Whoo! First post! Sorry it's short and crappy; I'm supposed to be doing my homework.
I said I don't know
Darkness clouded her vision. Her entire bodice felt light and weightly, vision obscured. Steel tinted pistons rose to the top of her crania, eardrums catching naught a sound. The wretch couldn't see, hear, feel, touch, or taste. Fright engulfed Pythae, but then peace drifted throughout her mind like a mist, relaxing her stiffened limbs and tensed muscles. Taste reentered her mouth, rose-glazed tounge ungluing from the roof of her mouth to find the air was dry.
Then the rest flooded in, like a tsunami of senses. Delicate pads felt rough tapestry beneath them, slim frame collapsing to the terrain. Pistons caught the faint sounds of her form hitting the terra, grey-sapphire tinted occuli opening as the darkness faded and light flooded in. Faint outlines and details were her's to study. Her frame still felt weightless; but nevertheless she remained calm. Aftre what seemed like eons, the wretch forced herself up, mitts propping her up in a sitting position. Mug pointed hellward, plum curling around her. But; alas; she soon found herself sprawled out on the tapestry once more; she was uneasy on her mitts. Mind was fuzzy; but she clearly recognized she was dead. "Where...am I?" Delicate; timid voice tinged with sorrow was thrown into the air, spreading out softly and quietly. If I'm dead, why am I here?
The wretch pulled her slim bodice into a sphinx-style position, before she rose, shakily, to her paws once more, occuli lingering on the horizon; blank and staring, glazed slightly. Muzzle parted; soft sigh escaped into the air; her blank gaze drifted up to the velveteen sky; or if it even was a sky; and then back down to the terrain; everything was clearer now, and she could make out the foliage; faint scents tickled her scent-glands; apparantly she was at some sort of pack ground; very strange...
Aha! I figured out the problem with your table. <3 Sorry that I messed around with it, but the text was so tiny and fuzzy I couldn't see it. I put it on twelve-point. :d yay me.
Faded yellow eyes flickered keenly, scanning in the surroundings as if nothing had truly happened. A paw picked up, dragging with it several specks of off-white sand. This wasn’t real – ears stopped focusing as if they could hear her innards, eyes closing so that the alpha might listen into herself. Nothing. No rhythmic beating of a quick-paced heart she had always heard; the rhythm that was both a pester and a comfort. A pester, because she realized with each panicked skip and murmur it couldn’t be good for her health; a comfort, in that it still remained, however painful it might be. Death frightened the young grey more than anything, and now she had looked at in the eye and – slipped. Dropped simply away into a sandy shore, unknowing just exactly where she was or how she had gotten there. A fading black hole, a burst of light? None of those clichés had gotten a claim of the two-year-old, and the grey anxiously awaiting them.
But nothing. Legs stiffened and a tail twitched every now and again, paws held firmly into the shore’s grasp. There was simply nothing, no heartbeat, no murmur – what the fuck? Kratina wanted to scream, wanted to shout obscentities – but underneath it all, she really didn’t. The wolf was not known for angry outbursts others normally experienced – in fact, she was known for the exact opposite – and a head ticked and tilted gently to the left. At least there would be no worry about any of this ‘death’ nonsense anymore, even if there was no finality. Wasn’t she supposed to go to a hunting ground where no one got hungry or sick? Aristotle told her that, when she was only six months old, and the grey had yet to doubt until. Until now, that was.
Head swerved around slowly, unsure what exactly to do with this place – the waters lapped up nearby, and Kratina stared into them as if they held the key. They came on repeatedly, teasing her as if they would reach her, but they never did – a simple rhythm that she found comforting, something to replace the heartbeat she dearly missed. Why was everything still working and not the heartbeat? The wolf’s eyes narrowed.. a dream? Her dreams came horrifically vivid, both the good and the bad, and frequently she had wondered if life itself was just another one of them. Sharp teeth came down to gnaw on her upper leg, confirming that it was bitterly painful and therefore real. Supposedly.
There was a tie to this land already, orbs of yellow taking it all in at once with a calm look-around, and for the first time, Kratina felt as if it were hers. Not the “packs,” the wolves whom she had dutifully followed for all of her life, an alpha’s dream of submission in a follower, but greedily hers. She was dead, right, and she had found it first? Maybe, Kratina wasn’t so sure about the latter bit of that, but death certainly justified laying claim to a land. Her gift from the goddess? A snort of hilarity at that; Kratina had been a good pack member, but certainly not perfect. Not perfect or outstanding enough to deserve such a thing – and yet claws dug into the sand, jaws parted into a stealthy grin of greed.
