Back to the pack...

[Kaziph]

Thaddeus felt relief before anything else when the she-wolf lost the powerful, aggressive look from her eyes and approached him. The emotion startled the loner; he had never had to feel accepted before. Shaking his dark head in amusement he straightened his body up and looked briefly into the beta's eyes. Thank you. He touched her chin with his nose, another ritualistic greeting and acknowledgment of his new rank, and fell into step beside her as she led him toward the rest of the wolves.

His stomach pinched him, and he smiled at her offer. I think it would be a most suiting welcome, Luma, he said, likewise letting her name roll off his tongue as he acquainted himself with it. The young male noticed her falter as they went along, only because he heard the she-wolf's heartbeat change and quicken since he was running so close to her. Thad glanced sideways, curious, and saw something in her features that quickly vanished. Had it been that she was ashamed of something? He couldn't place what. Certainly it had nothing to do with him, for he was only newly accepted and keeping at her flanks.

He let the information slide to the back of his mind, for he was approaching the rest of the Kameskai clan. From here on out, it was entirely new ground for the young black wolf. He had never before been forced to submit to a clan, to try to find acceptance. In the Ravilin, it had been a given; he was the alpha's son, after all. As a loner acceptance was something that he had done without, for loners weren't the friendliest of wolves. Now, though, Thad felt oddly... awkward. He felt his long legs more than ever before, and the scar on his muzzle - which he could see himself if he squinted his eyes right - was even more pronounced now that he realized he was indeed being judged.

The brute walked behind the beta, but his stride didn't hold a dominant wolf's presence. Instead it was weary, keeping himself low key but also very, very intent. His eyes roved over every wolf as they came within sight of the clan, and the brute thought he could tell who was who, so far as ranks went. There was a big white wolf laying off by himself, and by his facial features Thad guessed him to be about the age of his own father; which, he realized, meant that the alpha was an elder. Luma was the beta, obviously. There were two other males, one that had the physical, if younger, look of the leader even if his coat was opposite in color. Perhaps this was the alpha's son. He's just like me, then, he thought to himself, and he gave the brute a friendly glance. The other male was older, more suave; he couldn't be related to the family by blood, surely. There were three females, all the same age, and Thad wondered if they were all sisters.

His time of looking was over, however, for he found himself rapidly approaching the large white alpha. The dark wolf lowered his head and his tail, keeping his ears carefully to the sides of his head in a nonthreatening stance. He didn't speak to the white wolf - white like my father, too - he just stood there, waiting for acceptance or denial.

[Kaziph]

Cassiel had laid down after eating his meal, slightly away from the others. He still couldn't believe he had simply collapsed like that when he had seen Beryl. He was laying now with his head up, eyes vacantly staring off into the distance. Idly he wondered if Epitaph had seen how much their daughter looked like her, before she... vanished.

He was brought back from his thoughts when he scented the loner, now mixed with Luma's scent, approaching. He turned his ears toward their coming, but he didn't turn to look to the newcomer until they were only feet away. The dark brown eyes of the older alpha looked into the younger eyes of the dark wolf, and he read several things there immediately. He thinks I'm old, for a leader. True, but old doesn't mean incapacitated. He lifted himself from the ground after a moment and stepped closer to Luma's acceptee, looking him over closely.

We can always use another healthy, young brute around here. He half glanced at his two daughters, Aisha and Beryl. Aisha seems to have already chosen who she'll pad after, though. Cass brought his eyes back to Thaddeus. Welcome, I am Cassiel. If Luma has accepted you, then you are indeed one of us now. He stepped forward, brushing past the new wolf to rub his scent on him and to step back closer to his family.

It was then that the howl came from the border, probably near where Luma had just left, and Cassiel pricked his ears in that direction. I'll go this time, he rumbled to his beta. He would find out the new wolf's name later, until he did, Cass would consider him to be Dark One. It humored him that Basile, too was dark. Cassiel padded off toward the markers, keeping his pace even and slow as his legs became steadier.

