Winter is Here [Tarkah Only]

[Phantom]

The night was dark and cloudless, and a thousand stars glittered above in the heavens. It was bitterly cold, and frost coated the ground. Lera could see their breath steaming in the air, and many of them had slipped into hibernation to escape the weather. Some had begun their yearly migration to the warmer climates of the south. Allthough snow had not yet fallen, one could tell that it was clear.

Winter had arrived to the valley of Koran.

Phantom was laying on the outscrop that overlooked the Koran territories, her favorite place to think. She sighed as the last of Fenris' rays faded, and the valley was plunged into shadows. Her life seemed like that. It was once sunny and bright, but now it was dark and cold...

The Co-Drappa rose to her paws, and a howl errupted from her maw, calling for the Drappa. She needed to talk with Tarkah...

//Aweful post, I know, but I don't have much time..//

[Tarkah]

The evening sky was a rich purple haze and the skies were cloudless. The last of the geese and wintering birds flew south and after those moons of loud gawking and honking of over passing birds, now there were none to be heard. The Herla had moved to the lower lands where the wind could be more easily blocked and the food more easily found. But once again the wintering season had come.

Tarkah was once again found sitting o the top of her ridge. How silly was she to always sit there like a statue and try to wait for something that was not forth coming. "Andre, yet another season has passed and my heart yearns to forgive you, yet i know i am in a pool of deep sorrow and regret. For my apologies will be unheard and not needed for you are not even present to accept or even decline. But if you can hear me, by some miracle then I am sorry." Tarkah whispered into the cold evening breeze. Her eyelids curtained hiding her golden orbs. Her breath misty and white on the cold air as the stars came out to play.

Though Tarkah had told many that her heart had mended, that she would no longer waste her time and grieve for her mate that now seemed invisible and a far away dream. She still mourned to the point where she thought her heart might just shatter in pieces if not already. Tarkah shook her white fur coat and got up and began to pad away from the cliff, her favorite spot when a sudden howl broke the night air. "Phantom!" Tarkah barked, her black tipped ears twitched and she spun on her heels and ran towards the dark hued Fae.

Tarkah had begun to slow her gait as she reached the clearing where she could clearly see the shape of Phantom. "Phantom!" Tarkah cried out loud and trotted over to her and nuzzled her affectionately. "Phantom, how have you been?" she said and licked her muzzle. Tarkah spoke softly before sitting o her haunches in front of the beta femme. "I heared your call, oh I hope nothing grave has happened?" Tarkah asked in worry.

[Phantom]

"Tarkah, hello!" Phantom yipped, returning the white Drappa's muzzle. "I've been alright. how about you? I haven't seen most of the pack in ages."

She paused, waiting for Tarkah to answer, then she sat down. The smile faded from her maw as she switched from a happy greeting to talking of more serious matters. "Tarkah, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about for a while now..."

Phantom trailed off for a moment, arguing with herself over whether she should ask her question or not. After a while she shook her head, ridding her head of her internal conversation, and looked into Tarkah's bold gaze. "Tarkah... I'm sorry for bringing this up... but I must know..." Another pause...

"It's about Demon... I need to know, has she always been the way she is now? I know that there must have been a time... when she wasn't so cold..."

[Tarkah]

Tarkah padded forward to nuzzle the beta. "Oh I've been better I guess. no worries though Phantom. Perhaps my time as a drappa is finally dwindling. But yes lets talk of something else." Tarkah said and listened carefully to what the dark hued Fae was saying. Tarkah nodded. She liked that trait in Phantom. There were not many vargs like she. One who could look beyond what the naked eye could only see. Beyond the hide that covered ones bodice. She could look into ones heart.

Tarkah nodded. "Yes there was a time when happiness was all the raven Fae could see. But it seemed that where ever she had went there had been a plague, a curse that was right on her heels." Tarkah began, her golden orbs glimmering in the soft light. "Many say Demon is a wrench, a varg of nothing that is noble. Many despise just because they hear of what she is but never of what she is not. But we must go back to the very beginning." Tarkah said slightly dipping her muzzle.

"To a time when she was young and confident. She was the adopted daughter of the great Kanis. One of the most respected and Honorable Draggas there were, the dragga of Frecne. She was a puppy but the time before she came into the Translavanian forests I don't remember so. But I do remember it wasn't a pleasant tale. Perhaps that was what started, perhaps that was the seed that soon blossomed into something more. But she was to change, here in her new surroundings it would be different." Tarkah said and padded on.

"Yet still vargs thought her odd. She was always the one looking for danger, and seeking adventure. I guess she was just never one to stay put. We looked danger in the eye and brought on every obstacle with ease. Those were the puppy hood days. Yet Demon had always had a strange curiosity with the balkar. Perhaps she was just awed by them." Tarkah said with a chuckle.

