The Insomniac of the Night//closed//

[Takhi]

Midnight, the stars were shining bright, each twinkling in the black abyss of the night sky. The moon was absent. It was baring its light on some other patch of earth around the world, perhaps. It was quiet, as most nights often were. No longer were the crickets chirping or the fireflies glowing. That was summer’s splendor, but this was the beginning of autumn where the air blew with a cooling sensation and the calming elements of the hours of darkness were no more. The usual activities were in the process of completion. Squirrels collected acorns and other nuts to store for winter, bears foraged to fill their bellies for hibernation, and the deer were preparing for the rut.

While most Vargs nestled down for the evening and slept in their warm dens, one remained awake. It was Takhi, the black fae with the bi-hued eyes. Her vibrant colors of green and blue glowed in the shadows, ever staring into emptiness. She lied by the waterfall. Its cascading waters thundered as it made its way down the steep slopes and into the lake, forming into the river only a few miles away. It was not the sound itself keeping the wolf awake. It was her constant thoughts racing through her mind. Never did she stop thinking whether it is major or minor. Her oculars stared at the raging current, finding it fascinating as most things in nature.

Only when the rustling of the bush came did she focus any attention she had on what it was. Her vision caught the movements of something, but not just one of whatever it was. As the creatures made their way down to the water, Takhi finally recognized them. They were a group of deer, hinds with their adolescent fawns. They were having a midnight drink. Takhi did not rise. Hunger did not haunt her belly tonight so to attack would be pointless. She watched them moving about in the darkness.

OOC: The ironic thing here is that I wrote this because I really could not sleep. It’s 4:00 in the morning and I’m typing up a post. Heh. What I will do to kill boredom.

[Grell]

Starlight sparkled silver against the black sky in intricate whorls and loops, creating a splendid mosaic of tiny pinpricks of light. With the absence of the moon, each star twinkled more vibrantly, more dramatically, as if the omission of Tor's light somehow exaggerated their glitter. Still, Grell couldn't shake the feeling that he somehow missed the wolf goddess, even though he had never spoken a word to her or uttered a prayer in her name. It wasn't a pining or a longing he felt in his heart, but rather the utter frustration at having nothing to rely on to see in the dark. Even so dim and dismal, her milky white light had at least illuminated something. The stars, while pretty, were almost good for nothing insofar as they provided no warmth, no light, and did nothing to encourage him. He gave them a backward glance over his shoulder, while he maneuvered clumsily around another log, and could almost hear their bell-like laughter. Besides the sun and moon, Grell had never personified something so much, and it drove him insane.

"Gah, Fenris!" He muttered angrily as his paw caught a second rock. His toes were already smarting from the first time he tripped, sometime just after nightfall, and he wanted desperately to lay down and lick his wounded dignity. Couldn't you work just a little harder at keeping me from finding every hole and rock in this forest? But even if the wolf god heard his runty follower, Grell was pretty sure he'd get the same answer as usual: a creepy, lonely silence. He figured it was Fenris' way of ignoring him, and other pathetic, scrawny pups who decided to take up a chat with his godliness, but Grell still felt an angry bubble coiling in his stomach. Why couldn't he be a big, strong Dragga that would be worthy of a word or two, and maybe a ward of protection or some divine charm that would keep him safe, even from his own stupidity? He huffed and tried to circle around a prickly bush, thinking of all the places he would nip Fenris if the wolf god ever decided to manifest before him. Maybe he'd get the message if I bit him in the --

The branches up ahead rustled suddenly and made Grell freeze. His neck fur bristled to give him a silly looking collar of tawny-brown spikes, and his nose began twitching furiously. Even above the roar of the falls, which he had decided to follow an hour or so ago - hoping to find Linnaea again, as it were - the clacking of bone-dry wood was enough to feed his hungry nightmares. Not like they need more fodder, he thought sourly, though his mood was rather affected by the frantic beating of his heart. Just before he was about to turn tail and run, however, Grell suddenly identified the musty, cloying smell of the monster out there in the dark: deer. Those sleek creatures with abnormally large, black, soulless eyes and big flat teeth, some with horns that could stab him in several places all at once, that ran on two razor-sharp claws that gouged the earth angrily, and --

That's enough, dummy thought Grell. He knew what herla were, and what they were good for. Besides the unlucky wolf who stupidly tried to catch his own deer - and Grell knew some who would try - herla weren't very dangerous. At least, not that he was aware of. He tried not to gulp as he turned round to give them a wide berth anyway, hoping that Fenris wouldn't let him be eaten now, especially by a herd of stupid deer. But, so focused on the herla, who he had yet to even see - although, being in a very dark forest with no moon wouldn't have given him a very good view anyway - Grell wasn't looking out for the real threat that lurked in the shadows. Not until he stumbled from a heavy thicket of clustered trees and nearly landed atop her. Well, not really on top of her, more like a few feet to the side with his face once again in the dirt and his paws stretched out awkwardly, but still close enough to have startled her if she wasn't paying attention.

