The Step and the Walk, Dyani

[Teak]

One moment, Dyani had been trotting through the warm spring morning, contemplating her path when she got the strange sensation that she was being followed. She paused to look around, and then the next moment there was a prick in her side and a sudden heaviness spreading from it. The last thing she heard was she slump of her own body against the damp earth. After being on the island a couple of days, Dyani decided she would go and confront the shiny desert that seemed to surround the forest that she had seen from a high point on Akemi. So she passed through Chantico forest, scenting a pack but giving them a very wide berth. When the ocean finally appeared before her eyes, Dyani stopped and stood absolutely still. She watched the waves with fear and also curiosity, for while they seemed to move like creatures, there was no method or actual consistent form to the waves. Growing closer, she realized... it was water. She was on an island. Dyani sat in the sand on the beach and considered this thought. The humans moved her to an entirely new place? Her collar was gone, but she now bore a yellow tag on her ear that fluttered like a strange leaf. At least their mark was better here. Still, she did not fully understand what purpose she had here yet. The she-wolf shifted to sit more comfortably, watching the waves with a solemn face as she contemplated these things. The old storyteller would have known her purpose, was he still alive... Pain fluttered across her features momentarily. There was no way she would ever figure it out. The doubt seemed so heavy on her shoulders that she lay down in defeat, resting her head on her paws and wondering if there would ever be a reason to get up. She sighed a long sigh, already completely sure that not a single wolf on this island would be of any interest to her. Even if there were humans on this island, they never seemed to come very close to those that they marked. Dyani closed her eyes, simply listening to the crashing waves and not letting herself think about what she would do next. All she could bare to think about was what she would do now, because thinking about the future just made her realize again and again how pointless it all was. She wasn't sure how long she had laid there, and she didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until she woke up. The light had shifted; the sun now lay like a burning fruit atop the ocean, scattering the water and sky with colors. Thin clouds streaked the sky in even more colors, and behind her the sky was purple and already pin-pricked with the tiny white spots of the brightest stars. Dyani looked around to find that she was still alone, and yet she got a feeling that made the fur along her back stand up as she eyed the deep shadows of the forest behind her. She would need to hunt soon, and yet she couldn't stop scanning the line of trees that met the beach. Was she really alone?

[Willow]

What had he done? Demry stumbled along barley in control of his own body. Eyes glazed over with confusion, the young wolf wandered the forest following no particular path. What if the pack found out? Would they drive him off? Would they tear open his sides and leave him for the birds? Demry hadn’t a clue. Though he knew one thing for sure. They could not find out. At all costs. Looking up, Demry failed to recognize where he was. Taking a moment to scent the air only confirmed that he had wondered far away from the pack. Though in the mix of new scents, something fait and familiar caught his attention. Could it be? This far away? Picking up his pace, Demry continued to scent the air, only verifying what he thought. She was here. But what was she doing this far out? And more importantly, had she seen what he had done? As he came over the hill Demry caught sight of a lean body and grey white fur. It was Dyani. Curious as to her intentions of being out so far, Demry continued to follow her being sure to stay down wind. There was a loud crack in the air. Demry froze in his tracks, along the forests edge. Dyani’s steps began to falter. As the she-wolf fell Demry ran out to her snarling, as he leapt. He could see a human in the distance and made his way, cutting diagonally, to it. There were more cracks and Demry felt the rush of air as a dart flew past him. Enraged the wolf pressed on harder, determined to kill whatever had killed Dyani. It took two hits. The darts stung his side, and the wolf could feel the cold liquid spread through his body. Demry’s steps faltered and he landed face first, into the ground. ======================= Demry carefully opened his eyes, a squint at first, slowly adjusting them to the sunlight that gleamed down from the trees. His head ached and as the wolf slowly at up, he realized these surroundings he had never seen before. Tilting his head towards the sky, Demry could see the treetops scarcely covering him. Lifting his head to scent, Demry recognized very little. There was, of course, the smell of damp dirt, newly forming leaves, and some traces of prey. But there was also strange stale scents of wolves and foxes, packs he had never smelt before. The day was still young. As the wolf sat there quietly, he decided that the first thing to get done would be to hunt. He didn’t know how long he had been asleep in this new place, but the forest seemed to be getting along as if he wasn’t there. He could see birds along the branches, signing to one another in harmony. A squirrel sat not too far away on a low branch chipping and twitching his tail. As a lone wolf, he wouldn’t be able to take anything down as big as deer so he set his hopes on a rabbit, or perhaps a fox if he could catch one. Lifting his head to scent the air, Demry noted the stale scent of rabbit along with the fresh scent of squirrel and mouse. There was nothing worth hunting in this area. With a slow trot, Demry began to explore the island, looking for a meal. ======================= Two days had passed in which Demry had explored the island with limited hunting success. He had managed to kill two rabbits and a large mole, enough to keep his hunger at bay. He had strayed maybe a mile in distance, thinking that learning the area in detail would be better than walking the distance. In the back of his mind he had also hoped that by staying close, he would have better chances of finding his sister. Though there was no way for the young wolf to know if he would ever see her again. As the sun began to set Demry was walking through a small patch of flowers nose to the ground. There was a faint trace of mole and the wolf was certain he would catch it. But then another scent mixed in with the rodent and at first Demry did not recognize it. As he continued to scent, the dark wolf angled his ears back in shock. At last! With excitement Demry rose his head to the air and howled louder than he had in months. Then he slowly lowered his head, waiting for a response. He had scented his siter.