[Tay]

Basile watched as Luma approached with the new member in tow. He noted that they had similar pelt colors, and also saw the friendly glance the wolf gave him. He made a mental note to approach him when Father was done. His ears perked as another howl rose from the borders. He gave a soft snort. Was the fresh kill attracting loners?

He turned his orbs back to the other male, seeing Father accept him and tell Luma he would get this loner. Luma walked over toward the kill, picking at it some. Basile knew she hadn't had much time to eat before. He walked toward the male. He noted the scar on his muzzle, but ignored it. Figuring it was something he might learn of, or something he might not.

He gave the wolf a friendly half-smile. Hello, I'm Basile. Welcome to the Kameskai, Pack-Brother. He rubbed shoulders with the wolf gently, not sure if the touch was welcome or not.

Aisha was less then pleased with Beryl's arrival. She glanced at her, her bubbly nature faltering for a bit. The emotion of her mother's eyes swirled deeply in the warm depths of her brown pools for a moment as she felt challenged. Her fur started to rise, but she caught it in time. It was her sister after all, and Beryl would not...steal...Jaden away from her.

She glanced to Beryl, the bubbly emotion vanished for only a second, then it was replaced. She had a feeling no matter what she did, Beryl would stay beside her and Jaden. It made confusion swim in her orbs, hiding that deep inherited venom. While Beryl easily displayed it, Aisha was good at keeping it down. So far, no one knew of the glimpse of her Mother she possessed.

She smiled happily at Beryl, looking to Jaden. Oh! Jaden, this is my sister Beryl. She just came back to us. She's been gone for so long. She's lovely, like our Mother. I look more like Father, but...I suppose you can see that. She laughed, it tinkled in the air, the epitome of a female's laugh. Tinkling, beautiful, melodic and high. Beryl this is Jaden. She looked to Beryl with a grin of the grin of a love-sick puppy, for that is what she was.

Luma, while this all went on, picked at some of the Caribou. There was enough left, but she wasn't hungry. Her thoughts bothered her, and now Cass was gone. She'd feel bad to leave the group, though...she didn't know what else to do. She needed to figure herself out. Was she truly attracted to Cassiel? Had they gone past mere friendship, somewhere along the way? She couldn't think clearly, and she turned her head to Basile. Basile, will you tell Cass that I've gone off for a run?

Basile turned from the new brute and responded, green orbs curious. Of course Luma. The silver beta nodded and dashed off almost as quick as the answer left his mouth. She ran, letting the feeling of wind in her fur wipe out all thoughts.

[Kaziph]

Thaddeus felt himself becoming lost in the scurry of the pack as the wolves around him moved and melded together like a wave of water rippling on the shore of the lakeside. He tucked his head down even more as the white leader accepted him, thankfulness coming off his pelt in waves. Another surprise, that was; why was he so glad to be accepted? Was it because he was once more among wolves, part of a clan? The emotions threw him off balance.

He turned his attention to the alpha's son as he approached, and Thad dipped his head again, politely. He didn't know who held what rankings, but he knew he himself had yet to prove himself and so would keep low for a while. He tasted Basile's name, running it through his mind as he had done with Luma's, memorizing the scent and sight of the young male all at once. He guessed they were about the same age, if he himself wasn't a few seasons older.

Greetings, he rumbled softly, his story-teller's voice smooth like silk... but not the deceptive kind. My calling is Thad, and I am welcomed. He stood awkwardly as Basile brushed against him, curious more than anything else. This is like a dream of going home, only the characters are all different here, and the background is more open, too. It was better than a dream, then. He didn't copy Basile's movements, but he didn't fight them off either. It made him feel more... like a part of the pack. Thad smiled.

He looked up when Luma called out to his new companion, curious again as he felt the strangeness coming from her. Something was still bothering her, but since Thad still didn't know what it was - aside from the fact that it wasn't him - he could only nod in acknowledgment of her request and Basile's answer before she was gone like a wraith. He looked back to the dark wolf standing beside him, asking, What was that about?

