Rebuilding

Subject: Rebuilding Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:35 am

((Molly/Coven/Karbon/Antero continued from somewhere around here: https://incendio.rpg-board.net/t143p15-the-beginning-of-the-end-pack-split-thread ))

Spring was here, snow was melting, birds were singing, prey was returning. Not to mention that she was pregnant with her mate's pups. The white female woke slowly and looked around, blinking at the large, cold cave that she now laid in. She lifted her head slowly - quite a difficult task now that she was so round with what she joked as ten pups - and spotted her mate, Coven, laying nearby, along with Karbon, a little further off. There was also another scent, one she'd come to know as Antero, a male that they had run into not too long after they had arrived here.

She sighed softly, shifting so she was sort of laying on her belly but kind of sitting up, a position much more comfortable than just lifting her head, and looked around. Everything was so calm and peaceful, how could anything be wrong today? But then the memory from the day before hit her like a freight train, leaving her gasping softly for air and her heart racing. Blitz was dead. They had run away, like cowards. But they had no choice, right? Her pups needed a father, and Coven would have been killed. Her ears flattened against her skull as she lowered her head slightly, trying to take deep breaths as the horrors of the day before came back to her. Then she realized that she had gotten injured as well.

She looked down at her shoulder, confused at first at the expert bandage that was covering her wound. She couldn't have possibly done that. And she knew for sure that Coven couldn't have done it. She blinked at it in confusion for a moment, before she realized that Bleu had accompanied them, along with Bandit, to the caves and then left them. Her little student had done a good job, and she looked around, hoping to see her returning. But no, the young female was gone, leaving Molly alone with three males. Yippie. But she knew she was safe, at least for the time being.

The caves were easy to defend, and rested at the edge of the territory, backed up to the mountains. She was in no shape to make it through the mountains, but she could at least hide while the three powerful males with her protected her. She was lucky that they had stuck around, and she hoped that they continued to. Coven, who Bleu had stitched up as well, could protect her alone, but for how long? He needed to recover from his fight with Blitz. Oh Blitz. She missed him so much already. How could this have happened?!?

Karbon wasn't one to sleep in normally, and soon after the white female woke, he lifted his head and rolled onto his stomach lazily. With a silent nod in Molly's direction - which was promptly returned - he got to his feet, yawning lazily and stretching out a bit. Then he stood up to his full height, looking around before turning towards the entrance of their make-shift den. He'd need to make up one of his own soon, he felt like he was intruding by staying with Coven and Molly. Actually, that would be a good task for today. He thought, deciding on it as he slowly left the den. But first, he was hungry, and he didn't doubt that the others would be as well upon their return to consciousness.

So he left the den and ventured out into the nearby trees, hoping to catch a large enough meal for all four of them. Molly needed the nutrition, and well, he was hungry as hell. Luckily, soon enough he chanced upon a large - maybe a bit too large - porcupine. That would make a good breakfast for two wolves, and he could bring back more that just it to sate himself and Antero. After all, he wasn't the leading type, who he had lately found Coven was, and he wanted to do his best to get in the other male's good graces. It never hurt to be on the big guy's good side, right? Plus, he was still young and was no match for the large black male who had already torn him up a bit upon his arrival in Silverlight.

But, he was old enough to know what a porcupine was, and smart enough to avoid it's spikes. Unfortunately, however, the animal spooked and curled up, leaving him nothing but a spiny, dangerous ball to deal with. He growled in frustration, but moved cleverly behind it, laying down just out of range and waiting. It would take a while, but he was surprisingly patient - it was nice not having any place to be. So he waited, and waited, and waited. It seemed like hours went past, but he didn't move, and both he and the porcupine seemed like they were statues set in stone, sitting there, barely breathing as one waited for the other to move. But finally, after Karbon was sure the day would be ending, the porcupine slowly began to unroll. But still, the black male waited, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike. Just as the prey completely unrolled, the wolf swipped his paw out, flipping it over and slicing it's throat with his fangs before jumping out of the way of it's spikes. It swung it's tail, but missed, and then proceeded to squeal and hiss as the life drained from it's throat. Finally, it ceased to move, and the male carefully rolled it over, grabbing it from the tender underside and dragged it back to the caves, where he deposited it in front of Molly and Coven's den. Then he was off to hunt for himself and Antero.