[Teak]

The howl that rose into the sky in that moment sent a chill down her spine. It didn't take long for her to recognize the voice. It was her elder brother, Demry. Conflict ran through Dyani. She was excited by the fact he was howling for her, but at the same time frustrated that he too had been put onto her sanctuary of an island. This was going to be her island, where she could start fresh. But her history had followed her, and now she needed to face it. There was no point in hiding from her brother. So she stood up and turned to trot back into the woods that lined the bay's gentle curve, shaking the sand out of her dusky fur as she did so. It didn't take her long to reach him - he was close. Dyani had not howled back for the sole purpose of holding the power. It would be him that wondered and waited, not her. Dyani would be a mystery to him until she chose to be seen. She could see him now in a small clearing, though he likely hadn't seen her through the trees yet. It had been years since she'd bothered to really look closely at her brother, and it was surprising to see how much he had already filled out. He was a large wolf, and looked confident even as he stood there waiting, with his tag moving slightly in a breeze. The coloring in his fur was that of their stupid mother, the black with touches of brown, as if he had been bleached by the sun around the edges, the dark eyes that always seemed to be thinking and yet often portrayed little. At least, they had never given Dyani anything back in the pack. He seemed changed now, somehow. It was that fact alone that Dyani stepped forward at a dainty trot, though her face was a stern contrast to her fluid movements. Her beautiful features were cold, her blue eyes hard as she considered him for a long moment as if she had just seen him now. She watched for his reaction, though she hid the deep curiosity she had for their matching tags and his appearance here on her island. From across the clearing she spoke in a voice that matched her expression. "What are you doing here, Demry?" There was mistrust in her tone, a slight suspicion. She'd been miles from the pack when she'd been put to sleep by man and brought here. Could he have been following her? Would the old pack's alpha really have gone so far to order Demry to do that?

[Willow]

The silence that followed sent an eerie feeling through Demry. It was the tingling sensation of being completely alone. Not letting his fur ruffle, the wolf kept his emotions under control. Just because she didn’t respond did not mean that his sister was not on this island. She could simply be out of ear shot. Or perhaps ignoring him, something that didn’t seem too unlikely. After many moments passed, Demry considered howling again, but decided against it. It was too dangerous. If there were other wolves in this strange forest, it wouldn’t take them long to track him down if he kept howling. There would be nothing worse than getting attacked as a lone wolf. Demry sat quietly on the soft ground, his haunches held back and his head level. His brown eyes glared into the forest, darting back and forth in search for Dyani. If there was anything the wolf was good at, it was making himself look intimidating; even if he wasn’t. Out from the thick forest, a lean white pelt came through. Clear blue eyes found his with, what Demry could make out, very little emotion at all. Demry felt a lurch in his chest when he recognized his sister. It calmed him to know what she was here, but at the same time made him anxious because Dyani was now being put through the same dangers as him. “To that question I can give you no answer.” Demry spoke in a moderate tone showing that he held no hostile feelings towards her. It was true. The wolf had no idea as to how he appeared on this strange island. “Do you know where we are?” The wolf couldn’t help a sneaking suspicion that his sister had no better idea than him as to where they had been thrown. Though she did bear a funny tag on her ear that appeared to match his.

