Avoiding the thought. (open)

[Tessa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=ded2f7] Out of all the places on the island she had visited, this was by far the most beautiful. Cassie stepped through the tall, swaying grass and held her breath as she took in the view. The cold had caused the grass to die back a little, the trees to become more bare, but still this place, illuminated by the winter sun, had an unearthly beauty. The female stopped and just stood motionless for a while. It seemed no matter what she did, how she managed to distract herself, eventually the same thought wormed its way back to the front of her mind. Cassandra's expression changed from that of wonder to one of anxiety. She was thinking about her mother yet again. 'I shouldn't have left..' nagged a familiar inner voice. The wolf sighed, unable to stop herself from wondering just what her mother might be doing now. 'Probably lost, hungry and lonely.' came the voice again. Cassie's frown deepened for a brief moment. "No." She said in an adamant tone. "Thats bullshit and you know it." She stamped her foot for good measure, trying to sound convincing as she spoke aloud to herself. "You know exactly what she's doing. She's probably already found herself a new male by now. A new family to screw up." The pale female closed her large eyes for a few seconds, trying to steady her thoughts. She reopened them and started walking again, looking around at the exquisite landscape with a slight sense of desperation. She tried to recapture that sense of wonder she had had moments before, but it was gone. She had only taken a few steps when the sound of a twig snapping behind her made her turn, brown eyes even wider than usual with surprise. She couldn't yet see what had made the noise, and she stood stock still, watching and listening. Whatever it was, she realized, it had probably heard her talking to herself.

[DingoMutt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][bg=FEF0DB] Rust moved with slow, careful steps. His great, wide paws made almost no noise as he padded carefully over the fallen leaves, always avoiding sticks with a quick skip in his stride. His rapid movements looked awkward; the sudden jerking of his paw to his chest, the coiling of his hind legs as he sprang over the branch to land soundlessly, the quick raising of his tail so that he didn't fall. He licked his lips, taking a deep breath of the crisp winter air. He was always a great big beast, but his winter coat only added to that. Despite his great size, he was quite graceful, which he showed off as he leaped daintily over a fallen log. He flicked his tail and tilted his head, glancing up at the sky. He was passing through a forest now, so the naked limbs of the trees reached for the blue, cloudless atmosphere. He felt this place was pretty, and he quickly decided that he'd stay here for a few days before he moved on. Since his mate and unborn pups had died, he had been a loner. He wandered from place to place, carefully avoiding contact with other wolves. When he caught sight or scent of another wolf, he'd flee as fast as his legs could carry him. He wasn't quite ready to meet other wolves, forget seeking another mate. Rust had always believed in fate, that things always happened for a reason, but lately his faith had been tested. The failed hunts, the run-ins with badgers and other rude things, the nasty weather when he was far from cover made him curse whatever higher power there was, if there was one. Pinning his ears at the thought, he carefully corrected his course so that he wouldn't collide with a large tree and it's mess of roots. He admired it as he passed; the wide branches and smooth bark were exotic to him. He had grown up in an area with conifers only, so these wide-limbed, reaching for the sky trees were quite a treat to his golden eyes. Turning his attention back ahead, he realized that he had left the relative safety of the trees and entered a more open are. Still, trees were spread around, but each one was many yards apart. After traveling with so many trees around him, now he felt naked. The grass here seemed to flourish more than it did around the trees, he could only assume that the sunlight was more plentiful when the trees were not quite so scantily clad. The yellow blades came up nearly to his elbows, he noted with a quaint nod of his muzzle. He had never seen such long grass, he thought as he snatched one of the blades up and chewed it. It was just as gross as the grass elsewhere, so he spat it out and let the his tongue hang out so the cold air would remove the acrid taste. Feeling good and alive, he picked up a trot and decided to be a little less careful with his steps. He kept his plumed tail even with his body as he trotted ahead, his two beat gait eating up the ground. He began to hum a tune to himself when he heart a delicate female voice drifting through the air. He halted suddenly, licking his nose and pinning back his ears. The voice was close and sounded upset and angry, and Rust's attention was hooked. He perked his ears up and sank into a stalking position as he took a quick smell of the air. He found the scent of a female wolf, and she seemed to be young, at least a year younger than he was, and healthy. The scent was recent, so his pace picked up with excitement. Perhaps she was the alpha? He wondered. When he had entered this territory, the borders had been there, but the scents had been faint and weak and old. As he had wandered, he hadn't smelled any other wolves, so he had simply assumed this land was unclaimed. His thoughts made him careless, and he returned to his full height so he was merely approaching the other wolf from behind. Her words hung in the cold air, and he wondered exactly who she was talking about, or to. When he finally came up behind her, he saw that she was alone, and he breathed a sigh of relief. A loud snapping beneath him made him freeze, and he realized that he had simply stepped on a branch. His tense body relaxed a bit, but he looked up to see the other wolf staring at him, quite alarmed. “Oh, hello,” He said, trying to seem relaxed and jolly. He was no threat to the other wolf, and he could only hope she understood that. “I didn't mean to eavesdrop...” He said, lowering his muzzle. “And I didn't mean to sneak up on you...” He added, lowering his muzzle even more. His tail fell and wagged slowly. “And my name's Rust.” He said, finally done. He took a moment to admire the she-wolf. She was very pretty, he thought, with her white pelt and... startled brown eyes. He quickly averted his own orbs so as not to threaten her, and he let his posture sink. word count: eight hundred and eighty five tag: Rust for Cassandra notes: Meep, I do love Rust. <3