\\hope you don't mind :)//

[Takhi]

OOC: Not at all!

The Herla scrambled hungrily for their share of water. The hinds tended to their fawns. Most were young prickets, bucks with their first little nubs of antlers growing out of their skulls, though Takhi could not see this. Even though the wolf was among them, they did not realize. The does were keeping watch, but their vision in the night was just as bad as humans. It was their noses that really saved them. Deer had a much keener sense of smell than a wolf. Funny how the prey had, in certain circumstances, become adapted to overcome its enemy. But the wolves learned other tricks of the trade. For instance, they learned to stand downwind so their scent could not be handed over to the deer’s superior nose. Yup, there’s always an angle to the endless battle between predator and prey. Another brilliant adaptation was the ears.

Herla could hear everything in the woods. Unfortunately, the sound of the falls made them deaf to other noises of the darkness, as it did with Takhi’s hearing. She did not notice that another wolf was in the woods. No scent came to alert her of its presence. Her oculars remained locked on the deer. Only when the stranger came flying out at her and plopped into the dust at her side, did she react, and angrily. She jumped in fright, her fur prickling, ears back, tail erect, and teeth bared. A growl rumbled out of her throat before realizing that this was not an attack. The wolf before her was not showing his fangs or standing in a threatening position. His face was buried in the dirt. That wasn’t threatening was it? Takhi’s lips slid back over her fangs to conceal them. Her tail lowered into a more friendly curl and her fur smoothed out.

Taking in the Varg’s scent she knew it was a male. He was not carrying the stench of any packs which meant to her, he was a loner. Figuring he might be frightened by her obvious display of aggression, she began to speak with a warm tone. “I’m sorry. I thought you were attacking me. I didn’t know you tripped. Sorry for the growling. Let’s just say I’m a tad on edge. I’m Takhi. Who might you be?”

[Grell]

The first thing Grell noticed once he lifted his head and blearily looked about was the dark and sinister shape of a wolf a few feet away. The second, and perhaps most crucial thing he noticed, was that she looked very, very angry at being disturbed. He immediately flattened his ears and showed her a wide, scared smile as he calculated his chances of survival if he ran now. Like most any encounter in this god-forsaken land, he figured he had a slim chance at making a safe get-away for many reasons. To begin with she had very long legs, and no doubt a strong muscular frame beneath that shaggy black coat. Secondly, she was glaring at him with murder in her eyes and a look that clearly said she meant business and wasn't afraid to harm him. Lastly, weighing in with Grell's own merits, he was short, scrawny, and apt to fall over himself with fright; which all but guaranteed he would be eaten before he made it two strides. He gulped, though his mouth had suddenly gone dry, and hoped against hope that Fenris hadn't heard Grell's mumbling promises to bite him. There was nothing that made a god more put out than being threatened, even if it was from a runty nobody who would more likely soil himself than follow through with his half-hearted bluster and thunder - or at least, Grell would be very put out if he were a god. Of course, if he was a god, Grell would be too busy smiting everyone who had ever been mean to him - which was a great many, if he thought about it - to ever notice one lowly mortal asking him for protection.

His grin faded slowly when he noticed the black wolf had stopped growling at him, and that she was no longer baring her teeth. He couldn't help flicking his ears forward in curiosity, even though he wasn't sure if she was still going to kill him or not. There had to be some reason for her to stop being aggressive, but Grell wasn't necessarily reassured that this meant she wasn't going to eat him anyway. Which kept him making doubly sure that he looked as good and nonthreatening as he possibly could. Which isn't very hard, he thought, and was slightly amused by the strain in his conscious voice where the fright was making him squeak. Even in his head, he couldn't deny the fact that he was more than a bit scared by her earlier response.