This post has been edited by Willow on Sep 2 2009, 08:55 PM

[Teak]

"To that question I have no answer." Dyani's brow twitched up, and she scoffed at him irritably. One ear turned to the side as she glared at her brother in annoyance. "Don't be ridiculous, Demry. I was miles from the pack when the humans found me. I find it an unlikely coincidence they might be retrieving wolves from two points at the same time. So that means you had to be nearby where I was. I'm not stupid," the she-wolf said coldly, stressing the last word pointedly. Demry would have had to be nearby for the humans to dart him as well as herself. As she'd said, she'd been miles from the pack. So the question of what he'd been doing here was really asking more of why he'd been so far away, with her? Dyani turned her eyes to the forest and sighed audibly, already tired of her stupid brother. Who was he without his damn pack to define him and guide him? No one. The way Dyani saw it, Demry had never wanted to be anything more than the best wolf around, all depending on how other wolves saw him. There was no passion there. Why would the humans bring him here? Obviously it was some mistake. This island was meant to be a blessing for the pathless life Dyani had been living - brought to her by man. What was it to Demry? Obviously he would be missing his pack, and likely wanting to seek one out soon so he could start kissing ass as soon as possible. Dyani knew it was only a matter of time before he would leave her alone and find someplace better to be - and she looked forward to the return of this special island as her own. "Do you know where we are?" Dyani had been so consumed by her thoughts that she was nearly startled by her brother's speaking. "We are on an island. I do not know more than that, other than that damn pack is finally out of my world forever." She spoke with triumph in her sing-song voice, though there was still a dislike for her brother in her eyes. Of course he would ask something like that. Dyani lifted her nose and shook out her ruff pointedly. "Anyways Demry, I have thing I'd like to do with my day, and you are not high on my list." She turned her cold blue eyes directly on him then, and her beautiful face curved into a smile that held no warmth, one brow raised in question to see if he had any other stupid questions to ask. Dyani was ready to enjoy her island more, to meet the wolves here and leave her damned past behind. That is, if she could rid herself of Demry.

[Willow]

So that means you had to be nearby where I was. Demry's blood ran cold. Flashbacks of the old wolf passed through his mind. How blank and hollow the wolf's eyes had become as death ran for the first time through his veins. His murder was all to recent and all too real. If Dyani found out, Demry knew he would never be forgiven. In fact, his sister's hate might grow so strong that she would seek revenge. There wasn't a time more crucial to tread carefully. "You haven't changed much have you." Demry growled looking directly into his sister's eyes. Her lust to become a loner had always bothered him, for how could she ever grow to be anything in their pack if she kept to herself. "You can't make it on your own. Are you really planning on eating rabbits and moles for the rest of your life"? Demry stood up and took a thoughtful step forward. The brown wolf knew that whatever he said, Dyani would disagree with, but he had to try. "Look. Why don't you just try to get along with me for a little while. You are my sister." Demry's ear twitched back. He couldn't help it. Knowing Dyani she would reject him and he wasn't sure he could take that.

[Ivv]

"I think it's good," Syl replied to Baron as they walked. They'd been talking about their growing relationships with Foxx, Farley and Linue. It was the first time they'd developed any sort of lasting relationship with packwolves in about three years, which was rather significant. Besides, as they grew older, maybe it would be best that they finally settle down and commit to a pack, a family. It was good that they were helping these wolves, that they were becoming a part of something. "Look. Why don't you just try to get along with me for a little while. You are my sister." The wind was not blowing in their favour, but the voices ahead were loud enough for them to have caught the end of that conversation. Syl knew she and Baron's scent would hit these two wolves before they saw them, but that didn't matter. Unexpected encounters rarely posed much of a threat to the two large wolves. With a smile, Syl picked up her pace and made an easy jog towards the wolves, stopping short a few yards. "Sorry to interrupt," she said in her typical, soothing and friendly tone. Syl had the essence of a mother, and her voice was like a lullaby. It was safe. Her eyes flicked to the tags on the ears of the sibling duo just as Baron came to her side. "You two look lost," she observed, still testing the waters with them. She had a goal in mind, but this would be the litmus test for the two wolves before any invitation was extended.

