The Call to Koran

[kadin]

Liquid golden eyes surveyed the valley of Koran silently, watching as scarlet and orange rays of Fenris's light glittered down into the brilliantly changing lands. Fluttering leaves shimmered in the sinking gaze of the sun, in waves of shadow and light. The black lips formed a soft smile as the varg gazed down at the lands that he had called his home for quite some time now, and at the memories that those days had brought him. Kadin grinned, looking down at his home in the Koran valley.

It had occured to the strong, black warrior that ever since he had been back, he had been neglecting his duties to protect and serve his pack. Guilt had been hovering on his mind for the past few days, but tonight he intended to break that guilt and at least get to know the rest of his pack, the newcomers since his departure that had led to grief. Lifting his proud muzzle toward heaven and the wolf gods, Kadin called an invitation and greeting to his packmates of Koran.

With a feeling of great accomplishment, the black wolf let his quivering call rise and fall with the beating in his veins and the wildness of his spirit. He was especially pleased when he dipped his head, finishing the wild howl, and heard it resonate back toward his delicate auds in the Koran lands. Certainly his pack would hear it.

With a sigh, Kadin padded further up the ridge he had been standing on until he made it to the crest of it, standing silhouetted against the dying sun, waiting for the rest of his pack to appear...

((well... I'm tryin'))

[Phantom]

Her pace was tired and fatigued. She had hardly slept at all these past few weeks, her mind had refused to let her rest. She was kept awake by memories, dread, and sorrow. And, if she did manage to fall asleep, nightmares would haunt her mind.

Phantom shivered as she walked. It had been days since she had seen Kadin, and she was growing more and more worried about the varg she loved. Ever since his sudden return, Phantom dreaded that he would leave again. Growling to herself, she lay down under a tall pine tree, closing her eyes.

Wether she had fallen into a dreamless sleep or not, she did not know. But, in what seemed like seconds later, a howl sounded through the air. It was his call. Phantom haulled herself to her paws, and began running to the howling song. Her gait became tiresome and limping, but she pressed onward.

Soon, she came to the edge of the trees. Phantom slowed down, and shifted her tired, yellow gaze to the top of a rige. She was very familliar with the place, for she had come here very often to be alone. The setting sun shown brightly behind a wolven figure, standing on the edge. The he-varg was silhouetted black against the rusty orange sun behind him.

Phantom didn't call back, but bounded weakly up the slope to her mate's side. She aproached from behind him, making no sound as she did. She could breathe in his scent again, and it calmed her. Quietly, she apeared beside him, nuzzling his neck and whimpering. Shivering again, she pressed against his side for warmth. Finally, she spoke.

"I need to talk to you."

[Gah. Please forgive any mistakes you find in this sad attempt at a post. I'm very tired, and I have writer's block.]

[kadin]

Kadin was looking down the ridge, watching as the golden rays of the sun slowly left the valley to dense shadows. For a moment, he forgot what his call had mainly been for and was thinking of a particular muzzle that he longed to see above all others in his pack. Again, he felt the pang of guilt at wandering around alone for the past few days without telling her, his beautiful mate, Phantom. Even as he thought about her, he felt he could almost scent her, and he longed for her to appear. It was only then that he realized her scent was not merely a dream or thing of his mind, she had padded next to his side with hardly a whisper of her coming.

Almost instantly, the black varg noticed something different about Phantom. Something that worried him. She looked tired and haunted. Instantly, he felt the same guilt he had over the last few days, and he nuzzled her affectionately, content that she was by his side again. Then she spoke.

"Alright." He said softly and turned to face her, giving her his full attention. Although he had been thinking about the months that had passed between when he had left and returned, Kadin, although he had a wandering soul, had no more intentions of leaving the place he called home again, nor did he plan to leave Phantom like he had before.

Before Phantom could begin however, he had to ask, "Phantom... are you alright? You look tired." Kadin nuzzled her again, but softer this time, pulling back slightly to wait for her to speak.