"Uh," He finally croaked. "Right. On edge." Her warm tone and apology were reassuring, and he felt a bit of his old, fled, cowardly courage creeping back to him. At least it had the confidence to come back after he needed it. Grell tried not to pout as he sat up, trying not to look like he was still suspicious or had just narrowly missed rolling over and hoisting the white flag. He was a dragga, after all, beloved by Fenris, and all that. Well, maybe not all that. Not even so beloved, as it seems... He rolled an angry pair of yellow eyes up into the heavens and wrinkled his nose, but he looked back at Takhi quickly. There was no use trying to converse with an undoubtedly ugly old sun god when one had a perfectly good - if slightly frightening companion to speak with. "My name's Grell," he introduced himself, tipping his ears. As he broke into a warm, small grin, he studied her more closely, and was surprised to find that her eyes looked like they were different colors. That was a bit unnerving, but they looked pretty in that slender face of hers - not that he was judging, of course. He was still a mite young, and she no doubt had her share of lovers, but just because he was only beginning to hit that age didn't mean that he wasn't going to start looking - even if it was the wolf who had scared him out of his fur. Anyway...

"Um, heh. I'm Grell... Yeah, tripped. Attack you? Pah! If I did I think I missed my mark, just a bit." He glanced at the distance between them. A few feet at most, but it would still be a stretch for him to make that distance with a pounce. Maybe with a running leap he would be able to get a good hold on her. "...Well, maybe more than a bit. I'm not much of a warrior," - unfortunately.

[Takhi]

Takhi could tell she had scared the male to the point of him fleeing. His posture was submissive, the usual pose one would do toward the leader of the pack; ears flattened, tail low, and a crouched, contorted body, keeping himself close to the ground. She, on the other paw, looked like the common Drappa; ears back, tail erect, teeth bared, and standing tall. She seemed like she was punishing a Sikla. It was the normal behavior of one. The lowest ranking pack member always got crap from everyone for everything even if it wasn’t their fault. The Sikla was kind of the pack’s punching bag, so to speak. Every time one of the higher ranked members had a cow over something, they’d take it out on the poor, defenseless lowest ranked member. Takhi knew this because her best friend was an Omega wolf. His name was Sen. He was actually a husky wolf mix. But the leader was kind enough to take him in. It was better than being part of The Black Hounds.

Who are they? Well, they were a bunch of black dogs that escaped from a breeder. They wore chains on their necks to signify where they came from. The majority of them were black, but there were some colored exceptions. Sen happened to be one of them. Takhi was not usually so frightening. She wasn’t even sure she could scare anyone that wasn’t a pup. She was almost a little proud of herself.

You still got it, old girl, she thought.

The sound of their commotion had frightened something else; the herd of deer. They reared and scattered off like a predator was in pursuit. Oh, well. The view was gone, but there was always tomorrow to see more, especially at dawn. They’ll be in the meadows again, and if the mood strikes, a hunt would be good. Might as well with winter coming. In the darkness, the mann’s eyes glowed in a golden hue. This was such a common color for a wolf, unlike her oculars of blue and green, but on him they were gorgeous. The way they sparkled with his youth made her remember her younger days. But, that time was not exactly happy for her. Her first love was an older male named Blackeye. One of his eyes had been gouged out leaving an empty socket behind. At the time of them meeting again, she was only about seven or eight moons old.

Blackeye knew she was too young to bear his pups. He would lovingly wait for her to come into her first heat. But before that day could come, Blackeye was shot and killed by man while raiding a human camp. Her affections were then transferred to a dog named Lucian. He and his partner in crime, a wolf named Frost, cared for her when she was severely injured. Takhi never was with Lucian. She left the two to take up a position in a pack ruled by the current Koran Drappa, Phantom. The only one she had given her love to was Frost. Together they had two pups. The first was a dark gray male named Shadow. The other was an albino female named Linape. They were already grown up and Frost had since passed away.

But you go on with life, however meaningless it may seem at some times. “Nice to meet you, Grell. I figured I was the only one hanging about in the darkness, but here you are,” she said with a smile. “You know, if you intended to attack me, you would have gotten me. If you didn’t notice, my attention was not focused on what it should have been.” Takhi laughed warm-heartedly.

[Grell]

Grell blinked and felt the tips of his ears grow warm. He gave her a sheepish grin, pleased by her assessment of what he could have accomplished, even if it was due to her own carelessness rather than his skill. He sat down and flopped his tail, trying to look important. "Well... maybe," he finally conceded, tipping his ears. "The deer..." He glanced toward where the herd had been moments before, but even though he hadn't seen them before-hand, he knew that they were gone. No doubt they had been scared off by his noisy tumble. Grell frowned. "Well, they helped, I guess." He looked back at the black wolf - at Takhi - and grinned. "Maybe next time neither of us will be fooled by the herla, huh?" He chuckled, happily convinced that Takhi wasn't out to get him. It would waste too much energy on her part to keep him alive any longer than necessary - wouldn't it? Surely that hulking red demon the previous night learned that lesson when Grell escaped. He shuddered even as he remembered those chilly blue eyes, and the pale silver ones of the second black devil.