Guest

Without opening his eyes, the black male stretched out, scratching his claws into the stone and swishing his tail as he finally woke up. But the effort to lift his head, blink, and face the world came purely from duty and love for Molly; he himself had zero desire to get up knowing he was trapped and in trouble. Most of the night before he'd spent outside pacing, calculating, cursing. When they'd first arrived, Coven had been functioning purely on the instinct to survive. Without even thinking about it, every cell in his body understood that he would be dead withing moments if found. Blitz had not only devout supporters but kin in the pack...and it was the naturally testy gang of kin who worried him the most. With well-masked but immense relief, Coven had watched Bandit and Bleu return home. While he and Molly had needed their help, they were the offspring of Sib who hated him, and they were the niece and nephew of Blitz himself; the black wolf couldn't believe for a second that neither of them held any animosity toward him, or Molly.

Coven did not feel guiltless. The pacing was for trying to figure out why it was so hard to balance protection with reflection when it came to Molly. Ever since the war in his birth pack had ended, the warrior had never struck first. Never! Though it was always a pleasure to finish a fight (and perhaps goad it on with words), the male just didn't rush in first...well, until Molly came along. It had happened with Karbon a long time ago, and ignorantly, Coven had failed to consider that in another instance that frenzied, thoughtless drive to protect her could get out of hand as it almost had with the young male. He'd made a major, preventable mistake, and that led him to the calculating. How in the world was he to get Molly out of this mess? Half of him wished she'd stayed, for her own good, but the other half knew he would have been miserable without her...more miserable than even this. They were stuck for months, at least, and they were no match against the pack. For this reason, Coven took in silence the bewildering presence of Karbon and endured Antero for now. Antero and Coven had needs they could meet for each other, and though Coven didn't think he could ever trust the rough male, a partnership was foreseeable. Karbon...that was just strange, and Coven needed to figure it out. The rest of the night's cursing had been at himself for his stupidity, but hopefully something of a life could be salvaged from this. There had been no time to mourn.

Rising to his feet, the wolf looked over at Molly and almost tried to muster up some expression of consolation. It was impossible at the moment. But he walked over to her and licked her cheek gently before moving to the mouth of the cave, sniffing warily at the meal left there, and then bringing it back to her once it passed the inspection. "Please be ok," he told her, needing to talk to Karbon before he could properly assess how she was doing, "I'll be back."

Quickly, Coven trotted out of the den and followed Karbon's scent trail. Once he'd found the young wolf, Coven called him over and stared down at him seriously. "I need to know exactly why you're here, why it's beneficial to you to stay, and whatever else you think I'd like to know," demanded the wolf in a low voice. He needed a long answer here.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:31 am

Molly didn't calm down as Coven woke, and as he walked over, all she could do was blink silently up at him. She was still in shock, not sure what to do or how to react, let alone what to say. When he spoke, she looked down at the porcupine he set at her feet, which had Karbon's scent all over it. She knew that Coven wasn't very fond of the other male, and he didn't trust him by any means, but she made a mental note to thank him. She could tell he was trying, and she wasn't quite sure if Coven even realized it. Karbon was still really young, not too much older than the youngsters in the pack.

She studied the animal at her feet for a few moments before sinking her teeth into it and forcing herself to eat. She wasn't really in the mood to eat, but she knew that if the porcupine was still in tact when Coven returned, he'd probably lecture her or scold her about not eating. Blah blah blah. She'd heard it all before. It was usually just better to do it and avoid his lectures. She hated fighting with him, and she hated disappointing him. He had enough problems on his plate right now anyways. In all reality, she should be worried about herself, since she was due to give birth to these pups any day now, but all she could worry about was him. He was incredibly guilty about the death of the alpha, and she knew that he was worried about Blitz's family.