[OOC: Short, terrible Syl post.. but it's up!]

[Teak]

"You can't make it on your own. Are you really planning on eating rabbits and moles for the rest of your life?" Dyani sneered at Demry. Because she had disliked the old pack, he assumed she disliked all packs? She opened her mouth to say more, but he took a step forward and spoke more, cutting her short. "Look. Why don't you just try to get along with me for a little while. You are my sister." Dyani laughed at this, but her eyes were cold as usual. "What, now that you no longer have Mud's chin to lick you come crawling to me? I will not be the ego-rub you so need, brother." She stiffened subtly as she spoke, already preparing for his comeback whether it be physical or verbal. Dyani knew the reaction her words caused in wolves - anger, hurt - but she was willing to pay the price for her honesty. It was then that the sounds of two wolves reached Dyani, and she turned to face their approachers. Her ears flicked forward, though Syl and Baron did not make their approach hidden. It was that fact alone that held Dyani in place, despite the fear that automatically came upon encountering strangers of their kind. They obviously had something to say to Dyani and Demry if they did not muffle their approach. Sure enough, the first wolf to enter the area greeted them with a kind smile. Dyani relaxed subtly, but still watched with detachment. "Sorry to interrupt," Syl said, and it was then that Dyani noticed the tag on her ear. She was an older she-wolf who smelled completely foreign, but she carried the same mark as Dyani. The male companion with her carried one as well, and they both had the scent of a pack. Maybe this was what Dyani was looking for. "You two look lost." Dyani looked to Demry and scoffed. Her brother would always be lost in her opinion - he did not know how to live a life without others telling him. Dyani disliked being put into a sentence with him. "I don't get lost," Dyani said, offended. This wolf must be quite dumb to think so. She eyed Syl critically for a moment before she spoke again, with little hesitation and as if her previous moment of offense had been forgotten. "You have the same tags as us. Are you part of a pack?" With Dyani, there was no banter or small talk. She did not know that she was likely walking straight into Syl and Baron's plan, nor would she have cared if she had known. Dyani waited for their answer only - Demry was as good as gone in her mind.

[Willow]

Sorry it took me so long to reply guys. I was pretty busy
getting caught back up in school. But... now it's looking
good so here we go. =)

"What, now that you no longer have Mud's chin to lick you come crawling to me? I will not be the ego-rub you so need, brother." Demry clenched his jaw in a tight growl. All his frustrations towards his sister bubbled up inside him. His back legs tensed to pounce and his body leaned back to do so. The young wolf caught himself just before he leaped. This was his sister. Fighting would solve his emotions, but not solve what caused them. It took effort, but Demry managed to lay the fur on his back flat again. Dyani had hit a sore spot and he gave her the satisfaction of letting her know. The wolf growled to himself and turned his head, gazing away from the source of his problems. At that moment a strong scent of wolves drafted towards him. Lifting his head slightly, Demry strained to recognize them. There were two distinct scents, but they each held a common smell, meaning they must have been from the same pack. Stiffening, Demry turned his body towards the direction of the wind. If there were two other wolves, Dyani and him would have a decent chance of protecting themselves. And to be honest, Demry longed to contact a pack on this island and start living his new life. Yet the idea of a strange wolf still kept him tense. As the two approached through the trees their posture and manor of walking proved them to be docile. The two were about a large as Demry, but bulkier and most likely stronger in a fight. I don't get lost. That was so typical of his sister. Not a "we" in sight. As Dyani scoffed, Demry noticed the two wolves in front of them had tags on their ears. They matched Dyani's and, presumably, his. Did that mean that these wolves were part of the pack the humans had destined him to be with? Either way, Demry was in no way going to offend these wolves. If he was going to find his way into a pack, he'd better prove himself to be worth recruiting.