[Phantom]

Phantom nuzzled Kadin softly, and then pulled back. She looked at him with a fevered gaze, full of confusion and sorrow. "I... I don't know..." she answered.

Growling, she stared down at her huge paws. "Kadin, you have no idea of what happened after you left..." She paused. How was she going to explain this to him? Drawing in a deep breath, she began.

"Soon after you left, I was made Second Drappa. And, I don't know if you remember her, but, Demon challenged me for the position. We fought bitterly, and if it wasn't for Tarkah we would have killed each other. After the battle, Tarkah was so distraught that she left the packlands for a while."

Sighing, she looked out over the horizon. "Tarkah said, 'If you all want power that badly then fine, I will leave.' I didn't want power. I never wanted to rule over anyone. Demon had become maddened when Markaz left her, and I was afraid that she would drive the pack to their deaths. From what I've seen, she's always been angry and violent. But I honestly think that she's not truly like that."

"I've tried talking to her, I want to hear her story. I want to understand her. I've tried, but she pushes everyone away, except Tarkah. I haven’t seen Demon for a long time, but I know she's here, skulking around."

Phantom looked at Kadin sadly. "I don't hate her, Kadin. But she hates me, and I believe she won't be satisfied until I lay dead..."

[Kahuri]

Mindlessly the limpid hued she-wolf wandered through the trees. Her eyes dully swiveling from one scene to another with only half-hearted interest. Kahuri sighed, raising her bluish-gray muzzle westward, gazing at the mosaic of colors created by the setting eye of Fenris. Shoots of red, rays of amber and splashes of orange all clashing together, giving the world one last bit of warmth and light before the evening. The wild and fiery shades reflected within her own bright emerald optics as she watched them slip deeper in the dark horizon. Behind her the stars where already appearing, forming within the vast cloak of navy that chased away the sun. Tor also hung in the sky. Her silver form catching Fenris's own. Kahuri looked at the eclipse of day and night before her, it was rare to see both o the gods out together. But it would only last a few more moments, for time never freezes and she couldn’t prevent the night from coming. No one could, she wondered if it was even possible for the very Gods to pause the very minutes.

As she was about to take another step a howl suddenly arose. Rising higher into the sky, ringing and echoing through the woods and into her perked auds. Kahuri froze in mid step. Listening intently. Who may this be…? She pondered, hackles rippling along her spine. The stranger’s voice was familiar, but only faintly. Unsure, she tipped up her muzzle and replied. Her own call weaving its way back to the other, wavering up to the stars. Then, slowly it faded away as her lungs ran out of air. Once more the cobalt tinted fae cocked her head in the direction of where the cry first came from, but heard no response. Finally she began to move toward it. Long even strides shifted into a swift gallop as she began to run. Flying over fallen logs, dodging trees and such. Soon she reached a slope. A figure stood upon it. She could see it was a Dragga. As she continued watch another figure slipped up beside him, though it was hard to tell she realized it was Phantom. Kahuri’s slightly tensed muscled relaxed a bit. Creeping a little closer the she-wolf could here their voices as they whispering to one another. Then, with a jolt it hit her it was Kadin! It was safe then, he belonged here. But she still did not approach. No. not yet. They needed some time together probably. Silently she turned and padded up beside a tree, sitting down on her haunches, waiting to see what may happen.

[Keeley]

Keeley stopped and watched as the faint golden rays of the sun was soaked up by the trees, then turning her head toward the moon which was known to some as Tor, the goddess who made them. Growling she started again. Not long ago another had told her that they hadn‘t existed And they were right. She thought only half bitterly. But they past is history, and I live in the present. The cub told herself, looking aimlessly at the earth, blanketed with decaying leaves colored different shades oranges, reds, yellows and browns. Keeley watched as they disappeared beneath her large tan paws as she trotted forward. A smile crept onto her maw as a leaf floated leisurely down and landed quietly on the ground. Ahead another was doing like-wise. Leaping forward she opened her jaws, hoping to catch the lightweight thing in her teeth, making up a game to occupy herself. The pup chased a few more leaves that were floating to earth, then collapsed gasping from running around. Her sides heaved quickly, taking air then rejecting it to get more. Soon her heart quieted. Everything should‘ve heard me… Keeley thought gaily. Her eyelids drooped, and soon she was fast asleep in a large pile of leaves.