She knew they'd be after them eventually, and she knew that if it weren't for Antero and Karbon, he would stand no chance of surviving. That was what scared her the most. What if the two males that had been giving them a fighting chance just decided to leave? They'd be helpless, and she'd lose Coven. She couldn't bear that. Finally she abandoned the porcupine, not even a fourth eaten, to the side and rested her head on her paws. It was hard to stand, but she did so anyways, tired and frustrated with being cooped up in the cave. She didn't care what Coven said, she needed to get up and walk around. Plus, she hated this den. She needed to find a smaller, more secure one for when the pups arrived.

Finally she made it to her feet, and walked slowly out of the den, heading straight for the pool at the base of the waterfall. It was a large pool, and even with the water pouring down into it, the edges were nearly still water as she looked down at her reflection. She looked older and more tired than she remembered, and it was almost like she didn't even recognize the white face staring back at her. So many things had happened to her so fast, and she was lost, scared, and confused. Finally, she couldn't take looking at the image, and lowered her head to lap at the water, distorting the strange picture as her tongue met the glass-like surface.

He moved slowly through the trees near the caves, still within view of the other wolves and the waterfall as he hunted for himself. He was hungry now, and forefitting the porcupine to Coven and Molly left him even hungrier. He was just getting into hunting mode as Coven appeared suddenly, staring him down with that look that made the young male shiver slightly and remember their first encounter. He sat down slowly as the other male got close, the older wolf's larger form making him feel rather small and weak as Coven began to speak.

He listened quietly, his eyes never leaving the other wolf's face until he was forced to contemplate the words that now hung in the air around them. "Coven, I'm under no illusion that you trust me. And I have given you little reason to, at least that's the way it appears." He said, looking up at the other male as he tried to pick his words carefully. "When I first arrived here, there was no one in these caves, and I was contemplating moving on until Molly showed up randomly. She looked pissed, and dangerously alone." He said, keeping a close eye on the other male. He knew Molly was a sensitive topic, and he knew he had to tread carefully.

"The pack I grew up in held females in high regard, and it was our job, as the males of the pack, to protect and care for them. So when she showed up, all alone and honestly, pretty helpless, I couldn't bring myself to just leave." He said, glancing over at where Molly now appeared by the waterfall, within sight, but far out of earshot. "I didn't approach her at first, because she seemed really upset, and I didn't want to scare her and make things worse. But after a while, I decided it wasn't fair to her to keep just watching her. So I came out and said hello. And like I assumed, she got scared, and then you showed up and attacked me." He said, his eyes now back on the black male in front of him.

He sighed softly, looking down at his paws and trying to figure out what to say next. "I understand you don't want me here, but there's no way that just you and whoever this Antero figure is can take care of yourselves and Molly if the pack comes looking for you." He said, glancing back at the pack dens and then back at Coven. "I never felt welcome in the pack, and when you were leaving, I just assumed I'd offer my help. I'm not a threat to you, or Molly, and you could really use my help, but I'll leave if you want. Although I don't assume the pack would be very willing to welcome me back now." He said, frowning as he looked back at the packlands, realizing the potential mistake he had made by following them. He didn't really like the pack that much, and he had hoped that Coven would let him stay, but he wasn't sure. He hoped he had made it clear that he saw Coven as in charge, and well, he was young and had a lot to learn still, and he hoped that the older, more experienced male could help him, along with maybe this Antero character as well.

Guest

Antero had decided to stay in the area, even though his old den had been in use by strangers. He had found one a bit higher up, with a nice viewpoint of the clearing below. It could function as a watch tower; Antero could sense how important it was to protect this female. He hadn't properly learned any of their names. He'd get to it later. Lying down almost over the edge of the cliff, he saw both Coven and Karbon leave the area, and Molly go to get a drink of water.

He could see that they were all stressed, and all on their toes for anything. It was as if they were hiding, running away from something they knew was coming. Antero himself had no clue what had happened within the pack, nor did he really care. But he felt obligated to help this trio, especially after the yearlings had left them. Antero jumped up from his perch and bounded down the rocks. Karbon and Coven were in conversation somewhere in the trees, so the large brute walked in the direction of Molly, bending his head down to the water. Taking slurps of the cool water, he satisfied himself. Sitting back, Antero kept silent, looking around at the surroundings. There wasn't much to see or say.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Sat Jun 16, 2012 7:54 am