No. Kratina’s head snapped around toward a smell the wind brought with it, a smell of someone else. This wasn’t possible! It was her dream, her death, and most important of all these things, her land. Teeth flashed as the grey rubber lips parted around them, an usual move for such a friendly and calm wolf, and feet darted her towards the source before she even needed to give them a definite command. It was not long for the runner to get to the true source of the intruding smell, since her entire body and life was made up for such a sport, and the small wolf attempted to make herself look bigger by lifting up her back – or at least, of what she could.
The other female wolf looked about as lost and dazed as the alpha female had felt when she first arrived in such a place, as if plucked and dropped from life itself. Which, of course, she had been. Kratina forced her lips down with a great bit of effort, licking over her chops in a suspicious manner nonetheless. This was her land, and as empathetic she wanted to feel for the other adult, there was no denying that she was intruding.
“Ho there,” she said wistfully, “What’re you doing on my lands?” A blunt question, spoken on a low voice more accustomed to chipper talks of plastic formalities. Perhaps there was something to be achieved with death after all.
"Oh dear.."
Soft-spoken, melancholy words escaped her velvety muzzle, accompanied with a timid sigh.
"...I don't know. Where am I, if I'm dead? Where is here?"
The questions were quiet, brooding, as azule occuli glittered slightly. Youthful bodice swayed back unto smooth haunches, feathered plume coiling around thin ankles. There was something sorrowful in the movement, as if the wretched beast was suddenly marked, inked across her forehead with the word 'dead'. Everything was so strange. Sense of touch had never really returned, and she felt little to nothing; and all was strangely silent.
Why is it so silent?
She thought, then added, sadly: Because I'm dead.
Her mind seemed unable to grasp it, to coil around it and absorb it; nay, she would never accept-- and alas, she knew at the same time she was indeed gone. Departed, cut down in her youth at the cruel fangs of another. Gingerly, feathered plume swept over her throat, searching for the mark where those cold fangs had sunk and torn. It was simply, unfair. Occuli landed on the other, and lightened, before fading back into their previous agreivance.
"My alias is Pythae Phasma ii. I apologize for intruding; wherever this is?"
Her voice had seemed to have taken on a sorrowful edge, to it, otherwise it seemed calm and peaceful, although slightly inquiring on the questions. The words seemed to fall from her parted lips, almost dreamily; not at all like her previous vocals, rusty from a year of unuse. Everything just felt so strange; so wrong.
She felt cheated, almost; dead at one and a half? It seemed hardly adequete, and yet here she was. But it's best not to dwell on the past. She focused her enegeries into the present, once more glancing up and quite startled to see the other again.
"Oh! May I ask of you're alias, M'lady?"
Pythae spoke softly, catiously; the other seemed suspicious, as if the youth was to jump up and steal her lands and ranking. Nay, maybe I'm one of the first to appear? It seemed hardly plausible, after all--then where were her parents? Did they not come here, along with her newborn brother? That itself was yet another injustice; and suddenly a sharp sob rose from her thorax, dominating her vocals, wretching itself into the air; she stopped, startled by it, as yet another broke through. Why, mother, father, syblings, why?
She couldn't remember their names; they had been torn away from her at such a young age; and they hadn't seen much of her before; it shamed her so badly yet another one issued forth; until she was on the ground, curled up into a ball like when she was young, silken muzzle thrust into her paws, muffled sobs breaking the silence that had so recently bothered her.
"Why."
It was more of a statement, really; mixed in with the wretching sobs; as the youth cried her "heart" out; and questioned again and again; shamed by her breakdown infront of the other; shamed by her past; shamed by her future.
"...I don't know. Where am I, if I'm dead? Where is here?"
How am I supposed to know, the equally dead wolf wanted to shout – I’m just as lost as the next. This whole situation bewitched her, bemused her, and scared the living hell out of her. If she could be scared; these lands made it impossible to be truly in the deep waters of fear she had so nearly drowned in so many times before. It was coolly refreshing but at the same time intimidating that there was no feelings, only numbness, to be found in after death. No fear, but no real joy. And so Kratina turned her head away in silence, not quite sure what the wolf was looking for in an answer – and not sure if she could speak it if it was to be a lie. Best let the other find out what were here was by herself, at least in the metaphorical sense.