Now that he thought about it, however...

Grell tried not to narrow his eyes suspiciously as he gave Takhi a second, more intense look. Could she be a demon in disguise? She had growled at him with threats of cold-blooded murder in her snarling voice and strange eyes just moments before, and her warm reception had been more than effective at luring him into a sense of peace and comfort.

Falling into two traps two nights in a row? Grell thought with dismay, his frown and unease returning. As always, Fenris didn't answer him. Perhaps, Grell even thought he might have heard a faint snore in his head as the sun god slept peacefully without a worry. He would have rolled his eyes but he was afraid it might make Takhi suspicious, and the last thing he wanted to do was upset her in any way. All he needed was to give her an excuse to go for his throat and then he'd be worm-food. There was no chance he would outrun those powerful long legs, or fend off those sleek powerhouse muscles, or even hide from those bright mismatched eyes and cunning nose. As a matter of fact, the list of his advantages would probably be easier to come up with, and much shorter too: there wasn't a single one. Except maybe... luck? Grell nearly cringed. Luck was definitely not something he thought he had, but how else would he describe his brush with death last night? A loophole in Fenris' plan to have me killed, maybe? Why did he even worship such a useless god anyway? He could probably find a more sociable, more protective divine being if he looked - one that wouldn't be ashamed to have a runty Sickla as a follower. One who's desperate.

"So, uh, is that all you're doing here? Hanging out, I mean." More like waiting in ambush to slit your throat. He gulped, but managed to smile with an ease that surprised him. "No pack" -- of evil, conniving murderers -- "to keep you company?"

[Takhi]

Takhi looked at the mann with curiosity. He seemed a little skittish. He might have had a bad past, kind of like hers. Even though her first impression made her seem like a cold-blooded killer that didn’t take kindly to trespassers, she in fact was not like that. She was more of a misfit, an outcast that had no where to fit in, except maybe Sarnes. Though, that pack gave her as much kindness as she first gave to Grell. They were on edge with strangers as well. She was yet again, waiting to be accepted into their family. Perhaps this wolf was scared of her, believing that misfortune was heading his way. Takhi use to live like that; head always over your shoulder, waiting for something to get you. It’s not wise to live that way, to live constantly in fear. Takhi learned that when you are scared, it makes it easier for things to harm you.

“Yes. I guess the Herla were the cause of our lack of attention spans,” she laughed. The cool breeze of autumn swooped down from the mountains and blew by the two wolfs, ruffling their fur. Despite the fact that Grell had seemed to settle down, she could still smell his fear. Its stench was no mistake. There were slight changes in his body that confirmed her thoughts. He had sat down and gracefully wagged his tail, to try to show he was handling the situation quite well, but at some parts of his body the fur stood up, like on the nape of his neck. Now this could have been an after effect from her unsettling response to his unexpected approach, or it could be that he was still nervous.

Am I that frightening?

Her ears rotated back toward her scruff, then stood erect to seem like she was not angry or upset. Angry was not the right word. Perhaps sad fit what she felt. Yes, in fact it did. She was sad that her appearance sparked fear into someone else’s heart. Was it her fault that she was as black as night? Was it her fault that her eyes were so bizarre in color? Was it her fault that her pale scars lined every inch of her body? She didn’t ask to look that way as most don’t. No wolf asked to look the way they do. Did Cinder, the keeper of the Vale of Shadows, ask to have half her face naked with horrid scar tissue left in her beautiful fur’s place? Takhi had done nothing, but yet from the moment of birth, she was unloved because of her dark coat and her bi-hued oculars. The wounds just added to the strangeness of her exterior.

Her siblings disowned her because she was different. Their coats were gray. No one else in the pack was black. They hated her and for that they paid, oh did they ever. They’re dead now. They never got to get pass two moons. Takhi was the sole survivor from her pack. They all died on that terrible night of the fire. But, it’s what they all deserved. No one cared for her and for that, they were destroyed. In her old territory, Takhi was feared by everyone. She slaughtered mercilessly, even a human child at one time. Well, she shouldn’t have approached an angry Varg, arms wide open and shouting, “Doggy!”
Another who paid for their mistake. Remembering her sins almost made her ignore Grell’s question.