Tarkah padded forward and jumped onto a boulder where she stood and continued, "Some say she is a scamp. A she wolf that could not settle down with one lover. But really was it her who could not settle down? Her first love had died, he had turned himself against her. But then she had met another. One that I had almost ripped apart. he was a balkar i believe. Yet not one that was the strongest i must say. He had left her and sent Demon back into a world with out love." Tarkah then jumped off her boulder. "Some say that she learned to love. But can't we all love? Yes Demon did love yet love was never just forever lasting. I believe with every time she lost such a precious commodity. Her heart took on another layer of steel. Until a point she believed she could not love no more, that she could no more be loved. She let her sanity take over her and for moons she had been alone, even I had failed to find her.

"Yet she had recovered some seasons later. I believe it was because she had spoken to her blood brother, though dead, she spoke in spirit. Then she had met the warrior Markaz. He had changed her world. Changed her everything. The cold hearted demon yo had saw was finally cured and brought back to earth." Tarkah hung her head and her golden eyes were curtained by her eyelids. "And I'm sure you could guess it. That curse had that seemed to finally lift from her bodice, only came back and began to destroy possibly the best thing Demon had ever had. Though their love was strong they had began to argue and many disagreements broke out. But love you could say would always bring them back together.

"They had pups and their love that seemed forever lasting. Something that could finally last, had only ended once again. It seemed that their differenced over powered their unity and in the end Markaz had left." Tarkah hung her head low in grief for the ebon male. "I think he had perished, from what cause I do not know." Tarkah sighed and lifted her muzzle finally, her eyes shrouded with glistening water, but sadly wolves could not cry. "I think that was when she had given up. The loss was so great and I think that was when she had turned to such a wolf you saw. I know though, she is kind and that same sister I had and needed when I was a pup. I still don't know how she could survive, for my breathe would have stopped long ago. She is strong and her wil is powerful. Yet her power of anger and frustration, sadness and grief over took her and well, she has became a cold wolf, deprived of love that was so unfairly stripped away." Tarkah padded toward Phantom and smiled, "So you see, she is not a she wolf that cannot love, but a she wolf who cannot love because love has betrayed itself."

/i bolded the parts where I'm not talking, i hope it helps cause its just a messy pile of poop!//

[Phantom]

//aww.. It's not a messy pile of poop at all //

There was a pause as Tarkah ended the heartbreaking tale of Demon's past. Phantom had listened intently to the story, wide-eyes and ears pricked with intrest. She never opened her mouth to speak, but simply nodded silently whenever Tarkah paused, to show that she understood. She cleared her throat and spoke quietly.

"I new it," she whispered. "I knew something must have happened to her. It's a terrible thing, isn't it Tarkah? To have love betray a varg like that..."

Phantom lowered her head in greif, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again she gazed up at the white Drappa. "I would've liked to get to know the old Demon, before she became so cold."

[Tarkah]

((OMT! I'm sorry i forgot abou this thread! slap me please))

Tarkah padded a few steps and looked out onto the horizon, her tapered tail lifting fro the wind that carried the signs of winter. Tarkah nodded and her golden gaze turned to look at Phantom, "Yes, it is. It is truly horrible to have love betray you... more then once" Tarkah said, and she could not help but think back to Andre. Was she stupid to have been so harsh on him? Tarkah felt her heart plummet. How she had wasted the many times that she was with him. Now he was no where near. No where. He was gone.

Tarkah looked to Phantom and her lips curled into a small smile, "You know,your really lucky to have Kadin. Remember, don't waste a second of time spent with him" Tarkah said and padded a step. Her eyes averted its gaze from the beta fea to look to the horizon once again. "You won't know how much you love him until he's gone. and it will be the biggest regret of your life" Tarkah spoke softly.

After a moment of silence Tarkah turned back to look at Phantom and nodded. "yes, it would have." she said thinking of the two femme's dispute with each other. Tarkah wondered though, where her sister had gotten to. She had heard of rumors that Demon had gone to the Vale of Shadows. But why would she? Demon of the shadows. of the Stone den, go to the vale of shadows? Tarkah had also heard of stories that she the Demon, was the new seer? pfft! Demon? The seer? Tarkah could not see it coming. She knew demon was still trying to overcome the loss of Markaz, and also heard that she might have indeed found someone new.

Tarkah wondered and licked her lips and then turned back to look at Phantom. Tarkh cocked her head, "So uhh, why did you want to know in the first place Phantom" Tarkah asked out of curiosity. It was not an everyday question, that was true.

[Phantom]

Phantom's black ears lay flat on her crown as Tarkah spoke of Kadin. "You won't know how much you love him until he's gone," said the white Drappa. The Beta sighed and gazed out at the horizon.

"I've already know how much he means to me. I've nearly lost him once, and besides, I've learned that lesson when I was very young.... My parents, my brother, most of my friends... I've lost them all, Tarkah. I only hope that, one day, vargs will come to know how precious life is before losing someone they love..."

Tarkah's next question made Phantom sigh wearily. "I needed to know... I couldn't believe that Demon had always been the way she is now. I wish she would just let me talk to her. I hate fighting. As I've said before, 'a Pack divided against itself cannot stand.' I wish we could at least live in peace with one another..."

She trailed off for a moment, but another question invaded her mind. "Why did Demon want to be Second Drappa so badly?"