[Kaziph]

B E R Y L

The black wolfess continued to gave Jaden a distrusting look, but her's wasn't at all similar to Basile's. She hadn't seen how her brother looked at the young male Aisha had chosen to pad after, but had she, Beryl would have seen the difference. His glance was one of distrust, too, but for different reasons. The black fem disliked him not for what she realized he was doing to Aisha - for she was sharp, and knew by instinct a player when she saw one - but for the fact that he wasn't treating her the same.

She was, after all, the alpha's daughter too, wasn't she? Her eyes snapped irately, but Jaden wouldn't know the reason. That emotion was hidden as well as Aisha's venom, and when Beryl glanced to her sister she didn't see any of her own hateful look reflected there. It would be a pleasure, then, wouldn't it? she growled, her words for Jaden but to appease her sister. Ok then, if we're going, let's go. She took note of the arrival of the new black wolf, but Beryl didn't care to greet him. He was a stranger, another outsider, and although now a part of the clan he was not relative to her. Besides, his weird brownish colored eyes didn't give her the haunting feeling that she had felt from... others.[/font]

[Shai'Ren]

R a e l i k

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away…
It's a slow fade, when black and white have turned to gray…



Raelik trotted a little ahead of his new leader, interested to see what life was like in a pack not ruled by force. When he came to observe the others of the group, he was slightly taken aback. Almost all of them were of ebony. The only difference were their eyes, and none of them were as speckled as his... at least, he thought so.

His silver and gold eyes traced over the males and the females individually, though one stopped a little longer on the fem with green orbs. She seemed more... powerful, and he wasn't even looking directly at her. His auds folded behind him as he sat down, unwilling to start a conversation with any of them since he was almost the newest wolf there. Unsure of how the ranking really went, he waited to be adressed, keeping his eyes away from the others--especially that interesting female's.

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid…
People never crumble in a day…

[/size][/font]

[Kaziph]

The white wolf trailed in after Raelik, not allowing the younger male's interest in meeting the rest of the clan to bother him about ranks and the who-went-where-firsts of the clan's hierarchy. It didn't matter to the brute much in general, he found, as the seasons came and went. He was still the alpha, and no one had challenged his authority. It had made him slack, he knew, but Cass was a firm believer in his family. If they didn't want him as leader anyone, someone else would just have to prove they were more capable of leading them and he would, eventually, step down.

As it was, though, Cass was still strong and the clan that had followed him for years was strong, too. The new males didn't bother him too much, even though he did regret that mating season was so close at hand when the new arrivals hadn't yet bonded well into the pack. Mates weren't to be chosen quickly, he didn't believe. That was something that time, seasons before winter, decided. He padded after Raelik and continued on even after the grayish wolf had stopped. His paws carried him right up to Basile, for he had glanced around and after not seeing his beta had chosen the next in command, in his eyes.

Where has Luma gone? Hadn't she been here just hours before? He grunted, letting his eyes trail back to Raelik and then around to the rest of the wolves present. His words, when he spoke, were for Basile. The newcomer is called Raelik. He is Revolver's son. I don't know if you remember Revolver or not, but he was a wolf in our clan near the time when you were born. Cassiel shook his head as he looked around once more, absently still searching for Luma. If you go out wandering, make sure the clan stays in groups. Don't let them all go off alone again.

He stepped back, and then remembered that he hadn't let Basile - or anyone, for that matter - tell him where his beta had gotten to. He waited, his weight shifting almost awkwardly, for an answer from one of the wolves present.

[Tay]

Basile watched as another male approached with his Father. He nodded to Cassiel, ear perking toward his Father's figure. He looked to the newest member, Raelik. He had a vague memory of Revolver, and gave the brute a polite, welcoming smile. He noted the brute's injury and frowned with concern, before looking back to Cass.

He looked to the others, he could see Aisha and Jaden edging away, but Beryl also seemed to be tagging along. Although he couldn't know, he hoped his sister had seen the brute's true side too. He nodded, figuring he, Thad and the new male would stay and converse, for Keeya seemed to be napping now.

He realized his Father waited for the answer about Luma, and he glanced off into the distance. His orbs grew troubled, for Luma had not seemed herself. She seemed bothered by something. She told me to tell you she was heading back into the lands.