Molly was completely oblivious to the two males in the trees talking about her, but she lifted her head slowly to look over at Antero as he approached and took a drink. "Good morning, Antero." She said softly, having obviously learned his name by now. She wasn't sure if he was loyal to herself and Coven, but he had stuck around since their first encounter at the caves, so she counted him as a friend. She didn't really know too much about him, though, a fact that she hoped to remedy in the near future. After all, she'd need more than just Coven to protect her if the pack came looking, especially after she had her pups, where were bound to arrive any day now. On that thought, it was a wonder that Coven wasn't more uptight than he was about the pups. Especially after what had happened with Casanova and Laek's youngest son. She had to admit, she herself was nervous about that, but even more nervous that there would be no one to help her if something went wrong.

Laek and Tessa had her, but here, out at the caves and far away from the healer's den, she had no one. She had Coven, Karbon, and Antero, all of which would be useless if there were complications in her birthing. That was what worried her the most. She adored Coven, but if something happened to her and he lost her during the birth of the pups, the little newborns would have absolutely no chance of survival. Silently she prayed that Bleu returned to them, for the young female would be very helpful if she needed the healing intelligence. But right now she focused her attention on Antero, doing her best to push all of the worries and anxieties to the back of her mind. Hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with any of those issues any time soon.

Finally she sat down, sighing as she relaxed her sore muscles as her tail curled slightly around her rear while she sat there, looking at Antero curiously. "How come you stuck around? I'm sure the last thing you wanted to deal with was a couple of fugitives, an inexperienced youngster, and a pregnant female. What made you stay?" She asked, deciding to get right into the question that had been nagging her the most about the lone male as she sat there, enjoying the warmth of the morning sunlight and the surprising soft hum of the waterfall nearby. She had yet to realize that her mate and Karbon were talking nearby in the trees, mostly because they were well out of earshot. But either way, she was completely oblivious to the fact that both males could see her interaction with Antero by the pool.

Guest

Antero turned to look at Molly as she greeted him, nodding and giving a short "Morning," back to the female. He hadn't had much association with any of the wolves here, even though he was staying with them. He had also agreed with himself to help them; why? He had no clue. Honestly, these wolves made it seem like they were waiting for the pack to strike. They were runaways, and Antero saw this as an opportunity. He hadn't fought in quite a while, his previous warrior status diminishing by the day. The only fights he had ever had here in Silverlight were those with the creatures that he fed upon. He saw this group as a chance to really show his skills. If the pack did retaliate in the way the three here thought they would, then Antero could really do some damage. Hell, maybe he could kill a wolf or two. That thought made him smile.

Antero's train of thought was interrupted when Molly asked him why he stayed. Luckily, he was still thinking on his opportunity for revenge. But he debated on whether or not to tell Molly the whole story. What if she had been friends with the new Beta that was Pravin? Then again, there would be nothing she could do about it; she had pups due any day. The black male decided to give her a short explanation, "I saw this as an opportunity. I've been around here a while, and you guys clearly need help." He looked back at the caves, "You guys were in my cave too, so I had to deal. I'd gotten used to the area."

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:10 am

She wasn't sure what was going through his head as she spoke, but something told her she didn't want to know. What she did know, however, was that his presence helped their chances of survival, especially if her pups arrived before she knew that they were safe. She was thrown further into confusion as he responded, tilting her head to the side curiously as she let his words process slowly. It seemed that every thought process she went through took even longer than it used to, and now was no exception. Finally she frowned, raising a brow slightly at the second part of his words. "You know, it was my cave first." She said softly, a teasing smile crossing her face as she looked back over the pool. "I'm actually planning on finding another one soon. A smaller one. You know, for when the pups come. I'd rather not be in such a large, poorly protected den when they arrive." She said softly, looking down at her side as she thought about the arrival of her offspring.

She couldn't help but let her mind wander back to that day when Coven had found Karbon with her at the dens and attacked the male, forcing her to accompany them back to the dens and forcing her to re-join the pack she had left behind for a while. That had been the day when she had told Coven she wanted more. That she wanted a family. She had been surprised that he had agreed. It had thrown her slightly, but nothing had made her happier than to know that he wanted what she wanted. She knew that he might not be ready for a family, but she did know that he wanted her. It was what she wanted, and he wanted to make her happy. What more could she ask for?

