Anlage gazed at the pack he had helped build with partial wonder in his eyes. So many of these wolves had come from broken pasts, but they had all bonded together into a pack to help each other. Nobody seemed to feel sorry for themselves. He smiled as he stepped into the camp circle. It was a good place here in the forest. Plentiful food and a stream that ran all year around.
He shook out his thick fur and padded over towards the far edge of the camp. Wolf packs generally selected a camp territory partially on if there was a high area to announce plans and important news. Sketchpack had been chosen in the thick of the trees. The was a wall of dirt and rock, making a nice cove for the camp. The alpha's den was on the curve where the camp made a U shape. Perfectly in the center and made of rock, causing it to stay strong and not collapse through years of hard weather.
Just above the den entrance there was a perfect ledge to either lie on in the dappled sunspots that shone through the trees or else, in this case, to deliver important messages to the pack. Moment ago in the forest several wolves had waited for him to discuss joining his pack. He now brought them into the camp. They were all rather uneasy, but they stood tall and faced the staring eyes of the pack with their own stares. Anlage smiled. He was making a good choice. He bunched his legs underneath him and leapt high onto the ledge, landing lightly and raising his tail as the pack below fell silent, the murmurs often heard throughout the day fading.
"Sketchpack!" he called out. The last of the lingering wolves on the edge of the camp stood and came nearer, their ears perked in interest.
"Three wolves, Siku, Maja and Ardal have asked to join Sketchpack and I have agreed. Make them welcome!" he called out. Tails waved in the air and the pack surged forward, circling the newcomers and sniffing them. The other wolves who had just joined came over as well. Raiden and Kuoza.
The alpha leapt down from his rock and raised his head in the ceremonial howl. The alpha always began it after newcomers arrived, the pack followed, then the newcomers joined in.
"Aroooouu"
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Suki looked around, hardly able to focus on one thing for more than a second before looking somewhere else. There was so much to see around just the camp, and all the other wolves. She hadn't seen that many wolves in one place in her life. It was almost overwhelming, the sights and the sounds of everyone there, howling. And here she was, joining it all. Her sister Raiden flashed her a reassuring smile. She was new to the pack as well, but she had joined it then, after just a day, found her sister outside the borders to tell her just how [I]amazing[/I] it was. The structure, the sense of family- things at Siku had always desired. She grinned, howling along with the other wolves, a sense of joy filling her. She was [I]included[/I], welcomed. She was here with her sister to begin a new life. And she was going to make the most of it.
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Raiden grinned at the simple expression of joy in her sister's eyes. It was almost amusing to watch her and the other newcomers look around in amazement. She didn't know much about the small pack, but she had been accepted right away- Yesterday, even. Then Siku had been accepted just the same. All the living family was together again. She lifted her head in the howl as soon as it was her time to, the shrill noted joining in with the others in a beautiful, shrill song. As soon as the alpha dipped his head, Raiden took the signal that it was okay to move forward and greet the newcomers. She rubbed her head against Siku's playfully. "How does it feel? Overwhelmed much?" She asked jokingly, grinning. It wasn't often that Raiden grinned or acted so playfully, but with her sister, on this day, she would.
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Suki batted at Raiden's side with her paw. "You were too, I bet." She replied in a joking muttered, before pushing Raiden aside with her head. "Now, move it! I know you well enough! How about letting me talk to someone else for a change?" The relationship between the two sister had always been easy like that- they could joke around and insult each other all they wanted, and still be just as happy to see each other later. She glanced around for anyone willing to strike up a conversation.
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Kuoza watched from a few feet further back of the others, his eyes filled with amusment. After the howl, he didn't move forward to greet the new members like the others- instead he sat down to watch with a slight yawn. There was so much that could be learned by listening, almost more than participating- you could think about and analyze what others said without having to worry about your own response. He chuckled slightly at the re-united sisters, then waited to see what anyone else would do.
Ekron's howl rose and fell in a wonderful rhythm before it died down and he smiled, his eyes meeting Raiden. He flicked his ears and trotted forward, sniffing her courteously.
"Hello. My name is Ekron." he smiled, his eyes snapping bits of fiery mischief but his face friendly. He was maturing quickly, but he still had that adolescent way about his attitude.
~
Anlage sat back near the alpha den, his eyes half-closed as he gazed at his pack. Everything was going so smoothly. Plentiful food, even in winter, as the forest was shelter for the animals they hunted. Not a sign of humans for many, many moons. The thought that he needed to appoint a beta flickered through his mind and he narrowed his eyes, focusing on the pack members. Young Ekron had much to learn, though he was incredibly mature in mind, his actions still were pup-like. Anlage stood up again and gave a half chuckle before he turned and went into his den. The choice would wait.
~
Desire* (Character sheet not yet made)
walked over to Maja with a warm smile.