[Roslyn]

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[atrb=background,http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww112/HarlequinAvery/roslyn2.png] The raucous call of the crow startled Roslyn right from her sleep, her body attempting to right itself into the proper defense posture. The ceiling of her den prevented her from raising to her full height, however. A startled 'Ooof!' spilling from her lips. Wrinkling her lips in agitation, she lowered herself closer to the earth and crawled forward, slowly emerging into the winter sunlight. Roslyn's eyes narrowed against the contrast of her dark den compared to the brightness of the world right outside the little hole she rested in each night. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she peered up toward the canopy of the trees, searching for the beaked creature that had disturbed her sleep. She spotted the black bird and her lips instantly lifted to reveal sharp fangs. A low growl escaped her, willing the crow to heave itself from its branch and fly off in the opposite direction. That wasn't the case, unfortunately. The smaller creature simply turned its head in that way that birds do and gazed down at Roslyn as if it expected her to toss it a scrap of food. Which it probably did. Bloody scavengers. Creeping forward from her den, Roslyn kept a wary eye on the crow for as long as she could, her pace an easy lope as she made her way through the lands she'd considered hers. She assumed the nuisance crow was following her hoping for a chance to steal some of the larger predators meal, but she did her best to ignore it. Grunting, she slowed her pace to a walk, icy eyes narrowing in concentration. She could have swore she'd heard the shout of a female. Slowing her pace even further, Roslyn stopped among the ancient trees, her nose twitched, pulling in the various scents of the area around her. Two particular scents caught her attention; that of a male wolf, and a female wolf. Part of her felt excited; Wolves! There were others here. She'd believed herself completely alone in this beautiful land. The other half of her, however, felt threatened. What if these wolves were a mated pair looking for land of their own? There was no way she could defend herself against two others, if it came down to that. One? Sure. But no way in hell would she be able to take on two and come out victorious. Heaving a sigh, she shook her thoughts away, mostly. She'd just have to make it clear that this land wasn't up for grabs. Or perhaps these two were just passing though. Giving herself a shake as her confidence returned, she trudged forward, moving toward the scents of the two intruders. As she neared, she watched the interaction unfold between the two, the female turning, startled, to gaze toward the large-large being an understatement, he was huge!- male. The female, on the other hand, was closer to Roslyn's stature. It felt almost rude to butt in just as the male was introducing himself to the ivory female, but she wasn't going to be all submissive and sit by while they passed pleasantries. While they trespassed on her land, nonetheless. Approaching the pair, she allowed her icy orbs to land on each wolf in turn before she spoke."Hate to interrupt, but I feel I must introduce myself." Roslyn paused, but only for a moment. "My name is Roslyn, Alphess of this land." Her voice wasn't threatening[why would she want to scare of company, and potential pack wolves?], but it possessed confidence in herself. She was only slightly tense, unsure of how these two strangers would react to her introducing herself as alphess of an almost empty territory.

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[Wyren]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] [bg=ffffff] To many years had passed since last Wyren had walked through his lands without hindrance or complication. Yet, as the massive male padded through the brush, he couldn't help but miss all the activities of the pack. It just went to show him that he hadn't been cut out for life as a loner, as his brother had. Sighing at the memory of Thor, the onyx wolf slowed his trot, picking up the very faint markings that he had left some time ago. "Can't believe I have neglected this," he growled at himself, stepping past the tree that he had marked and lifting his back leg, letting loose a short stream of urine. He moved on after just a moment at the tree. This continued until Wyren picked up some scents of loners, both having stepped into his land and crossed in without even so much as a greeting howl. Snorting, Wyren let loose one more stream of urine, covering the scents of the loners and then followed the two different scents into his land. As the scents started to get stronger, Wyren had to pause, picking out three scents now. One was the loner female, another a loner male . . . but the third. It belonged to his Alpha Female, Roslyn. Snorting, he couldn't stop the growl that departed his muzzle as his pace picked up. He could hear voices close by, catching Roslyn's voice. As he neared the scents and voices, Wyren forced himself to slow down, relaxing his muscles and calming his heart. It wouldn't do to just leap out of the brush, growling and snarling because he didn't like strange wolves near his family. Instead, he took a deep breath as he slipped through the brush, coming out not far from Roslyn. "Your trespassing,"