But then she had picked a fight with Rayne. She should have known that Blitz would protect his mate. She should have been smarter. This was all her fault. If she hadn't attacked the other female, they would still be part of the pack, and Blitzen would still be alive. How could she had let this happen? She looked away from Antero as her mind flooded with regret and guilt, and her ears flattened to her head as she looked down at her paws and fought to hold herself together. This was all her fault. How could she let this happen?

Guest

Antero chuckled a little to give Molly a feeling of satisfaction after her teasing. She would find a new den for her pups, but the male just shook his head. It didn't phase him that she would move. "No matter. I've grown to like my perch, actually." He said, referring to the cliff den he had found shortly after the group arrived. It was a bit on the small side, but it was easily accessible; there were the small rocks and ledges that led up to the perch, but on the inside the cave was connected to the tunnel system. It proved as a useful watch point, and Antero's warrior instincts were coming back.

Molly fell silent as Antero assumed she was thinking about something. The reason they were runaways perhaps? Oh well, the black brute didn't think much of it. Antero was about to walk away when he noticed Molly suddenly look sad. Curious, he spoke to her. "What's on your mind?" He stopped short when he realized he never really learned anyone's name. He would catch on eventually, right?

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:49 pm

She wasn't at all surprised when the male wolf beside her started to walk away, but she looked up curiously as he stopped and spoke. Where had that come from? True, she was sure she didn't look happy, but she didn't really expect him to care, let alone ask. She blinked up at him for a few moments, as if organizing her thoughts, but simply trying to wrap her mind around the idea of this stranger actually wanting to know what she was thinking. She frowned for a moment, sighing softly and looking back down at the water of the nearby pool. "This is all my fault. The reason we're out here, the reason Blitz is dead." She said softly, her voice barely audible, as if she were talking to herself and not the large male wolf beside her.

She didn't look back up at him this time, but instead slowly sank down to a laying position at the water's edge, letting her paws dangle lightly in the water as she watched it ripple away from her towards the falls. If she had been better able to control herself, then none of this would have happened. They'd still be part of the pack, things wouldn't be falling apart, and Blitz would still be alive. Sure, herself and Rayne had never been the best of friends, but she had gotten her fellow healer's mate killed. She didn't blame Coven, he had only been protecting her, which he wouldn't have had to do if she hadn't picked a fight in the first place.

Finally she rested her head down on the ground, too tired and guilty to even make herself get up to return to her den. If Antero left, she'd have to get up eventually, since she didn't know where Coven was and laying out here in the open was dangerous, but she didn't really care. At this point, the guilt was unbearable, and she was pushing forward if only for the unborn lives that were inside of her. If it weren't for them, she didn't know where she'd be. They were the reason she got up in the morning, as well as the reason she fought on each and every day. They were all that mattered now, all that she had to live for - her puppies, her family.

Guest

Coven listened silently, if not a little impatiently, as Karbon rambled on in explanations for an event that had happened so long ago. The older male couldn't help thinking that if Karbon ended up staying for good, the young wolf would have to get better at figuring out what Coven thought was important. Even though the speech seemed to be longer than the Northern Ridge, parts of it did settle a few doubts of Coven's, assuming Karbon wasn't lying.

Once Karbon had finally finished speaking entirely, the other male continued to regard him with distanced, distrustful eyes. He disagreed entirely with Karbon about the pack needing him; even three or four extra bodies up here in the cliffs would not do much to offset an attack if the whole Silverlight pack decided to take vengeance together. Coven knew that realistically, if he was ordered dead, there wasn't anything he could do but leave Molly and run. That would never happen, but it was a fate the black male had come to terms very soon after hearing Xerxses' vow yowled to the world. Of course, his opinion on Karbon's worth would alter drastically once he discovered that Silverlight had fractured.