“Oh, well, yes. I really don’t have a pack to call my family yet. I’m in the process of being accepted by Sarnes. It’s going to take longer than I thought.” Takhi stopped, but remembered that wolves from that pack were considered dangerous, so she further explained. “That pack isn’t as bad as you may think. There are some killers, but mainly they are all misfits that seem to not belong, like me. I’m being honest. I don’t plan or want to hurt you.” She hoped the sincerity in her eyes proved her words.

[Grell]

Grell tried not to look queasy as Takhi spoke of Sarnes, and though he had never even heard of them, she seemed defensive of their reputation. He figured that this was indeed a very bad sign for him, especially as she mentioned that a few among them were murderers, and he tried very hard not to get up right then and run away screaming into the night. Not only was that not a very heroic thing to do, it probably wasn't smart either. Either she would chase him down (quite easily, as he had previously assumed) and unceremoniously kill him outright, or she would watch him go, feeling slighted, and would enlist the help of her pack in hunting him down and paying her debts. So, it was, in his opinion, a choice between dying or living, and that really wasn't a choice at all. Grell cleared his throat and nodded nonchalantly, looking to the stars.

"No worries," he lied. Surprisingly, it was easier to beguile his would-be-killer when he wasn't looking at her, and when he was backed up into a corner - figuratively of course. Had he really been pushed up against impossible odds, he very much doubted that he would have the wit to splutter false truths with such ease. He broke out a grin at that, despite himself. "I've actually never heard of any of the packs in this area. Sarnes? Pfft. Couldn't have guessed that they lived her to save my neck," he said. Then a frown came over him, and he found himself staring back at her with a new worry tingling up and down his spine. He wanted to be sick all over again, but held his stomach surprisingly well. Maybe the scarcity of food was partly to blame for that one good stroke of fortune.

"But I have heard of the Balkar," he growled, narrowing his eyes. "I thought they lived somewhere around here, but since I've seen no sign, I was beginning to think I was wrong. Was I?" Although he wouldn't trust Takhi with his life, he didn't know why she would lie to him about this. Unless she plans to lead me to the Balkar, and let them deal with one pathetic runt... Dunno why she would do that, but it's always a possibility. Nevertheless, he decided not to worry about what she may or may not do. Instead, he leaned forward with his sharp ears perked and a worried frown plastered to his scrawny face, half eager to hear and half dreading her answer. What if the Balkar did live here? Would he run away, to new lands? That plan didn't necessarily guarantee safety, and he felt a frustrated flutter in his gut. Running away is a proud Varg tradition, he thought, but he still didn't fancy trying to escape the Balkar. What then? Would he face a life in seclusion and paranoia, constantly peeking over his shoulder for danger? To be honest, that was almost no different than how he currently lived his life.

\\ I'm so sorry about how late this is. RL is being a grouchy monster right now :( //

[Takhi]

Even though Takhi had felt fear coming from him, she decided to push it away from her thoughts. Even if he was afraid, who cares? It would make her upset, but it wouldn’t ruin her life, if what she had you would call a life. Sometimes she believed that Sarnes didn’t even want her. They take so long to finally make a decision. They probably were just trying to keep her away and don’t have the heart to say, “Sorry, you’ve been rejected.” Of course, knowing Sarnes, they’d probably run her out and/or kill her. If that was her fate, so be it. She was tough when it came to a battle and if she was going, she’d take a Sarnes wolf down with her. She’d probably try to take down Shunke’. All wolves know that once the leader is destroyed, the pack falls apart. If she killed Shunke’, she’d be able to take over. She tried that once and succeeded. Before she even traveled to this particular terrain, she belonged to a different pack. She murdered the Drappa and took over. Well, she thought she murdered her. That wolf was Phantom, the current leader of Koran.

Takhi’s power didn’t last ling. All of the members died soon after she took control. She made some bad decisions and they met their fate because of them. If Grell knew all this, he definitely would have a right to be afraid and flee for his life. It was not always safe to be around this mysterious wolf. For now she was calm and content. No ounce of rage was lurking in her heart. Grell brushed off her mention of Sarnes like a bad cold. Either he was serious or a decent liar. Who knows? When the mann mentioned Sarnes and implied that their pack resided here she automatically corrected him and replied to his question about the Balkar. “Sarnes isn’t around here, nor is the Balkar. You see that river, the one vaguely connecting with this lake?” she asked as her snout pointed all the way downstream. “Both of those packs are across from that river. Sarnes is right near it in the swamps. The Balkar are right behind them. They are ally packs after all. When you’re a Kerl like I was and you’ve visited every inch of this place at least once, you soon find out where everyone is. That’s one advantage to being alone. Sometimes I wish I still was.”