[Tarkah]

Tarkah's golden eyes were looking toward the ground, her black ears bent back as she remembered thoughts, memories n when she had been with her mate. It had seemed like yesterday, but those days were far behind. Sometimes it would seem to vivid, while on some days it were cloudy and it seemed as if the memory was just some dream.

Tarkah closed her eyes halfway and went back, along the path of mind and memory. She remembered a time of laughter and play. Of youth and innocence and of smitten days. Tarkah also remembered that moment at the waterfall, where her blood brother Maverick had aided in finally confessing her Iove for a certain red hued he varg. At the very sight of him in her mind, Tarkah found herself breaking up. She could see his strong emerald eyes, twinkling under the midnight stars and how he could make her smile on cloudy days. Tears would have fell if only Tarkah had the ability to cry. And if she did, Tarkah would have drowned in them long ago. Her heart fluttered, if only she could see him again. But no, her winters felt colder and her heart a empty shell of what it used to be.

Tarkah shook her head and shuddered, "huh what?" she muttered as she looked up finally to Phantom, her voice had seemed to awaken her and tug her back to reality with a jolt of realizing that Andre...was actually gone.

Tarkah looked to Phantom and shrank, Tarkah knew of Phantom's history with Kadin, and how she had almost lost him. Bu the white drappa had been talking, and had started to talk to herself, what she said, was really meant to explain herself.
the arctic fea looked guiltily at the beta, "I'm sorry Phantom." Tarkah whispered. "I know how much you've been through. I guess I was only criticizing myself, without realizing what you've gone through."

Tarkah let silence dwell between them before turning back to look at Phantom as she replied to her earlier question. Tarkah nodded, "I see.." Tarkah said and smiled, "yes it's true, a pack cannot work together if there is strife between the members. But perhaps time will tell, besides I haven't seen Demon in a while." Tarkah said but at Phantom's next question Tarkah had to think before she could come up with an answer.
"Well, to tell you the truth, doest every varg want to be at the top? The ultimate goal to become drappa or dragga? To lead a family." Tarkah said, yes she was proud to lead Koran, but she knew she could not lead it forever, and so her golden eyes matched up with Phantom. Would the dark hued fea be the future drappa of Koran? Tarkah smiled, Tarkah was no a seer, but she did now that Phantom would make a very good drappa. "Well Phantom, I think she wanted just that, i think she wanted some where to call home, so she could be more then just Demon the she varg. But Deon, the beta drappa of Koran. You know." Tarkah shrugged, she wasn't all too sure. But she nuzzled Phantom. "But don't you dwell too much on this." The white drappa reassured.

[Phantom]

Phantom watched as Tarkah's mind began to wander, and she knew that the white Drappa was thinking of Andre. The Beta felt her heart fill with pity. Both her and Tarkah had lost many loved ones in their lifetime, friends, family, and mates. Both Andre and Kadin had vanished over the past year, and both Alpha and Beta had mourned for each others losses. But, against all odds, one did make it home. Kadin had seemingly returned from the dead, and was back in Koran. Maybe their was hope for Andre, too...

Phantom's ears flattened as Tarkah answered her question. "Well, to tell you the truth, doesn't every varg want to be at the top? The ultimate goal to become Drappa or Dragga? To lead a family." Phantom whined softly. She had never desired to be chosen as the second Drappa, she had been grateful enough that Tarkah had accepted a dreaming, scrawny varg like her into the pack. And the thought of becoming Drappa made Phantom feel vaguely sick. Though Tarkah had confidence in Phantom, the dark brown Beta barely had any confidence in herself.

But she shook her head, chasing the thought away, as Tarkah told her not to worry too much. She smiled weakly. "All right. I'll try, Tarkah. I'll try."

[Tarkah]

Tarkah tilted her head into the cold winter breeze and closed her eyes letting the wind rush through her fur, and washing her facade. It calmed her senses and refreshed her soul. tarkah lowered her muzzle and turned her golden eyes looking toward Phantom.

It did seem like the world was unfair. That it was all a cruel joke. Life wasnt the perfect little fairy tale it was thought up to be. No, it was filled with little obstacles. Blind patches of traps and curtains that seemed to block away the pure light.
Tarkah looekd to Phantom and smiled, "It a miracle really" Tarkah said with a soft chuckle. "That Tor is able to bring Kadin back to you" Tarkah said and nuzzled Phantom gently. Tarkah too ka step forward and shrugged. "Maybe, just maybe Andre will come back....again" Tarkah spoke softly. It wouldn't be the first time that her red hud mate would return if he did. Though tarkah could not remember how many times it had been that she had waited for his return.

Some vargs had told her to stop waiting and move on. She shouldn' wait her whole life away. Tarkah knew that but she just couldn't let go. She could lie to everyoen else, that she did in fact forgive and forget, but she couldn't lie to herself.

But she turned to look at the dark hued beta and smiled, "Don't worry Phantom. You will make me proud.. don't worry" Tarkah whispered into the cold wintery air, her voice melting into the visible breath that danced by the white drappa's maw before fading away into nothingness.

(whoops didnt see you post! sorry for the wait!! and this sucks pooopy)