Howl erupted in pain and hate, screams of rage echoed through the once quiet forest. Keeley stood on a slope of decaying grass, below her was a bloody massacre. Vargs‘ bodies were strewn around and the meadow was painted blood red. She shivered. Man seemed to be here as well, for their scent was strong here, but they weren‘t any bodies of humans to be seen... Frightened she turned tail and ran from the cries, and soon, they too faded. Panting Keeley looked up. A fire engulfed the forest before her, the once cheerful looking leaves set up in a hot blaze, the trunks were blazing and the flames were spreading quickly. The varg-pup stared in quiet awe and horror. The woods that she saw seemed familiar. Then there was a voice. She shuddered, for that too, was eerily and faintly familiar. A voice, which brought a sharp pain to her though, she didn‘t know why. A figure seemed in the flames, and Keeley struggled to see who it was. The figure made her back away, then a loud howl, seeming more or less real than this place… Keeley yelped and opened her eyes, finding herself clear of the woods. What a strange, and frightening dream… She thought, beginning to pad away from the forest, fearing that when she looked back it too would be in flames. Her heart thudded in her chest and she thought about the dream, but it was quickly fading from her memory. Another howl broke through her train of thought, and Keeley looked up, disturbed. She saw two figures of vargs not far off, and realized that must‘ve been them. Curiosity got the better of her and soon Keeley was loping off toward the pair.
They were talking, obviously. Better not to be noticed… though these are probably wolves belonging to this pack… Keeley thought, drifting again toward the forest, relived that it was fine and not ablaze. -Demon- She heard the name repeated. Who‘s that? Keeley wondered, venturing closer. Sitting behind a bush she listened, but that was all that was said. Sighing she shifted her position. From the bush beside her a frightened hare sprinted. The cub watched it go, forgetting for a moment that she was supposed to be silent she growled playfully.

[kadin]

The ebon wolf sighed as his mate finished her tale of her horrors not long past, and some still quite in the present. He was worried for her, knowing not Demon herself, but her pressing attitude well. He shook his head, not knowing how to comfort his mate when things went this bad awry. Apparently Demon had not left this beautiful valley, and she probably wouldn't be expected to when she sought so hard to achieve the death of his beloved mate. Kadin blinked again, listening to the enveloping silence that blanketed the woodland, forgetting for a moment what his initial howl had been for.

"She won't get that chance Phantom." He said, voice soft and strong. "Not now or ever. I'm proud of you though, that you try to get to know her, even with her pushing you away. And that... after all that has happened, you're not bitter or hateful toward her." And Kadin nuzzled his mate again.

About then, a panicked hare raced past the varg, and although he was a putnar, Kadin felt no need for the kill now. Instead, he heard a soft, puppyish growl that seemed to almost abruptly stop, as if the varg that had issued forth this playful call had caught themselves a bit too late. He grinned almost to himself and looked back toward Phantom.

"Phantom... I could not let harm befall you, even if that meant taking that harm upon myself." Kadin's eyes were grave, but filled with love for his mate. " I don't believe Demon will change any time soon. Perhaps one day, but I don't believe it's today or tomorrow. You've done your best, I know you above any would give your all for anyone... don't worry about the things you cannot change. In the mean time," His voice lightened, "I believe more of our pack has arrived." He licked his mate, a lupine kiss, on her muzzle before looking at where the rabbit had bolted.