[/color] he growled, instantly mentally kicking himself. That was not what he had meant to say, but what was said, had been said and he couldn't take it back. Instead, he set himself up tall and strong, head slightly cocked to the side, audits perked, while his tail draped loosely between his legs. A picture of calm.

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[Tessa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=ded2f7] After a moment of standing immobile, large eyes scanning the landscape frantically, the maker of the noise emerged. Cassie shrank back slightly at the sight of the wolf - he was massive. Her heart rate quickened even as he spoke in a relaxed, cordial voice. But as he continued to talk, his posture changed. It was strange to see such a large male take on such a submissive stance. Cassandra found she was no longer afraid of him, for he exuded an air of innocence. She felt embarrassed as he apologized for overhearing her, wondering if he had heard her colorful choice of language. She was about to open her mouth to speak when suddenly another voice sounded. "Hate to interrupt, but I feel I must introduce myself. My name is Roslyn, Alphess of this land." This voice was more confident than that of the large male, but it didn't sound accusatory or hostile, as Cass might have expected an alphess to sound when you trespassed on her land. Nevertheless, she felt edgy and unsure of the situation. The small white female took a deep breath and opened her maw to speak... When suddenly yet another voice interrupted, and this one not nearly as amicable as the first. "You're trespassing." growled an ominous-looking black wolf as he emerged from the brush near the black female. Cassandra was shocked into silence for a few moments. She took in the sight of the two.. And they did look intimidating standing there together, two jet-black wolves with bright piercing eyes. She dared not meet the gaze of the larger male, but looked down at the ground as she finally began to speak. "I..." She stammered, then glanced back at Rust. She had moved unconsciously closer to the large male in her state of fear. She immediately realized her inadvertent action and took a step backward, away from all three of the other wolves. "I'm very sorry." she managed to steady her voice. "I wasn't aware that these lands were claimed. If you want, I'll leave immediately." She watched the two expectantly, her posture one of complete submission. She had lowered her small body close to the ground, pulled her tail in between her legs, laid her ears back and averted her gaze. She actually looked quite pathetic.

[DingoMutt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][bg=FEF0DB] It wasn't a moment after Rust introduced himself to the pretty white wolfess that an equally lovely black one approached. Her eyes were an icy blue that he had never seen before, and he was intrigued. His tail gave a friendly wag and his ears perked forward; Rust had always been the friendly one, always giving strangers the benefit of the doubt. Never extraordinarily submissive or aggressive among his pack, he simply lurked and wagged his tail and made silly faces. His other pack members hadn't minded, for he had served as a peace maker among the increasingly agitated alphas and their subordinates. He was quick to distract his aggressive and senile mother's anger when she went after the omegas with his big bulk and his soft whimpers. He hoped that the she-wolf would accept his gesture of friendliness and be assured he was not here in some sort of hostile taking over of her lands. At best, he would hope to join the pack as a low ranking member. Dipping his head and averting his golden eyes from her ice colored ones, his posture sank even more. If he wanted to get any lower to the ground, he'd have to dig. As he eased his body down, another wolf came forward. This wolf was a jet-black male, big, but Rust was still bigger, if only by a few inches and twenty pounds. This wolf was not so polite as the female, who wasn't too polite to begin with, and the big male let his body sink to the ground. His head dropped to his paws, and he licked his lips and flattened his ears to show he was no threat. He was sure he could be if he wanted, but he was sure he didn't want any sort of confrontation with this pair. With the white wolf looking as sorry and submissive as she did, he couldn't rely on her for any sort of aid, even if he planned on taking over. When she edged towards him with her fright, he had convinced himself to fight for her. He felt protective of this wolfess he had just met; he felt it his job to protect this stranger's neck and dignity, but as he looked towards the pair with challenge on his mind, he faltered. On his own he stood no chance against this matching set, so he sank a little lower and changed his mind. “I didn't mean to trespass,” He said simply. He didn't want to grovel, so instead he'd go for a relaxed approach and keep his body language submissive. “I didn't smell anyone when I got here.” He added, raising his head a bit. His tail wagged gently, brushing against the dead leaves that littered the ground, turning the whole area a dingy brown-red color. He liked this place for it's flora, and he could only hope the fauna was just as nice. The pair didn't seem to want to eat him, but he never knew how long that would last. His mate's demeanor had changed like the breeze; one moment she'd be kissing him and telling him how much she loved him, and the next she'd be snarling and telling him she hated him. He was sure that some of it was due to the pups that grew in her belly, but she had always been just a little bit crazy. But it had been her erratic personality that had endeared him to her, but – no, this was not the time to be thinking about his past, when his future was in jeopardy. The wolf giant wondered vaguely if the pair were mates; they had been separate when they arrived, but he was sure that a mated pair didn't need to be together at all times. If they were mates, surely they hadn't been for too long. The air didn't suddenly warm up with their passionate love, he thought with a delicate smile, so perhaps they were merely co-existing, or they had plunged into alpha-hood and they were working out the kinks, namely, the requirement of a mate. Or maybe he was pulling this all out of thing air. After all, Rust was an outsider here, so perhaps he shouldn't be concerning himself with the quality of this pair's relationship. "I'm Rust, if you didn't hear me before," He said, in response to Roslyn's introduction. "It's nice to meet you, Alpha Roslyn," He finished, trying to be as polite as possible. He smiled gently and let his head fall again to his paws. "It's a nice place you've got here." word count: seven hundred and sixty three tag: Rust for Cassandra, Roslyn, & Wyren notes: This post got busy fast. xD

