.  "You attracted Thor with your howl cierra... Be prepared... He is the decider of what happens next..." he spoke with worry. "Don't... Worry..." her pauses were from her ears twitching to the sounds of the crashing through the trees.

She gazed upon the creature that hpwas airborne on top of them, then he landed. Her breath was taken aback when she saw the wings folded an the clubbed tail. This was quiet an unusual appearance. Well, to her it was. He commanded Dax to move away, and with a warning smack on the chin. He abided by it. But her on the other hand, stepped up one paw length to examine him, but seeing as she was in no position to do so, she tumbled to the ground. Revealing the soft side of her stomach. "My name is cierra, me and Dax were pack mates in our old pack. We grew close but not enough to establish a mate status..." she sputtered out. She knew if she were an alphess she would demand an explanation, too. He shot a look back at her, "Just keep quiet cierra... I will explain it..." he mumbled under his breath, hoping she would heave his warning. He looked up at Thor, who seemed enraged and confused, "I found cierra and Safo fighting. Safe was defending out territory and I believe cierra had just stumbled onto your territory by mistake... It was an accident that I stopped the fight between them... I didn't realize what I was doing. I just saw her and instinctively defended her..." he spoke with his head up and concern in his face. This was looking rather bleak by his story. Depending an outcast? What pack wolf does that?

[[ooc;; I was going to they to bring Sira in,seeing as they all used to be pack mates at one point. But I decided it would become a messy idea XD]]

[reeddragon]

Speak of the alpha, and he will appear. Thor was overhead in a matter of moments within her suggesting the couple talk to him, and she watched as he landed and regarded the group. She crouched down when he addressed her, ears and tail lowered in respect for the higher-ranked wolf, but before she could respond Dax spoke up.

Both Dax and Cierra seemed to take the explanation in turns, each picking up where the other trailed off or interrupted in an attempt to defend each other. It would be sweet if not for the fact that it was the alpha that they were defending against. Still, they were clearly in love, and Safo really did hope this whole episode went over well for them.

At least they're being submissive, she observed. That would certainly help things along, though it wouldn't guarantee anything.

The young she-wolf listened as the two explained the situation, and nodded once they were done. "It's just as they say. I caught her scent while on a hunt and went to investigate. Dax found us while I was i the process of driving her away." Or trying to, but she wasn't saying that last part out loud to Thor.

[Xane;;]

Luckily for the two apparent love-birds, they each took the submissive approach. For that Thor forgave Dax for speaching out of turn, and merely tried to piece together what he and “Cierra” were saying. With Safo’s help, Thor came to an understanding of the situation. Safo was trying to drive out the trespasser, and Dax had rudely (and quite irrationally) stopped her. Thor took his sweet time in thinking about this, leaving the three wolves to wonder and wait in silence. Safo had done a fine job in protecting the territory, and for that she would be rewarded. But what of Dax, and his “friend” Cierra? Dax was a good member, and Thor needed his hunting and fighting strength. Therefore it was obvious that he would stay, although Thor did not for a moment believe that he would get away with interferring with pack duties. Cierra was more of the problem. The crime of trespassing was not as significant to Thor as was the fact that she had a relationship with Dax. Relationships at this time of year put Thor on edge; he was jealous of his mating rights, and was sensitive about his pride. But this might just be the occasion Thor needed to test his pack members, to see what they were worth. Thor turned first to Safo. “You will be rewarded for your loyalty. You will become a beta and will keep your new rank as long as you deserve it.” Without further ado, Thor shifted his hard gaze to Dax. “You will be punished for your recklessness. You should have thought before you acted, so you will now by sleeping with the slaves.” At that a dark smile pulled at Thor’s lips. “That is, until you redeem yourself.” Now it was Cierra’s turn to suffer the alpha’s punishing gaze. “If you wish to join our pack, I will not stop you. However, if you two-” he glanced at Dax. “-get too friendly, bad things will happen.” Thor decided to leave it at that ominous ending. WORD COUNT 393 NOTES n/a LYRICS n/a

[/table][/center]

[-sira-]

Cierra&Dax

The two listened to their fate. One by one he listed off the rewards and consequences. It was apparent that the female named "Safo" had gotten the well deserved end of the deal. She was promoted to the beta of the pack. Next was Dax. He was punished to work with the naama wolves, fantastic. He nodded and held back his stutter. It was only fair. And now, they waited their fate on their future. Her heart lifted when he said she could stay, of course there were some rules. But they didn't care. All that mattered is that they were together again.

Each stood up and sat next to each other. "Thank you so much Thor... I know this may be a difficult decision, but I promise you won't regret it!" she bowed her head in appreciation. Then she turned her attention towards her new beta, "congratulations Safo, I'm glad you were rewarded graciously for your actions" she smiled. If it weren't for her trespassing, she wouldn't have gotten to have this oppertunity. 

[reeddragon]

The alpha was silent for quite a while, to the point where the silence grew very uncomfortable. Safo was worried. Not for herself, because she had only done what she was supposed to, but for the couple. What would happen to them now that Thor knew everything?

Well, they would find out sooner or later.

Finally, Thor turned to her and spoke, and what he had to say was almost enough to physically floor her. Not only was she being rewarded, she was being given the best reward a pack member could ask for while their alpha remained alive and able to lead. She had long ago given up on any hope she may have had for anything beyond a normal rank, as her injury kept her from being as fast and efficient as any normal wolf and she was lucky to be able to walk at all. She had trained extra hard from that point on, learning how to work around the injury and pull her weight, to be just as productive and valuable as any other wolf. Now...perhaps all that training had paid off more than she expected.

Safo's tail wanted to wag, and she was only barely able to suppress that urge. Instead, she bowed to the alpha, waiting for him to finish with his rewards and reprimands. After that, the couple thanked him, and it was her turn.

"Thank you Thor, it's a great honor." Her voice was quiet, but audible. "I won't let you down."

Cierra then turned to her and congratulated her on her new rank. Safo nodded to her, returning her smile. "Thank you, and welcome to the pack."