He shrugged. She left not too long ago Father. A few hours, I suppose. His pale green orbs looked back to his Father's brown. He knew without asking that he would go after her.

Aisha had turned to watch the new male approach, before turning back to Jaden. She had no interest in other males. Only her Jaden. She glanced at Beryl again, and bit back a growl of frustration as Jaden invited her along.

She nodded to her sister, a happy grin lighting her face. Let's go then. She nudged Jaden and began to walk forward, stopping after a step or two, keeping herself between him and Beryl.

[Kaziph]

Cassiel nodded as Basile spoke and turned his broad white head in the direction his son had indicated. He wondered why the beta would be bothered, but Cass didn't consider the season. He had forgotten exactly how close it was to mating season now that winter was fully upon them. His old body still felt the call, but it was no where as strong as it had been before. He just hoped, deep down, that the other males would wait to mate this season to ask him. He would hate to have to fight them if they went behind his back, but he would.

The alpha sighed and didn't speak as he turned his large body around and began to head back into the meadows and foothills of his domain. I'll be back. Keep them in check, Basile my son. He didn't offer his farewell to any of the others, for already the silver beta was on his mind.

[Goanna]

O, the power of a full belly and a comfortable resting place! What a hold the two could have over a young wolf. Keeya had happily dozed off, secured by the pack surrounding her. What a luxury it was to be able to close one's eyes fully and drift off into the world beyond, a luxury never presented to a loner. Footsteps and speech around her had, however broken this spell, and the shewolf now opened one eye lazily to see what the fuss was, only to startle at the two dark wolves standing nearby. She had, momentarily, believed herself to be seeing double; had thought that there were now two Basiles, but this matter was resolved once her mind cleared itself of slumber. A swivel of her ear, a blink of an eye told the female that there were, in fact, four others present; Basile and the other dark male, a third blur of a wolf she could only glimpse out the corner of her eye, and the rapidly retreating form of the alpha, Cassiel. That's funny, Keeya thought, I wonder where the others have gone. Realising that lying there would not answer her question, she sprung to her feet and trotted over to the two dark males, yawning as she went. Basile, her eyes whispered without a word, Where are they all?
She tossed her head, scattering the trio of flies intent on cleaning the last traces of blood from her muzzle, and faced the second dark male. I'm afraid that sleep called to me before I could introduce myself, my name is Keeya.

As she waited for a reply, her eyes, now fully alert and shining, gazed over the male's form. With a slight flutter of emotion deep within the pit of her stomach, Keeya decided that this young male was no match for Basile in looks. Slightly embarrassed, she turned her head towards the path the alpha had taken, then swung it back round to question Basile once more with her eyes about where the others had disappeared to. They could not, she decided, have gone far without waking her to go with them... or perhaps... or perhaps Basile had been left behind to wait for her to stir from sleep. A thousand such thoughts crossed her mind at once, causing her to become increasingly warm and yet somewhat awkward within.

(ooc: just a tad lost here, sorry. I've read everything, but wasn't 100% sure where to post... or whether Raelik is with them.)

[Kaziph]

Thaddeus stood in silence while the wolves of the Kameskai settled or altogether left the hunt's clearing. From what he understood, his new leader was going after Luma, and the trio that was edging off was perhaps going to explore. The young male's eyes took in the newercomer's form as he approached and stood silently, almost awkwardly. He wondered what this brute's history was, for he couldn't read it in his stance...

Then a young female approached, and Thad felt himself stiffen a bit. He hadn't been around fems since he was with his sisters several months before, and that was altogether different. He didn't know her, but he could see the way she looked at Basile and felt the heat between them. It wasn't hard to guess that they at least had some interest in one another. He felt oddly let down by her easy dismissal. He didn't let it throw him off, though, for as soon as she spoke to them, he responded.

My name is Thad, and sleep has powerful motivation, I'm afraid. He meant for his tone to be light-hearted. He hoped he wasn't coming off rude to them. After all, what did a forest brat know about the stern-eyed wolves of the mountains and their senses of humor?