What Takhi meant by that was that she maybe should have stayed a Kerl. The only glamorous thing about a pack was knowing that you don’t have to hunt or fight alone. But you can never be friends with members from rival packs. Being apart of Sarnes meant Ge-Rad friends were off limits. Sarnes and Ge-Rad had a bad history with each other, but Takhi was unaware of what it was or what had truly happened. Ah, the price you pay for wanting a family. You’re better off remaining alone. Takhi’s family was gone anyway. Her mate long passed away and her only two offspring were off starting their own packs and having her grand pups. What was the purpose she had now? Was there even one? Even Takhi couldn’t figure that out. “Hey Grell,” she began, “do you ever feel like you’ll never belong with anyone?”

[Grell]

He flicked his eyes to the thin inky snake a little ways off, which was, of course, the river of which Takhi spoke. His shoulders slumped with relief. It must be difficult for one wolf to get across, not to mention a whole pack! With all the time spent orchestrating that feat, I just might have time to make an overdue escape... should any danger threaten, of course. A genuine smile crept onto his muzzle, and frankly he didn't bother trying to hide it. After all, if Takhi was telling the truth, she probably knew very well why he was grinning from ear to ear. And if she was lying, well, he tried not to think about the consequences. He glanced at her, but she was talking about being a Kerl, and hopefully she hadn't noticed his relief - whether she was being honest or not. He cocked his ears, listening to the end of her comments.

Grell mumbled under his breath, half in agreement, and half just not knowing what else to do. He had lived in one pack only: his birth pack, and when the urge to roam had unsettled him, he simply up and left. No ceremony, no celebration; he never asked to do so. The fact that Takhi wished for a freedom that seemed beyond her grasp confused him, but he neither wanted to push her nor become confused with local Varg traditions. So he shrugged, and let her words sink into an uneasy silence. Though settled considerably, his heart was still yammering annoyingly in his chest, and he concealed a shiver every now and then as nothing more than an attempt to stay warm. The silence was broken when Takhi spoke his name, and he perked his ears slowly.

"Eh?" he barked softly, confused. Oh Fenris, he coughed, rolling his eyes. Why do Drappas always bring up relationships? He shifted his weight uncomfortably and thought for a moment. "Sure," he finally said. Fenris is seeing to that, I'm sure. He snorted and glanced at Takhi. "I've had that feeling, but I try not to think too much about it. What's the use of feeling lonely? My idea... well, let the gods sort it out, I say," Grell grinned, and flopped his tail. Though I'm sure it pleases them more to see us wiggle and squirm because some of us have issues with affection.

\\ omg that sucked :( sorry, thanksgiving is sucking my time and muse -- will get better soon, promise! //

[Takhi]

As Takhi stared off in the direction of the swamps of Sarnes, she began to recall all of the packs she had become apart of. She remembered her birth pack, led by her father, Wayk and her mother, Madge. The black fae had been born into the world with two siblings who teased and taunted her for being different. Her bi-hued eyes were considered a mutation and her black fur made her so different from the rest of the family. Her brother and sister were gray while the others were shades of brown and tan. When one thinks of a family, they think of a close nit group that truly loves each other. That was not what Takhi had experienced. Wayk was always scolding her and her siblings were always demeaning her. They would even bite her ears and tug her tail. ‘Your mother was a jackal,’ she remembered them saying. ‘And your father was a rat!’ Just the vague sounds of their voices made Takhi’s lip curl.

She was glad that they were all dead. Although, she was not entirely heartless when it came to her pack. She in fact loved her mother and father. But if they loved her, why didn’t they punish Jolahn and Baeleh for their aggressive behavior? And if Wayk had any affection toward his dark daughter, why did he leave her alone when she was just two moons old? Did they allow her brother and sister to treat her so horribly so to pick out the weak? Well, who’s the weak one now? Out of everyone in that pack, Takhi is the only survivor.

They never cared. They all deserved their fate!

Her second pack was what the Dragga named, The Kerl Pack. All of the members were once loners, kicked out of their old territories and force to roam without companionship. The noble mann, Blackeye, retrieved all of the shunned Vargs and created a pack. Takhi was one of them, so there she was. She would have loved to spend the rest of her life with Blackeye and the others, but on one terrible night the worst that could possibly happened did. It was winter and food was scarce. All if not most were growing thin and desperate and so the Dragga made a risky decision and attacked a human village that lied at the borders of the land. Takhi’s eyes began to well up with tears as she remembered seeing Blackeye get shot by man’s gun.