"Greetings," He barked as he turned toward the brush in which Keeley had hidden in. It was then that he also noticed another varg sitting quietly beneath a large tree, and Kadin stopped and nodded toward Kahuri, greetings between higher ranking wolves in the pack before the youngest, although Kadin had to admit, he had a soft spot for cubs.

(( >.< crappy post))

[Phantom]

Phantom had buried her muzzle in Kadin's thick fur as he spoke gently to her. Breathing in his scent and hearing his strong voice, she closed her eyes, letting his presence wash over her. She felt tears burning in her eyes as he talked of taking on her pains for her. Phantom knew Kadin would gladly give his life for her, but the she-varg couldn't bear the thought of it. It's not your battle, she thought over and over. It's my fight, my death. Not yours.

Sighing, she kissed Kadin by giving him a lick on his cheek. Then she turned and saw Kahuri watching them from under a tree. The scent of a cub drifted up to her, tickling her nose. Phantom blushed under her fur, wondering if the other vargs had seen anything.

[Tarkah]

Tarkah strolled through the autumn forests, her muzzle bent low as she scented the ferns and the bracken. Her tail twitched and her ears flickered as she lifted her head, her golden orbs looking around the landscape. Just above her a flock of noisy geese passed and Tarkah turned padding back the direction she came.

Suddenly Tarkah stooped, her ears perking as a deep howl was heard piercing through the chili air. Tarkah began a steady gallop as she banked the next few trees and swerved to the right, her heels kicking up the dried leaves that now carpeted almost every inch of Koran forest. Tarkah then slowed as she loped forward and swerved into a steady trot now, her tail waving high like a proud flag as she looked about.

Not far she saw a gathering of wolves and Tarkah's excitement grew as she approached them. The white drappa lifted her muzzle and sent out a song of greeting as she padded towrds them. Her song slowly faded as she arrived. She approached Keeley first and gave the youth a warm nuzzle before padding toward Phantom and Kahuri giving them both warm licks and nuzzles before padding to kadin and greeting the same way. "Well hullo there" Tarka said in a cherry voice as she yawned slightly before looking around from wolf to wolf. "Ah Kadin, I haven't seen you around lately" Tarkah said addressing the ebon hued male.

((sorry it sucks, im feeling blah right now...hmm midlife crisis? aha no im not yet at mid life ooh well yah..T.T ))

[† Demon †]

Hello all. I thought I'd be Miss Spoilsport, and ruin your glorious chitter-chat about me.. Just because I can xD Heh.
Did you miss me Phantom? ;]

It could never be said by any creature that Demon did not know the meaning of hate. In truth, she had known of such things as soon as she had been able to comprehend the anger that was so much more than that. Right now she did understand hatred, but she did not feel it. Not one of those who she had chased off, gone after or simply destroyed was worth it anymore. Hatred took a lot out of her; hatred allowed the ghostly little Bitch, that only existed in her mind, to wrap itself tighter around her neck. Granted, she had been fighting off the addiction, fighting away the craving for such bittersweet opium. She had seen such an addiction destroy Kanis. She would not be the same. And it was true-- she was no longer off in the mists anymore, no longer floating between realities and chasing dreams; but it still waited until she least expected it, waited until she was weak, and then, oh then it dug its claws in deeply and purred poisoned little lies into her auds like a lover. And those times, she could not fight it because all the willpower she possessed would desert her. Above all others, the drug held sway.

It had been like this the day she had chased Phantom off. Exhausted from the fight with the sane she-wolf, mentally drained from pitting her anger on the former (and recent) Koran member, she had found that the drug had come again. This time, she didn't even try to fight, knowing it was useless. That evening had been a mixture of sleep and self-induced toxicity which left her mind again in a place she could not name. She saw things that only true, seductive evil could see. She had floated over Koran in her sleep, looked to each of the members and seen somehow. . . inside of them. She had seen Tarkah as the innocent she really was, seen dark forms and glowing auras; she had also seen the life force beating inside another's belly. It was strange to her now, that she had allowed herself to be pushed over by such dark forces; yet deep inside, the adrenalin of it was oh, so arousing. Somehow, in her mind, she had always know what was going to happen, always known she was going to get burned again.