"If you want to stay, then stay. But in case this hasn't registered yet, living up here will make life in Silverlight seem like a blissful dream. We have enemies close enough to call to, and we are trapped. I promise that I will protect you and provide for you if you loyally do the same for me and whomever else resides here." The wolf's eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice to a warning growl, "But if you remain here under these conditions and then cross us, I will finish what I started at the waterfall. Understand?" Coven's hackles were raised; he was serious about this. Knowing the destruction and undue stress that disloyalty within a pack could cause, the warning flooded out. The wolf would rather face enemies from the outside with fewer numbers than live constantly fearing those in the pack. He and Molly knew what it was to not live one hundred percent for the leader, and that inadequate loyalty had just destroyed so much - even the entire pack, unbeknownst to him as of yet.

Karbon was most likely right, though: here was better than Silverlight for him. Coven tried to find reasons to make that even more true in order to give the young black wolf reason to be loyal. What Karbon had talked about before - the renegades needing his help - was not even a reason for him to stick around, in Coven's opinion, and that was worrisome. But it was true that there were things Coven and Molly could offer Karbon, from a healer's abilities to a warrior's, and perhaps that would be enough to convince Karbon that it was worth the work and commitment to stay...because while he wasn't exactly needed, his presence would help.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:15 am

Karbon remained silent as Coven spoke to him, his ears flattening to the side as the older male's threat made him flinch. Well, that and his snarl. "Yes, I understand." He said softly, glancing over to where Antero was talking to Molly. When had he gotten there? But soon his eyes made their way back to Coven, who he was more surprised to see away from Molly's side. She was bound to go into labor any day now, and since she was the only one who knew anything about healing, if anything went wrong, she'd be basically screwed. But, since he didn't intend on loosing his head - or any other part of his body for that matter - he didn't mention anything to Coven.

Instead he remained silent, keeping his head respectfully lower than the other male's and waiting for him to either speak or just walk away. He had every intention of staying loyal and protecting Coven, Molly, and Antero, he'd just need a bit more practice fighting and such in order to be capable of being of any help to them. At this point, he was nothing more than another body, which he hoped to change soon. At least he was bringing back food, since Molly would need all her strength when the pups arrived.

Finally he looked back up at Coven, slowly getting to his feet. "If you don't mind, Coven, I'm going to go find some food for myself." He said softly, his tail hanging behind him respectfully as he looked up at the larger black male. As if to emphasize his request, his stomach growled angrily and made him flatten his ears in embarassment and lower his head slightly as he waited for the other male's response to his words - er, request.

Guest

Coven dismissed Karbon with a curt nod and a "Go ahead," before turning his attention from the young male to gaze at Molly and Antero, the latter whom had just walked out of view. Leaving Karbon to do whatever he pleased, the black wolf snaked down the rocky slope through the pines, jumping from one of the larger boulders to land on the ground level with the pool. He hadn't caught what Molly had been saying to Antero, but it was obvious what was predominating her thoughts at the moment; if there wasn't Molly to provide for and two rogues whose loyalty had to be carefully gauged at the moment, Coven would be feeling the same as the wolfess at the moment.

The wolf walked over and sat by Molly, his gaze shifting from her to Antero and back again. Eyes moving to Antero once more, Coven tilted his head, noting the oddly attentive look the other male was giving Molly. It wasn't a look that was threatening to the white wolf's mate; it was intriguing, perplexing to the wary black male, and relieving at the same time. Antero looked...well, not disinterested, and that was a start to getting this bizarrely congregated group bonded into something of a pack. It's what they needed at the moment.

As the conversation between the two seemed at a standstill, at least on Molly's part, Coven addressed Antero, planning on giving him the same speech as he had Karbon. Having been preoccupied the day before with bigger issues, the males had never introduced themselves to each other. He figured that since they were talking, Molly and Antero must have gone through that process, so he spoke just for himself, "I don't think we've gotten to actually meet. Who are you? I am Coven, and we need to talk about what's happening here..." Pricking his ears forward, the male waited for Antero's reply before getting to the important part and asking what Antero's purpose was here, if Antero was up for sticking around and helping the pair out in return for them helping him out, and whether or not he could be trusted and loyal. Eyes flicking to Molly briefly to try to pick up her opinion on this one, Coven waited once more for their new acquaintance's answer.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:41 am

Karbon nodded slightly as Coven gave him the 'ok' to go, and then turned away to trot off into the trees. He sort of knew what was going on, and from Xerxses's howl, he was able to put the pieces together. There was no returning to the pack now, and he needed to tread carefully here so that he didn't get caught by a pack member. That wouldn't end well at all. But after all of his time wandering from pack to pack and living on his own, it felt nice to have someone to protect, others to be loyal to.