“Her e is called Luminous Margin, of which I am the leader. Other than this, I cannot assist you.” Gentle, soothing tones were now added on to the low texture of the alpha’s voice, who had reclaimed her sanity whilst pondering if she was just as lost as this stranger. “I’m called Kratina Kiryana, Pythae.” Perhaps a personal sense would help this female stumble back into a deep thought rather than the confusion she seemed to be going through, and the friendly grey was always up for more friends – whether this was a dream or not. True reality? Not so sure, but the longer this dream lasted, the longer Kratina was convinced it was, for better or worse.
Then the single word was spoken, and Kratina uneasily licked her chops as the younger one began to flood with tears. Was this a wolf who wished to be comforted, or one that was so horrendously ashamed to be seen crying in the first place? Scruffy, triangular ears perked up and swiveled in on the sobs until the two year old could no longer stand it and trotted over to where the other stood. Her nose nuzzled against the neck of the female, overcoming the awkwardness at least she felt and trying to calm her down. “I don’t know,” she confessed, “but you’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as needed to find such a thing out.”
Pistons barely caught the words of the other, neck barely felt the touch of the other. But, still; her breaths became steadier, sobs subsiding; she rose to a sitting position and hiccuped. Sapphire-silver toned occuli focused on the other.
"I'm sorry...."
She sighed, calm once more. Gaze averted for a second, then returned to the other; thoughts buzzed in her head. I shouldn't have broken down like that. I have to control my feelings. She told herself sternly-- more sterner than she felt. Turning her attention back to the other, she spoke.
"Kratina... nice to meet you... and thank, you."
She finished solemnly, gratitude evident in her gaze. Here was a wolf that was actually /friendly/.... something she'd never seen before. But she was soothed, and now she was calmer; although a trace of her previous sadness clung to her hide like a aura, which it was, technically. Pythae felt older than her mere year and a half-- much older. Perhaps death does that to you, eh?
But, she was joining a pack; strange as that sounded to her-- and one where she wouldn't be sacrificed to some angry god that doesn't exist after all. That alpha's gonna get a nasty shock. She thought grimly.
Short, because.. yeah. Writer's block, more or less.
“It’s quite alright,” Kratina reassured the other female while continuing to nuzzle her neck a bit in order to comfort the obviously distressed and confused wolf. God, how things had changed ever since she came here – in life, she would be just like this young one, just as needy and scared. Not that the panic attacks had subsided – or had they? The grey searched her mind carefully, as to not wake any demons, but it was empty. There was no fear, and Kratina smiled widely. No more suffering in this place, to be sure, at least where others did not share. Claws felt in the sand happily – life was an apt sacrifice for sanity.
Clearing her throat, the two year old looked up into the other’s eyes, eyebrow raised a tiny bit at the other’s gratitude. Did that mean the she-wolf was to stay? Kratina inhaled deeply; the other wolf smelled of lands surrounding her pack land, meaning she was undoubtedly a bit of a wanderer before now. Alas, what one was forced to do after death. “Shall you stay as my scout?” the small runner asked softly, words murmuring and easy to the ear with a low tone. It would be amusing, if all this actually turned into a pack sort of thing – and then there would have to be ranks. Kratina was a bit bemused by everything, since she had no idea how to follow through with a leader’s role, even if she had always wanted to be one.
“The sands are growing hot,” she spoke with sincerity. In all the lack of time she had spent in her new home, she had already noted that the ground underfoot got warmer as the day passed through, undoubtedly cooling again with night’s swift coming. There were trees around, Kratina was keen on the things and so she had found them almost immediately, and her yellow eyes darted to point them out suggestively. “There is shade nearby.”
“Come with me to rest underneath them and perhaps you can tell me of your past.”
Blaarg. I finally can get a reply up! yay for me! -.o
And sorry it's so short.
I said I don't know
"Oh.. why, sure! I'll be a scout."
She said, voice swelling with contentedness. The first time the adolescent had been offered a rank besides 'sacrifice'. She, too, had noticed the intensifying heat under her pads, as it had begun to prickle unpleasantly. She smiled at the offer of shade.
"Shade? Lovely... er, yes, my past..."
Here the youth began to stutter slightly, swallowing and watching the other. Her past? As if she really even had one. But the alpha /did/ have the right to know, after all... so with that in mind, the younger she-wolf turned, and started toward the trees.
Better get this over with. It would be nice, however, to tell someone, or so she figured. In fact, it would be nice to talk some more of anything. Pythae had been suprised at the sound of her voice, after not using it at all except to yell out curses at her captors. It had felt good to use it for a purpose that was slightly comforting. But, still, she stalled as noticeably as possible; shuffling her feet and walking slowly. "Er... but before I do... please promise not to tell anyone else..."