The dark beast had woken in a haze, and she had gone out to clear it. Strangely enough, she went to one of the cut off streams from the bit of the River that ran through Koran. This stream had a deep pool, formed by stones and fallen trees; things washed down from storms. It was one of the few places (if not the only) in Koran were it was deep enough to paddle. Demon had seen pictures in human books of what 'paddling' was, but she didn't think it made sense. Instead, she just went in. The water was cold, nearly freezing, which was another signal of the winter almost here. Her coat was slowly thickening now, looking slightly scruffier as the days passed by. In the water, she found a moment of peace, in the water she went under and could hear nothing clearly. Darkness could consume light and for a moment, she pondered staying. Then her lungs began to demand air, and she swam to the surface, letting out an amused snort as she hovered for a moment in the liquid.

It was then a song broke over the woods, something crisp and clear. Kadin. She listened, hearing an invitation to some sort of gathering, and in that a note specifically for Tarkah to come too. As she listened, she heard something else in there. A cry for those he may have lost in the past; three or more vargs Kadin had been close to who had fallen by the wayside many many suns ago. Now she made her way out of the water, shook out her fur and snorted; taking off easily at a lope. The recent wound on her left paw stood out, as well as the inverted cross-like scar on her neck. Aside from that, with the recent 'disappearance' of her normal self, there was no more guessing. Demon alone was the remaining ebony and poisoned eyed Bitch. No one else.

Before she reached the fairy circle, she shifted slightly and walked in easily, fur dry and looking more clean than it had been. Entering the ring of wolves, she found that Tarkah was already present, along with Phantom and a few others. It was strange, but at the same time it fitted. Whoever heard the call, came. She and Tarkah hadn't spoken since their disagreement about the Co-Drappa position of Koran. A slight nod was given to the ivory-pelted she wolf, and she spoke easily, voice calm and less rough than it had been in the past; as if she was getting over that cold, swirling drug called 'insanity'. "What is it you meet for at this hour, fellow members?" As she spoke, she walked toward her own little 'thrown' and as she finished speaking she saw easily, as if she was following cues. Typical for a demon...

[Kahuri]

Kahuri’s bushy tassel wagged as Kadin bounded down towards them. Greeting young Keely and nodding to her, in which she responded with the same dip of her head. Her bright emerald eyes danced with glee as Tarkah also emerged from the entangled foliage. Acknowledging her with a happy lick on the muzzle, then turning to do the same with everyone else. A big smile finally curled the edges of the blue tinged she-wolf’s lips. So wide her ivory fangs were showing.
"Nice to see you to Tarkah!" She laughed. "Nice to see you all…" Like everyone else at the moment she was cheerful to see some of the Koran members coming together. How long had it been that something like this had come to be? Definitely not in a while! But then, weaving in through the cheery commotion came a low voice. The fae’s ears turned back, picking up the words. Then she also looked back to see two dark evergreen hued orbs starring at the gleeful party. Their host was a large black femme, scars were embedded within her slightly scraggly pelt. Though she seemed not the friendliest of Varg, and also from what Kahuri had heard from Phantom she was not the nicest her words were not hostile.
"Hello, Demon." Kahuri whispered. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the ebony she-wolf so close, in fact she even began to fidget a little. In truth this was very unlike her, usually she was quite outgoing and friendly to all. But, once more, something about this dark colored Demon made her feel out of place.

[Phantom]

Phantom returned Tarkah's greeting nuzzle. "Good to see you, Tarkah."

Her auds perked as yet another varg entered the little circle. Tunring around, she was met with the scent of Demon. She smiled on greeting, for the warrioress' words were friendly. "Hello Demon," she said. "Nice of you to come. Kadin called everyone here for a meeting."

She nuzzled her mate affectionalty. "Why have you called us here tonight?"