His pace slowed slightly as he caught a faint scent, his ears perking as the bushes next to him rustled slightly. Was it prey? A pack member? He tensed slightly, but just as he was about to turn and disappear, a small bunny jumped from the foliage. Babies, in a poorly located nest. Perfect. That would make a simple meal for him, and he could get back to the caves before he actually did run into a pack member.

He snatched the little animal quickly, then devoured the nest even faster. He didn't realize, until he was eating his prize, that he had been so hungry. Had he just been too distracted with this make-shift pack to realize it? Or was his welfare not as important to him as before? He had, after all, given up his first (and better) kill to the pregnant Molly and her mate, Coven, instead of keeping it for himself. What the hell was happening to him? Finally he turned, making his way slowly back to the caves, which he now considered their dens, only to find Coven confronting Antero as well. This one he'd better stay out of, so instead of approaching, he shifted his path to head for the cave they had slept in, laying out in front of it to enjoy the warmth of the sun as he took a short, light nap.

Molly looked up as Coven approached, her ears flicking back at the lack of greeting that she received from her mate. But when Coven started to address Antero, she looked over at him, her eyes narrowed slightly at his tone and the threat in his words. Antero might not have picked up on it right away, but she knew Coven well enough to do so instantly. She frowned at him, but kept her mouth shut in order to let him do whatever the hell he was planning on doing. There was no avoiding this behavior, and although she personally considered it rude and unnecessary, she wasn't about to stop him - at least not yet.

Instead she slowly got to her feet - a bit slower than she had hoped - and flinched slightly. She paused in her movements to close her eyes and take a deep breath, hoping that the stabbing pain in her side was just the pups moving around inside of her. It took her a few moments before the pain softened slightly, and she took another breath before opening her eyes and looking around. Oh, right. She was at the pool, with Antero and Coven. She blinked up at the males for a moment, obviously a bit disoriented, before shaking her head slightly and walking towards the caves.

She needed to find a better cave, and soon. It was obvious by the way that she was feeling that the pups weren't going to wait much longer before coming into this world, and she had no time to waste. She frowned as she moved slowly towards the caves, spotting a small entrance that she'd barely be able to squeeze through in her current condition. Moving towards it, she paused for another moment, feeling another sharp pain in her side before taking a deep breath and moving on once more. Soon she reached it, squeezing inside and sighing softly at what greeted her eyes. It would be perfect. Safe and dry, as well as easily protected. She whined softly at another pain, laying down slowly and rolling onto her side as she panted softly and rested her head on the cool cave floor.

Guest

Antero wasn't entirely sure what Molly meant, but he did understand that's why they were so scared. He found out why they were runaways; they were practically exiles now really. They had killed some wolf, and now here they were. Molly seemed to be blaming herself, her guilt was washing over herself quickly, showing clearly on her face; Antero couldn't say much in response though. Coven walked up to them and confronted Antero right away. Antero learned the name of this large black male in front of him, who was also clearly the mate of Molly.

Turning his attention back to Coven, he had to agree that they had never gotten the chance to meet. "Well hello Coven." Antero started, "I am Antero. And what is it that we must talk about?" He noted that Coven made the issue urgent, as if there were another problem. Molly seemed to decide to not take part in this conversation, perhaps she knew what was to come. She left, but it seemed as if Coven had silently asked her for her opinion, but Antero caught the subtle frown on her face. "Are you going to ask why I stayed as well?" Antero said, wondering if everyone here was going to ask him of his presence. It was understandable, he knew, to question the large males who looked like they could rip the others apart. It always came as amusement to him though, it was nice to be intimidating.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:19 pm

The cool stone felt nice beneath her face, bu she didn't have much time to enjoy it before another sharp pain had her wincing and whining softly. She knew what was happening, but she couldn't say that she was ready for the pain that came along with it. He body was taking its sweet time, too, only prolonging the pain and making her growl in painful frustration. The pups were coming, but not quickly. They had taken their time inside of her, and they took after their father in size, so they were fairly large as well, only making things harder for her.