This post has been edited by Willow on Oct 22 2009, 12:15 AM

[Ivv]

The wolves didn't make much of a fuss when Baron and Syl arrived. Though, when it came to Syl and Baron, wolves either reacted in one of two ways; they prepared for a fight, or accepted the fact that, in a fight, they would not win, and remained docile. Baron was a bear of a wolf, and Syl stood at Demry's height — she was exceptionally large for a female wolf. So it was good that these wolves had chosen the latter in how to deal with Syl and Baron. As usual, Baron remained quiet through the situation, his calculating eyes absorbing everything. This was Syl's territory. This was her game to play. "I'd imagine that would be true under different circumstances," Syl replied in an amicable tone to Dyani. Standing just feet from the brother and sister duo, Syl could almost taste the scent of humans on them. A metallic scent was entwined, meaning they were brand new. Released from those enclosured not more than a few days ago — just long enough to not wreak of humans, not not quite long enough to be rid of their scent. "Is it just the two of you, or were you brought here with more of our kind?" Syl asked. The humans had a funny way of operating when it came to releasing their tagged experiments. It was either in a flood or one by one, and Syl had yet to understand why. She was a sieve of knowledge when it came to the humans, but that didn't come without its research. "Well, no matter. We're here to offer you a place in a pack. Acceptance isn't ours to give, but we can lead you to a pack of wolves like yourselves — with tags — and you'll be wise to take the offer. Some native wolves to this island do not take kindly to the tags you carry." She'd known since they'd left that, though they could recruit wolves, it would be Foxx and Linue's decision. And they had no idea in what state the pack would be in when they returned.

[Lunaria]

“I think it’s good.” Baron nodded in response to Syl; their growing relationship with the Vex siblings was strangely satisfying. He and Syl had mostly avoided any connection with most wolves up to this point, and the idea of joining a pack hadn’t appealed much. However, the Vex pack was different somehow. Maybe it was just the fact that he and Syl were needed there, a feeling he couldn’t deny was appealing. Maybe it was their age, and the instinctual need to settle down somewhere they could eventually be taken care of. Whatever it was that kept the pair with the Vexes, Baron was content to go along with it for at least a little while. He wanted to see Linue, Foxx, and the pack do well, and felt that he and Syl still had much to contribute. The sound of two wolves conversing hit Baron before he had a chance to respond to Syl, focusing his thoughts on the strangers rather than the pair’s prior conversation. Without a word he paced along with Syl, and the two of them approached the loners in an open and casual manner. Although Baron could never completely play down his intimidation factor, just from a sheer size standpoint, he was quite skilled in making his intentions look nonthreatening. He took up a position slightly behind Syl, letting her take the lead as the two came within easy conversation range of Dyani and Demry. The big male kept quiet, letting Syl do what she did best, as he observed in the way that only he could. His eyes flicked first to the tags on both Dyani and Demry’s ears, which was always his first priority. Satisfied, Baron simply watched, his calculating eyes taking in little details that most would never think to look for or be able to analyze. The female loner was first to respond, and Baron’s lips twitched slightly in the beginnings of a wry smile. He liked her immediately. Baron had an instant appreciation for anyone who got straight to the point, without need for small talk or pointless words. He also liked her haughty confidence. The male, on the other hand, seemed to be more of a ready-to-please sort. It was apparent to Baron that the two had a tense relationship at the very least, and he guessed it wasn’t just a sibling rivalry sort of thing. Dyani was obviously the more independent of the two, and Baron was intrigued by her. Although the Vex pack had just turned away two loners, and this wasn’t the best time in the world for newcomers, Baron like Dyani’s potential. She was the kind of strong, confident wolf that the Vex pack could use. As for Demry, Baron watched him closely, trying to get a good read on his usefulness. He was big, but physical strength alone wasn’t always useful. A wolf had to know how to use his strength, and when to hold back. Baron was good at reading wolves, but he still wanted a little more to go off of before he made a firm judgment on the male. So far, Baron wasn’t very impressed with him, and it seemed obvious that Dyani did not care whether her brother came with her wherever she went. Syl had already extended an invitation for both wolves to come back to the Vex pack with them, but as of this moment Baron would only be supporting Dyani’s acceptance. Demry still needed to prove himself a good asset.