The third pack was led by Phantom. Long story short, Takhi wanted the power and when sensing that the Drappa would be oblivious to an assault she ripped her to shreds. The malicious Varg thought that Phantom had died, but when traveling to this particular territory and discovering her current leadership of Koran, she realized she had been mistaken. Soon after Takhi became the alpha, each individual met their deaths by one faulty decision after another until all that was left was her.

Now she was waiting to be in Sarnes. This pack was not one to be messed with and if Takhi had the urge to gain control again, most likely she would be slaughtered. Her thoughts were rampaging until she turned to Grell who seemed prettey uncomfortable. She smiled and said, “I mean belonging in a pack. I’ve had three, excluding Sarnes, and situations always paved the way to me feeling more alone than when I was just a Kerl.”

Maybe I should just leave. Out of all the wolves wandering in the night, why am I pouring my guts out to a mann that’s afraid of me?

OOC: Sorry for the delay. I'm sure you read what happened recently.

[Grell]

"Oh," he said sheepishly, peering through the dark at Takhi with big yellow eyes. So she hadn't played the relationship card yet, and Grell felt like a fool for thinking she had. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, and stammered an angry string of words up to Fenris for putting him in an awkward situation. Even though Fenris was no doubt ignoring him, Grell felt a little better for it, and soon pricked his ears back into attentive mode to listen to the black drappa. He returned her smile with a swift tug on his lips, intending to show that he didn't feel suspicious any longer (though indeed he did), and then he fell back thoughtfully into himself. It was, of course, not only to find the right words, but also to mull deeper on how to leave this part of the wood without offending his companion. Considering, after all, that she runs with a dangerous crowd, even if she says she doesn't like 'em. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, then glanced at her, readying himself to speak.

But he suddenly realized he didn't know what he should say.

The only pack Grell had ever been in was his birth pack, and his leaving them was a natural instinct - perhaps too sharp and acute on account of his age (he being several months too young to have felt the urge to roam quite as he should have), but nevertheless it was just: natural. He had never had the opportunity to associate himself with another family of wolves, and suddenly wondered, if given the chance, he would decide to stay with a group of Varg again. He frowned. It would be an exciting opportunity, to be sure, but he couldn't say for certain whether he would choose to remain a Kerl (which was a frightening, but natural prospect to him) or if he would choose to seek a life of family (which was just as frightening, but with a tug of comfort). Finally, Grell worked his jaws open and babbled.

"Well, no," he said. "I've only had one pack, and I left them because... well, that's not really the important thing. I haven't even really thought about joining another family until now. And only because you asked." There. That was the truth of it. He blinked at her, hoping she didn't intend to try and recruit him into her family. The way she described them made his skin crawl, even though she had corrected herself early on and tried to make them seem less dangerous than he perceived them to be. And he didn't think he would have any witty way to reroute the conversation politely without her taking offense if she did try to enlist him. If that time came, Grell knew that the time for subtleties were over and he'd just have to hope that Fenris would be generous and let him escape intact.

\\ I did, and I'm really sorry for your loss Takhi. I know it's never easy and I'm glad your at least feeling a little better <3 I hope that vid you're making helps :) //

[Takhi]

Join a noble pack. One that’s not riddled with demented souls and vicious carnivores. Stay far from Sarnes and The Balkar. You are too kind to become one of us. She wanted to blurt that out when he mentioned having thought of joining a pack again. She knew some were just not meant to be touched by evil. Only a soul that has touched upon it once in their life can ever really revisit it. To kill and torture with out mercy, your heart must be black and your spirit must be hard and cold like stone. Takhi had experienced what her own jaws could do many of times. It was exhilarating. Just imagine it: face to face with an enemy and with one lung your teeth sink into their throats and the warm blood oozes between each fang. It’s like bringing down prey, except it’s another wolf.

But Takhi did have some standards. She didn’t eat her victims like her pack mate, Red February. The black Varg’s ears twitched. “You should try out Koran. I know of Phantom. She is very kind.” Surprising to speak positively of a wolf you tried to murder. Takhi began to recall the night she met the earth toned Drappa. It was after midnight and an ominous howl woke the ebon Varg from her slumber. She followed the call and saw the two golden eyes of the one known as Phantom. At the time of their meeting, Takhi was in the care of Lucian and Frost. Lucian was a large, dark, wild dog and Frost was a gray wolf, both known as The Blood Brothers. Ah, Frost…the she-wolf’s long gone mate. Lucian, at one time, felt himself have feelings for the fae as well, but a dog and a wolf? It was not meant to be. Phantom despised dogs. She believed they were nothing but mans’ slaves. And she was right. So, looking to tear Takhi away from a mangy canine and a stupid wolf, she offered the position of Beta, the second in command.