"Hello, I'm Desire"
Raiden smiled back at Ekron, trying to drop the quiet, hard attitude she normally wore for a kind, fun one like her sister's. She figured she could be quiet and serious later- now was a time for something like celebration. She ignored her sister flicking her with her tail 'incognito', knowing Suki would just be jealous about Raiden getting to speak to the cute male before she did. She aimed a tail flick back at her sister. "The name's Raiden." She replied with a slight nod of her head.
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Suki rolled her eyes at her sister's insistence to talk to the male without her helpful input, and back away in an attempt to get away from any further 'attacks' from her. In doing this, she backed straight into Ardal. She wheeled around quickly on her paws, trying to figure out who she had hit. She looked at the ground on seeing Ardal, her ears back guiltily. "Sorry." She said softly, looking away submissively.
Maja carefully scrutinized the wolves around her as she sat prim and dignified, a cool aura radiating from her presence. Her lithe form didn't so much as stir, but there was the subtle hint of a pleased smile upon her muzzle. Already different wolves - strangers - started to mingle and become acquainted with each other. Such an occurrence was rare with her previous large pack, if there was such an event. It wasn't common for wolves to be so open, to be so trusting, to be so... inviting.
"Maja, are you just going to sit there all day?" Ardal, her long time friend and pack-mate groaned his displeasure. He was larger in build than she, easily sizing her more docile frame, but he had only beaten her in fights during her pup-hood. Past the two-year mark, she had proven herself a worthy opponent. Her vulpine, crafty instincts allowed her to out-match many.
"Leave me be, Ardal, I'm fine with where I am." Maja hissed abruptly.
"Oh Maja, Maja, Maja...." The male gave his signature wolfish smile, "I know you too well. You're secretly jumping around inside yourself like a puppy. Aren't ya'?" He didn't give her time to retort before his attention was diverted to a passer-by. "Ah, hello there - you're fur's looking really great today! My name is Ardal, and this is my most-amazing friend and kin, Maja! Don't worry about her glares, by the way, they aren't exactly deadly!"
Raiden flashed another smile and stepped to her side.
"Hey, Raiden, since you're new, want me to show you around the territory?" (typical XD)
Desire spoke again louder, awkwardly glancing around as she realized Maja hadn't heard her.
"Um..hi, Maja. Hi, Ardal.." she swished her tail around her and her ears lay back on her head.
Raiden grinned at Ekron, knowing quite well that her sister was listening in on their conversation with one ear. "If you'd be willing to show me around, I'd love to see it." She replied with a nod. When she had been trying to find her sister to tell her about the pack, she had gotten lost for almost an hour before she had managed to find her way back to camp. A tour of the territory, getting to know a new packmate...why not?
Ekron smiled and tossed his head towards the setting sun as he turned and began walking.
"It's nearly dark, so we don't have much time, but we can go along the Western border, wrap around up north and come back along the North-East borderlines by the lake." he spoke with authority, his ears perked and his stride smooth.
Raiden followed a half step behind. "Hey, whatever you think." She replied, with a gloating glance back towards her sister who was staring after her with an annoyed glare. Raiden smirked, turning her attention back to Ekron. She sniffed slightly, trying to make a mental map of the territory so she could find her way around easier in the future.
The young male perked his ears at the sound of the stream ahead. It was audible though it was nearly a half mile away. He decided to take them past the waterfall. She would like that, I bet. He thought with a half smile.
"So what's your story?" he asked as they padded through the long shadows that evening had brought to the forest. He eyed her, one ear directed towards her, the other on the path ahead.
Raiden heard the faint sound of a stream up ahead, remembering that it was still a while away. She paused slightly at Ekron's question before continuing forward. "I'm not sure there's much to tell." She replied thoughtfully. "Grew up with my sister, lived as a loner for a while then came here. Nothing remarkable." She decided that minimal detail was good. She wasn't lying, per say, but the whole truth was complicated to say the least. And not anything anyone needed to try and figure out. Her ears pricked forward when she heard rushing water ahead. A waterfall?
Maja's ear perked and she glanced at the other wolf's bright white fur - cobalt eyes intense in color, seemingly piercing. Ignoring Ardal's comment, Maja nodded a taut greeting. "Pleasure meeting you..." Her words abated, wanting to know the stranger's name.
"I'm Desire," the white wolf said, hear ears perked up as she tried to make the conversation less uncomfortable. "I've been in this pack for many moons. It's amazing how great this territory is." she commented, much like a human discussing the weather.
Ekron nodded, his eyes staring ahead, intently focused on the path his paws carried him.
"Yeah, the majority of us were loners. Anlage is one of the only ones who actually came from the original creators of Sketchpack. He's the son of Sketch. Which actually-" he broke off and shook his head. "Well, it doesn't matter. But anyway, I think I'm still a loner at heart." he said with a laugh. "The pack is great, but my favorite part of pack-life is when I can patrol or hunt alone."