[castaway]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,423,true][bg=ab0b54] Ears perked at the sound of twigs snapping, nose twitched at the smell of many wolves. Golden eyes seared the darkness of the shadows. White paws moved soundlessly through the snow, leaving large footprints. The wolf that hid himself in the dense trees appeared, if hesitantly. His eyes were wary, but as he drew nearer to the small grouping of wolves, he realised just how many there were. And they all seemed to be woofing happily. There was no sense of danger, or threat between the four of them. So he took more steps towards them, waiting for their recognition of his presence. His thick white fur clung to him with the dampened snow. His ever glowing eyes caught the sight of a pretty snow white wolf like himself. And another, more coloured russett, and with a tinge of grey and black in him. He looked almost like rust. Then, after examining harder, stood two very proud looking wolves. Both of dark colouring, probably black. They were almost superior. They were probably the ones who owned this land. The wolf stood still, the scents of all the wolves flooding his senses. If he closed his eyes, he could still see where they were, because of his nose. He still did not seem to have the nerve to speak up. Yes, he was a very proud wolf, and yes, he did take a massive interest in the two females. But he did not speak up. No, he didn't feel the need. The two opposing wolves would speak first. If they asked of his name, it would be given. But with honorable respect. For some interesting reason, he wanted to join this forming of wolves. He needed too, and he knew that deep within his heart. His white tail brushed the snow across his paws, and he blinked slowly. Interestingly enough, the smell of the females drew him nearer. He knew he had to join in. A sly smile spread over his maw, and he let out a soft huff. Tilting his head to the side in absolute amusement, he inhaled deeply the smells of them all.

[Roslyn]