She asked with the cracking voice of one about to confess a murder or something. Surely she will think I am jinxed.. Pythae worriedly thought. Then I can't be a scout, or a part of this pack... oh dear. Then, ridding herself of those thoughts, she looked to the other. How do I begin...
snarf. So many threads to catch up to here, and yet no time. So busy with school work. My apologies. ><
Kratina reached the shade only a few steps before her new scout, faded yellow eyes complacent and as usual seeming thoughtful. An odd thing, if only for a dim witted wolf, it just didn’t seem to suit her very well. A sort of clash against the rest of her grey speckled form – a deception that had appeased many wolves she had run into, so perhaps it was a mixed blessing in its own little sense. Pink tongue urged to roll over her dark gray lips as it did when she was pondering, as did her tiny claws in a want to dig into the sand beneath her, but the alpha stopped all such wants. Again, another uncommon sort of thing – the two year old had always found herself with little or no self control, and yet here she was grasping her own body’s emotions. A sigh escaped her tiny nostrils, so quietly that she doubted (or rather hoped) that her new pack member could not here it; the request for her to act more than her playful age was again put in place.
Don’t tell anyone about her past? The alpha adored knowing the inside scoop of secrets, and so with a tilted head and perked up ears she smiled and nodded to her new scout. “That’s fine,” she replied on her low voice, hoping there was trust already been established between the two. For that they had just met, Kratina thought that the other wasn’t one to be untrustworthy – and the alpha was not of such thing. Undoubtedly, she wouldn’t tell unless something odd came up. And what if the past was objectionable? She might then have a reason to reject her from the pack, but not many things were found objectionable by the grey. Of odd descent and with many stories and odd happenings since she was born, there was a wide tolerance for such things. Yes, she had been sheltered as a puppy, but it had soon come crumbling down thanks to reality’s inflictions.
“Go ahead,” she gently urged the other female, eyes politely focused on her new friend’s own.
She shuffled her paws miserably, gaze rising.
"Er, um, before I begin... I never really had a past. Me and my syblings were cursed from the start. In my parent's pack, the Omega's were to sacrifice their first litter. My parents were Omega's. They arranged the dates, mine to be last. But in the dead of the night, my parents tried to smuggle us away. They got all of my siblings but me."
Her voice was bitter and icy.
"The alpha's were furious... my parents were to take my brother and sister's place. I was still to be last. They trapped me in an underground cavern, damp and wet. I got the worst meat and bone, and I got water from puddles in the ground. My mother was first... led by a guard, they let me watch. It was horrible... the ring of wolves, with the alpha snarling and biting my mother, and the wolves- they- laughed and cried joyously. I stayed away from my father's sacrifice. Then, eventually, it was my turn..... I still remember it. The ring of wolves, their eyes gleaming lustfully as the alpha snapped at me. He kept driving me back into the crowd, where the wolves there would bite at me and force me back. Finally-- he, he clamped my throat. And that's it."
She smiled wanly, watching Kratina carefully for a reaction.
Faded yellow eyes fumbled for a moment, eyelids forcefully shutting to block out the blankness that they sometimes portrayed while the wolf told her story. Misery. Loss. Things that Kratina had barely had, if only in a flickering and as empty memories as her eyes. A sigh ensued when her new scout stopped, waiting for her reaction she supposed, and the alpha hesitated for a moment before relaxing her position. Now was the time to be a friend, not a leader per say – there would be time for that, perhaps, but now it was just the two of them.
“There won’t be that here.” An obvious statement, but the grey wolf felt an obligation to clear this pathway. “I’m sorry.. for your loss.” Why had they waited a whole year before killing the new scout, her siblings, and her parents? The question lingered in the two year old’s mind, but it would be horribly rude to speak it now. Kratina had a tendency to do such a thing, and now that she was an alpha she had it in mind to learn at least some propriety. It was so awkward, but undoubtedly worthwhile.
Allow her muzzle to briefly touch and rub over the other’s neck, Kratina wondered just how much of this took. How much compassion – which she had an endless supply of – and how much patience – not so much of that skill retained in her hard skull. Surely just offering her a place to stay that didn’t believe in violence – although Kratina dared not voice her personal opinion about such; it was just asking for trouble – would be a relief enough to the female. Kratina was lost on what exactly more she could do. Not turn back time, surely, although she would if she could – this was eternity, and only humans had a sense of time. No one, now.
at: 2/14/05 1:34 am
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