Raiden was curios as to what Ekron had been saying, or more precisely not saying, about Anlage, but shrugged it off. There was no point in pushing it forward. She nodded agreeingly at his later words instead. "Tell me about it. I don't think I'll even get used to living around so many wolves." Especially since I haven't lived with another wolf since I was a pup. she added in her head. "Truth is, I couldn't sleep a wink last night. Too many noisy breathers, apparently." She laughed slightly.
"Nice to meet you Desire," Ardald smiled. "And you've been here since the beginning? Maybe later you can show us around the territory later if you want. We don't really know are way around. We come from the far north; but our pack was too big so we left. It was mere coincidence we found the borders of Sketchpack...Maja was even inclined to completely avoid it. But I won that argument!" The gray-tan wolf laughed.
(I thought Raiden's sister was Siku? Meaning she would have been with another wolf since she was a pup.. =P )
Ekron grinned.
"Yeah, some of the older wolves sure can be loud sleepers." he said. "It's strange to be with other wolves after being a loner for so long, but it's nice in some ways as well." he glanced at her and then back at the path.
"You'll like this spot, I think." he said breaking into a trot. They came around the bend of the cliffs they were following and found themselves standing at the base of the huge waterfall. The water droplets sprayed into the air, gleamed in the sun and fell onto the two wolves like drops of sunlight. Ekron inhaled the misty air, his eyes closed.
"This is my favorite spot in the territory. Beside the cliffs, up at the top of the waterfall is incredible as well,"
~
Desire laughed, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Well I'm glad you did!" she answered. "I've been here for a few moons, but not since the beginning."
Raiden's amber eyes widened, staring up at the torrent of rushing water flowing from overhear. She let the tiny droplets hit her face, soak her fur and cool her skin. She shut her eyes and breathed in deeply. "Your right, I do like this spot." Raiden replied, her eyes still closed in pleasure. She could completely see herself sitting in the spray of the cool water for hours if she didn't have anything else to do. Even with the roar of the waterfall in the background, it was peaceful.
Ekron watched her with a smile still on his face. At least she likes it, he thought to himself. Maybe she'll be worth hanging around. He inhaled again and then nodded at Raiden.
"This way. If you like it here you're gonna love it up here." he stepped forwards and ducked under the shrubbery beside the cliff. It seemed as though he had gone under the bush and just stayed crouched by the rock-edge but once you had gone underneath the rock you were behind the waterfall in a damp cave. Ekron hopped across the wet rocks up the opposite side of the cave onto a rocky path that wound upwards towards the top of the waterfall. When they arrived at the top they were at the top of the cliff where they were by the river and surrounded by trees. They were just above the treetops and the view was incredible.
"Well a few moons is better than nothing!" Ardal beamed to the other wolf. "Speaking of wh- hey Maja! Wh-Why are you leaving. Ah, hey, come back you cold prick! You think you're too cool for me, eh? Don't worry I understand! But seri...Heh, and she's gone." The male's tail flicked back and forth rhythmically and his face was drawn into a puppy-like expression. His attention then was redirected to Desire; he chuckled, embarrassed. "Honestly...you know Maja may look and act so cold to others, but her beliefs and will are very admiring. She's like food - the outside is always different then the inside." Ardal explained, sighing a bit.
Maja maneuvered through small groups of wolves, easily avoiding any more confrontations. It wasn't easy to be so sociable like Ardal, who has such a charisma that could draw wolves to him, so she decided on something she could easily pull off: solitude. After meeting many wolves (she could recount every face and almost every name...but only two really stood out...) she needed a breather.
After wandering towards the edge of the cluster, she breathed and sat a bit more lax. But then the colors of a certain wolf caught her eyes, his dark-furred back with brown and white linings was standing not to far from her. It was the alpha, Anlage, leader of Sketchpack. The mud caked a bit on his foreleg indicated that he must have been on patrol or hunt recently, possibly near a creek or river or pond, as there had been no recent rainfall. His well-built body defined his role of the pack, but it was possible he resorted to more tactful and planned fights because his size didn't outmatch other males. Then there was that steady air of confidence and calm that surrounded... Anlage, though Maja only met him briefly, had earned a bit of respect from her already...
Desire laughed, sitting down and wrapping her tail around herself.
"Yes, I can see she would be strong-willed." she agreed. "I had a brother like her once. I don't know what happened to him. He liked staying by himself but if you were one of the select few that knew him, he was very loyal, protective and...just intense. He disappeared years ago, back when I was living in another pack under another name." she shook her head and her fur prickled as she felt embarrassment flood her. Here she sat rambling on to a near stranger! She covered her emotion with a smile.
"How about yourself? You two have been on the trail a long time, right?"
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