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[atrb=background,http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww112/HarlequinAvery/roslyn2.png] The call of Roslyn's pesky tag along cause her eyes to flick toward the tops of the trees, anxiety flashing across her face for a split second. Years later, and she was still haunted by her little encounter with a murder of starving birds. Huffing, she scowled and turned her attention back to the pair before her. So, these two weren't together. Nor were they interested in removing her from her position as alpha. She'd figured that out mere moments after she'd spotted them. The white females shock at discovering the large male a small distance behind her. And the fact that now, the big russet male was so close to the ground that it looked as if he was trying to become part of the earth itself. That little tid-bit of information quieted her worried mind. So they weren't together, which meant they were probably just a pair of loners passing through her land. Either that or they were looking for a pack to join up with. Moments before Roslyn decided to question them, the harsh growl of a male interrupted her thoughts. "Your trespassing." She instantly recognized the voice as that of her Alpha male and she turned her eyes toward him for a moment. She almost, just almost, shot him a glare for being so bloody rude. Sure, they were trespassing, but as far as Roslyn could tell they weren’t doing anything wrong. But she still wasn’t entirely sure of why they were here, and Wyren was was right. They were trespassing, and there wasn’t a doubt in her mind they didn’t already know that. And if they hadn’t before, they definitely knew now. She kept her remarks to herself and instead turned her attention back to the strangers. The poor little white female looked terrified, moving closer to the larger male as if seeking protection. A moment later she’d taken a step away from him, distancing herself from all three wolves as she began to speak. “I wasn't aware that these lands were claimed. If you want, I'll leave immediately.” A small wave of disappointment washed over Roslyn. She’d been hoping they’d be interested in joining the pack. But she didn’t blame the ivory for suggesting she leave. With both alphas present the white female had the right to be a little nervous. “I didn't mean to trespass. I didn't smell anyone when I got here.” The large male interjected, drawing Roslyn’s gaze from the little ivory to the large russet wolf. Despite his massive size, Roslyn sensed no hostility or aggression in this male. His large size didn’t fit his demeanor at all. Tilting her head, Roslyn adjusted herself, lowering her rump to the earth, amusement flashing across her face. “Seems we need to improve the upkeep of our borders.” Roslyn mumbled half to herself and half to Wyren. “Are either of you looking to join up with a pack?” She continued, curious. New pack wolves would be quite nice to have right now and she had nothing against either of these two joining…at the moment. They seemed okay, but first impressions could be misleading. “That is, if my Alpha male here, doesn’t have a problem with that.” She shot said wolf a questioning glance. The decision wasn’t only hers, after all. Roslyn’s attention strayed once again, this time being grabbed by the sound of movement behind her. She turned, half expecting to see a rabbit or something. What her eyes landed on instead startled her, but only slightly. Yet another wolf. “Well, this is turning into quite the gathering…” Roslyn mumbled, words trailing off, icy eyes staying locked upon the ivory male. Okay, they were really going to have to put some effort into tidying up their borders. One or two wolves wandering in wasn’t so bad. But three? And all at the same time. “Suppose you ought to join our little group, since you’re here and all.” She stated, eying the ivory male for a moment. For a moment, she wondered how Wyren was going to react to yet another stranger, but she put that thought aside and turned herself back to face the rest of the group, sitting herself down in nearly the same spot she’d taken previously. Moments after she’d reclaimed her seat, the big russet male was speaking again. “I'm Rust, if you didn't hear me before. It's nice to meet you, Alpha Roslyn. It's a nice place you've got here.” Though she listened as Rust spoke, her ears were also listening to the movements of the ivory male who’d just showed up. A small nod of her head acknowledged the big males words. “It’s nice to meet you as well Rust.” A smile flitted across her lips in response to the last few words he spoke. She agreed with him wholeheartedly. She loved this place; her own little piece of paradise on earth. “It is great, I agree.” Roslyn added, her eyes flicking back toward where she'd left the ivory male. His intentions were still unclear, and she was slightly uneasy with him standing about just out of eye-shot.

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[Wyren]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] [bg=ffffff] Having spoken so harshly, it wasn't a surprise when the small, white female lowered herself to the ground, but when the larger male did the same and seemed to be trying to make himself part of Mother Gaia, Wyren couldn't help but lower his head and audits. "Rise . . . I sometimes open my muzzle before I think . . . I am Wyren, Alpha Male of the pack," he spoke, following Roslyn's movement and sitting himself on his rump, bushy plume wrapping around his paws, while his golden yellow orbs scanned the wolves before him. The white female . . . such a pretty little thing. She was so submissive, shaking like a leaf, whether it was from fright of the rustic brute, Rust, a suitable name for the brute, or from sight of himself, he didn't know. "I missed your calling, miss . . . Please . . . Don't be frightened. None of you have anything to fear. We are civil here,"

[/color] he said, truly meaning it. She seemed unsure of who she could trust, but had a look about her that tugged at his heart strings, the fatherly ones that he gave out freely to the young ones. He took in a deep breath, having heard and agreed with Roslyn's words. The pack did need more members.

His gaze switched quickly, golden yellow gaze fallen upon the ivory brute that seemed to move like the wind. The fact that this one said nothing tickled his aggression, but he pushed it back, having filed Rust's name and scent and the white female's scent, having missed her name, if it had been given before he had arrived. "And you?"[/color] he spoke, gaze not leaving the ivory brute, but audits twitching between the other two loners. Loners were welcomed, attacked weren't. "What is your calling?"[/color] he questioned, trying to be friendly, possibly failing, but he was trying. Loners were touchy with him . . . you had to be close to your puppy years to cause him to want to keep you around . . . or be shy or submissive enough to pass as a pup to his eyes.