Needing time to think about it, Phantom promised to return at dawn for the answer. It turned out it was YES. Now the fae began to remember Frost. Her ears lied back against her scruff. He was really something. He was strong, yet kind, and willing to protect her from any harm. That was a real dragga. From their love came two pups, her first and last litter. Shadow was the first born. He was charcoal gray with blue eyes. Next was Linape. She was an albino, pure white fur with red eyes. It was not nature that severed the bonds Takhi had with her children. It was not even a choice. It was a matter of life or death. To save the cubs, she drove them away.

Oh my children. What has become of you?

Takhi’s eyes viewed Grell again. Suddenly the question traveled out of her maw. “Do you have any cubs?”

OOC: Thanks. *hugs* That vid I made makes me cry. haha.

[Grell]

Grell looked at Takhi strangely. "Koran?" he asked quietly. Why would she give me advice, and why should I trust it? He tried to think of why she would try to trick him. There were many reasons, but he found he was starting not to doubt her sincerity. So he twisted his mouth thoughtfully and flicked his ears. "Hm.. Koran. And Phantom? I've never heard of them either." It was a lame attempt, and obviously came without saying, but Grell suddenly couldn't think about how else to acknowledge her suggestion. "But perhaps I'll look into them. Perhaps. But I still don't yet know if I'm really ready to rejoin a pack. I enjoy my freedom." But that freedom comes at a cost, idiot. He thought. Grell suddenly frowned. Do'you expect winter to get any better before spring? Course not, 'specially with Fenris being what he is, that lazy -

"Uh, cubs?" Grell looked up, very bemused at this sudden change in topic. Almost sheepishly, he looked at his paws, and was suddenly aware about how young he really was. Not even a full winter yet; though very close. There were so many things he didn't know. Should he have cubs at his age already? How else to pass on his seed, his line (though it wasn't a proud one, and on second thought he didn't know if he could do that to any cubs). "No." He shook his head. "No cubs for me yet. How about you?"

// aw *hugs back* well, at least you'll always have that to remember him by <33 //

[Takhi]

Takhi hadn’t realized how much the time had flown by since she first encountered Grell. The glow of the stars was already starting to fade into shadows. Dawn was coming once again and with it came the icy temperatures of winter. Thick clouds drifted, building up to release their winter wonderland. This morning would bring snow, the first of the season. The freezing winds came from the storms above and ruffled both of the wolves’ fur. It sent shivers all through out her body, but she remained calm. This was just another season. It may have been the toughest of them all, but it proved what it was really like to be a free Varg. Takhi remembered the last winter she experienced in these territories. It was dreadful for her. Food had been scarce longer than it should have and it took its toll on the fae. Takhi was already a pretty slim wolf under the broad muscles bulging under her midnight pelt. Starvation made her nothing but skin and bones last year. It was hard to build up her strength after that.

“I believe the land will be bathed in purity this morning,” she gently stated. Her voice was low, as if she was talking to herself like she usually would do when she had no one else around her. Her auds swiveled as Grell spoke again. He said he wasn’t sure of joining a pack, his freedom being far too precious. “That’s understandable. But if you ever do decide, Koran has many pleasant wolves within their ranks. I only suggest them because that is the pack that I know many members of, like Alice, Della, Shadow, and of course, Phantom.” Grell’s facial expression slightly shifted as she mentioned cubs and if he had any. Takhi knew he looked a little young for that, but draggas as Kerls can sometimes be the father of many pups without even knowing so and no matter what age.

“Well, that’s good,” she said with laughter. “At least you’re keeping your tail out of trouble.” She smiled. It was all in good humor. “I, myself, actually have two cubs. Their father died after they grew up and already separated from us. I had a little dragga who was as gray as the darkest part of a jagged stone. My late mate named him Shadow. Then I had a drappa. She was born completely white with red eyes. An albino, she was. I named her Linape.” Takhi remembered her days with the children. They both loved to play. Linape would chase butterflies and one time Shadow even attempted to toss around a snake. They were so ambitious. “They are all grown up, and I haven’t seen them since their father’s passing. I believe they may still be in our old territory a few miles from here.” As she finished, her bi-hued orbs gazed into the skies, the abyss still lying in the darkness. As her vision focused on the clouds, it began to snow.

OOC: Haha! The first post I made stated that it was autumn!!! Whoops!! ^_^