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[Tessa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=ded2f7] ooc; I know this makes me inconsistent, but I just realized that I've been sort of playing Cassandra wrong. I did not intend for her to act so fearful. Forgive me if her personality seems erratic; I'm still working out how to portray her right. ic; Cassie watched Rust's reaction. Though still in a state of submission, he was definitely handling the situation with a much calmer disposition than she was, even introducing himself to the black female. Feeling embarrassed at how petrified she was acting, the small arctic hybrid steadied herself. It was then that yet another wolf came upon the scene. Cassandra smelled him before she saw him, and searched with her large brown eyes until she spotted a thin, white figure. He just stood there, watching. Though occasionally glancing back at the pale wolf standing far off, she once again turned her attention back to Roslyn, who was now addressing her and Rust. "Are either of you looking to join up with a pack? That is, if my Alpha male here, doesn’t have a problem with that." Cass glanced briefly at the dark alpha male, wondering what his reaction would be. His current expression seemed to show a sense of regret. She assumed that he hadn't intended to sound so aggressive, and that eased her mind. She raised her body up higher, though still remaining near to the grassy earth. "Suppose you ought to join our little group, since you’re here and all." Roslyn was now speaking to the mysterious white-pelted stranger. Cass waited and watched while the other wolves spoke. Now the alpha male was speaking, and to her. "Rise . . . I sometimes open my muzzle before I think . . . I am Wyren, Alpha Male of the pack. I missed your calling, miss . . . Please . . . Don't be frightened. None of you have anything to fear. We are civil here." Cassandra watched as his posture changed. He lowered his head and ears slightly, then sat. She felt all the fear leave her, and stood up to her full height, which was still, admittedly, not much. "Thank you for welcoming us onto your lands, despite our trespass." She spoke to both of the alphas. Her voice was back to its usual state. Calm, light and sweet. Keeping her head bowed respectfully, she continued, "My name is Cassandra. And, yes, I am in need of a pack to join." It wasn't the norm for Cassie to affiliate herself with any pack, but with the rapid advance of winter, she was finding it harder and harder to hunt alone. It was a matter of survival. After all, if she changed her mind she could always leave. For the first time since meeting all of these strangers, she flashed her wide smile. Turning to each of them in turn, she said, "It's lovely to meet you, Rust, Alphas Wyren and Roslyn." It seemed her mood had made a complete turn-around. She then turned with a measure of curiosity to gaze once again at the while wolf, as it seemed most everyone else was also looking at him, waiting for him to reveal his name.

[castaway]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,423,true][bg=ab0b54] The white male sat rather awkwardly along the sidelines of the group. They still seemed fairly civil in his opinion. When every wolf had given a name, and then looked at him, questioningly, he decided he'd better state his own alias as well. The frail looking ivory female had stopped shaking. Instead it seemed as if she had taken another path, and turned into a much more courageous one. And for that he smiled. The alpha's Wyren and Roslyn seemed the most intent on himself. It seemed they were more suspicious of me, than anyone else sitting there. The rust coloured wolf seemed to enjoy shoving himself down so hard, even while the two alphas were apologizing. So, with an exotic, and dramatic standstill, his husky voice blew out. "This is a lovely gathering, is it not? My name is Valentine. But you may call me what you wish. I am sorry for not introducing myself sooner. I just thought it would be rude to interupt. I heard these wolves are interested in joining a pack? Well, it just so happens I was in need of a pack too. Hunting has become far to difficult in this snow," he stated absentmindedly. Valentine was rather full of himself, wasn't he? But, as you get to know him, he really is just a wolf in need of a family. Valentine took it upon himself to examine the wolves more closely. Wyren was a rathe handsome fellow, as was Rust, if a little squished. But both Roselyn and Cassandra were beautiful. Very stunning in his opinion indeed. But he would not court them, not unless they grew accustomed to him. He'd been to hasty far to many times, and as usual, he was always abandoned. He then returned his gaze to the two alpha's, waiting to hear their responce. This place was amazing, warmth surged from the trees, and even though prey here was still scarce, it wasn't half as bad as where he was previously living. Valentine yawned, his jaws opening to reveal a set of strong canine teeth, and a moist tongue. His golden eyes were aglow, he looked almost.. insane? But he didn't look it any farther than he could twitch his nose. His tail swished the snow, and he looked almost bored in his own way.

[DingoMutt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][bg=FEF0DB] Rust raised his head as voices broke the cold winter air; this pack was a civil one, one that traded words and not blows, so he relaxed a bit. He licked his nose to calm himself, and he let himself rise a bit. He focused on Rosyln as she spoke, but he was careful not to challenge her. He continuously shifted his gaze and kept his tail moving at a steady wag. He'd steal glances at her now and then; she was pretty and confident, so she grabbed his attention and ran with it. But as far as he knew she was with this big black brute, so he wouldn't try anything. After the death of his mate, Rust had promised to himself that he would never take another. And while he was sure that somewhere along the line another wolf would tell him that his dead mate would want him to move on, he knew it was a lie. He knew that in the afterlife, if there was one, his pretty little mate sat watching and scrutinizing his moves, and surely she'd rip him to pieces for staring at Roslyn. The thought made him shudder a bit, so he shook his big frame and rose to a seated position. Dirt and leaves clung to his belly, so he shook once more to cover the first. He was just shaking the leaves from his fur, no reason to note the faint scent of fear and panic that ebbed from him. A deep breath set the male back on the path to his right mind, and it didn't take him long to once again relax. The alpha male seemed to regret his hostility, so Rust merely nodded in response. He knew that the pride of an alpha was a terrible thing, so he wouldn't dwell upon it or even speak of the forgiveness he had already given. “I would like to join, if I may,” He said, staring at his paws. He wouldn't take the commitment to an alpha lightly, and decided then and there that he'd die for either of these two wolves. These two little doggies would own his life, and they'd do what they wanted with it and he wouldn't mind. “This place is nice, and you two seem to have your hearts in the right places. That's plenty for an old dog like me.” He finished, his posture sinking. The grief of a way of life lost hung on his shoulders now and whispered anxiety and deceit in his ears. Is that what it will be like to live among others? He wondered. Would he always be this anxious and thinking of his previous life? He certainly hoped not, for there was no way in heaven or hell or fate or whatever that he could live like this. Glancing at Cassandra from the corner of his eye, he was glad to see that she had relaxed and taken on a more confident posture. She introduced herself, and he smiled warmly. He was distracted as she glanced over him, seemingly searching for another life in the distance. He drank in her pretty presence for an instant, careful not to stare too long, and then he twisted so that he could see what she was searching for. There, hidden in the distance, was a male wolf, white as snow. Suddenly he felt out of place; two white wolves, two black, and poor old rust with his myriad of colors. No, he felt unique, he thought with a delicate smile, and he turned his attention away from the stranger male. Everyone seemed to have addressed him sufficiently, so there was no need for him to add his two cents. Forcing himself to straighten and be proud and not some silly pup with expectations weighing on his mind, Rust allowed his mind to wander and his eyes to do so too. His golden eyes went straight for the smooth-barked trees, his heart fluttering with wonder and amazement. What a lovely day this had turned out to be; perhaps the fates were finally smiling upon him. They had brought him to this pack, planted this desire to move in his mind that morning, and here he was, conversing with the alphas and negotiating his joining to their group. A smile flitted across his features, his big body relaxing and feeling right at home among this big trees and this tall grass and these friendly wolves. word count: seven hundred and forty one tag: Rust for Cassandra, Roslyn, Wyren, & Valentine notes: Rustttt. Somehow terribly sad yet checking out the ladies. xD

[Roslyn]

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[atrb=background,http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww112/HarlequinAvery/roslyn2.png] Excitement was quickly bubbling up in the ebony female, the possibility of gaining new pack members nearly making her want to simply shout “ACCEPTED!” to all three of the wolves. But she held back, simply sitting and listening to whomever spoke first. She knew they’d have to discuss what ranks would best suit each wolf, and if they were even suitable for pack life here in Zenica. There was no doubt in her mind, however, that these wolves would be any less than beneficial to the pack. Wyren’s voice drew her from her musings, her eyes flicking first to Wyren, and then to the little gathering before her. "Rise . . . I sometimes open my muzzle before I think . . . I am Wyren, Alpha Male of the pack. I missed your calling, miss . . . Please . . . Don't be frightened. None of you have anything to fear. We are civil here.

[/i]" Roslyn flashed an encouraging smile toward the ivory female, curious to know the strangers name. She’d noted by then that the snowy female’s demeanor had changed, almost completely. This one better suited her, Roslyn mused. Hell, cowering like a terrified pup didn’t suit anyone, in her opinion.

"Thank you for welcoming us onto your lands, despite our trespass. My name is Cassandra. And, yes, I am in need of a pack to join." Roslyn simply nodded her head in response to Cassandra’s first sentence. What could she do, besides accept them on her land? They weren’t hurting anything, and she just didn’t have the heart to chase them off. Not that she couldn’t, or wouldn’t drive a wolf off of her lands that openly challenged her position. She was fully confident she could defend her title if she needed to. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you Cassandra, and I think I speak for both of us,” She shot a quick glance toward Wyren before continuing. “When I say we’d be pleased if you joined us.” She paused, giving Wyren time to interject if he didn’t agree with Roslyn’s invitation.

“I would like to join, if I may. This place is nice, and you two seem to have your hearts in the right places. That's plenty for an old dog like me.” The big males’ voice drew her attention, and she turned to speak to him when the ivory's husky voice cut in, her focus switching to him as he spoke as well. "This is a lovely gathering, is it not? My name is Valentine. But you may call me what you wish. I am sorry for not introducing myself sooner. I just thought it would be rude to interrupt. I heard these wolves are interested in joining a pack? Well, it just so happens I was in need of a pack too. Hunting has become far too difficult in this snow," Roslyn couldn't help but grin. This was a bit, just a bit overwhelming. Three wolves showing up at nearly the same time, and all of them looking for a pack? What luck!

For now, she removed her attention from the three wolves who were all seemingly interested in joining Zenica. Instead, she placed her icy gaze on Wyren. “What do you think?” She questioned, tilting her head in a curious manner as she awaited Wyren to reply. Sure, she could easily decide on her own, but she wanted to make an effort to cooperate with Wyren. They needed to learn to work together, anyway. And there was only one way they could do that.


Notes; So colorful .o.
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[Wyren]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] [bg=ffffff] As all three loners seemed intent on joining the pack, Wyren sat back on his haunches and simply listened to their voices and watched their body language. Rust spoke of a powerful new member, Cassandra seemed like a kind caring young wolf, but it was this Valentine that interested him the most. The way the white brute looked at both Cassie and Roslyn set his blood on fire, even though Roslyn wasn't his mate and Cassie wasn't yet his packmate. He would be watching the white wolf very closely, making sure he didn't step out of line around the females. "What do you think?" he heard Roslyn asked, which almost caused him to become bug eyed and roll on the ground laughing. It was a random moment, where his mind escaped him and he was left in the grasp of his emotions. Quickly becoming in control once more, Wyren could only nod his head. "They seem like good Zenica wolves," Wyren offered. In truth, he and Roslyn might never be cut out as mates, but that didn't meant that they couldn't work together well for the better of the pack. And to him, that was fine . . . at least he thought it might be fine. "I say they are welcome to join our family . . . if you are not against it, my dear Alpha Female,"

[/color] he grinned, golden yellow orbs flashing with a sudden playfulness. Who knew . . . maybe the addition of these three loners might bring out a more workable personality and Roslyn might find herself enjoying working beside him.

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[Tessa]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=ded2f7] ooc; Cast, um, in your post it mentions snow a few times, but since the start of the thread the setting has been in grass. ;-; ic; Cassandra watched the white wolf in the distance as he finally spoke, revealing his name and the fact that he, too wanted to join the pack. It seemed this tribe was about to become much larger. She wasn't surprised, given how breathtaking the territory was. She watched the white male as he spoke, noting his expressions as he looked over the other wolves. He had an air of confidence about him. For a brief moment she switched her gaze to each of the others in turn to try and gauge their reactions. Roslyn was grinning, obviously thrilled that so many were seeing acceptance into her pack. Cass looked to Wyren in time to catch him looking at Valentine with a less-than-welcoming expression on his shadowy face. She wondered if Wyren had taken unkindly to how sure-of-himself the thin white newcomer seemed, or the way he looked at the femmes. She half-expected him to show some sort of possessiveness toward Roslyn in response, but for some reason they maintained a respectful distance from one another that Cass wouldn't expect between a pair of alphas. It seemed as if they weren't a mated pair. She moved her gaze to Rust last, and his expression betrayed a sense of unease. But he took a breath and this sense of anxiety left him after a moment, before he spoke, "I would like to join, if I may. This place is nice, and you two seem to have your hearts in the right places. That's plenty for an old dog like me." Cassandra liked how genuine he came across as; he seemed much more loyal than she was. The petite female turned as Roslyn's voice caught her ear. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you Cassandra, and I think I speak for both of us when I say we’d be pleased if you joined us."

[/color] Cassie grinned in response to this but watched as the alphess glanced at Wyren, asking his opinion, “What do you think?"[/color]

In anticipation, Cassandra watched the black male as well, who nodded his head in agreement. "They seem like good Zenica wolves, I say they are welcome to join our family . . . if you are not against it, my dear Alpha Female."[/color] Cassie liked the word he had used, family, and wondered if maybe she might want to stay here longer than she had originally anticipated. She displayed a wide grin, then spoke aloud to both Alphas, "Thank you." She looked around at all the wolves surrounding her, wondering what life would be like as their packmate. Time would tell whether she would enjoy their company. She smiled at everyone though, showing her excitement.
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