After what seemed like hours of panting, flinching, and whining, she yelped loudly in pain, drawing out the sound as the first pup, a little male, made his way into the world. She lifted her leg slightly, licking him clean and then nudging him to her belly as above sharp pain had her crying out even louder. The next two males emerged almost simultaneously, as if they were twins that were fighting over who would be born first. Both male. The last pup to arrive was a little white female, much smaller than her brothers and a bit more fragile and delicate. Molly panted softly as she finished, the four pups suckling at her belly as she caught her breath.

It was over. She had four beautiful and healthy pups beside her, although the size of the female worried her slightly. They'd have to keep an eye on her and make sure she was growing and eating enough. She wanted to sleep, god how she wanted to sleep. But she was here alone, an she didn't dare close her eyes as her precious pups snuggled in close to her belly. No, she'd stay awake and watch them, make sure they were safe and healthy. Suddenly, though, she realized that it didn't matter that she was stuck in the cave. A while ago she would have dreaded being cooped up, but this time...this time she would enjoy it.

Guest

Coven didn't make a move toward Molly as she got up and slowly padded away. Her obvious pain worried him and twitched his muscles as if to help her out, but the irritability directed at him kept the male from touching her. The wolf kept his eyes on Molly's figure until Antero's question brought his attention back to business here. Flicking his ears back slightly at Antero's exasperated tone, Coven responded sharply, "No. I want to know why we should keep you around. We need loyalty here more than bodies, and if you're not up for the work it's going to take to be a part of this pack, then get out right now." Antero was a complete stranger who Coven had zero reason to trust at this moment. Karbon had been Coven's pack mate for many months, and still he was under scrutiny; Antero, a bigger and older wolf than Karbon who had trespassed on Silverlight land, was only getting one shot at proving that he wasn't going to screw this little group over.

Guest

Antero wasn't phased when Coven answered his question sharply and a bit on edge. Coven had the right not to trust Antero, just as Antero had the right to not trust the black male in front of him. The large male looked out to the waterfall, relaxed and thinking about how he could answer this question. There was nothing Antero could do at this moment to prove his loyalty, if he had any; he only had his words, and who would trust his word? Coven wouldn't, most likely. He turned back to the waiting male, "We've just met and you know nothing of me or my ways. I have no way of proving myself but I know that I am strong and worthy to help to protect the wolves of the area." He glanced around to the direction of the dens, "But if you deem me unworthy, or I figure this pack you are making is not to my satisfaction, I'll gladly leave." Antero knew of the large number of wolves around here, and he knew Coven would need all the help he could get to protect his mate and pups. But Antero also didn't know Coven, or Molly, or Karbon, or any of their ways. He didn't know what he was putting his loyalties to, or who he was trusting. "But what other reason do I have to stay, other than a place to sleep and eat in safety? What can you offer to me, and what can I offer back to you in trade?" He knew it was risky asking, but he needed to know what this pack could give him, especially in advantage to these lands.

Guest

'I'll gladly leave' was the kind of answer that Coven was looking for as incentive to kick Antero out. They didn't need someone casually invested here. But the other male continued to speak, and Coven relaxed his increasingly aggressive posture in lieu of one more open to discussion as Antero proved that he was at least open to compromise in this situation they were in.

The black wolf angled his ears forward and inclined his head slightly as he mused over not only the questions, but Antero himself. There was only one thing Coven knew, and that was that Antero had been hanging out in Silverlight for a while. Banking on the speculation that there was a reason behind this, the wolf carefully proposed, "I know this pack well, and as a warrior constantly patrolling, I know the territory better than most of them. If you're after something here, I and Karbon can help you get it. As for 'a place to eat and sleep in safety'" continued the wolf, tilting his head, yellow eyes narrowed, "That means a lot more than you're trying to make it sound like, we both know that. Something kept you from joining Silverlight before, so I doubt you would find assistance there now, especially after all of this. As for what you can offer in return, we have an advantageous position here in the cliffs; we don't need many to keep us safe here, but we need a few. All I need from you is your strength and complete and utter loyalty. I promise that if you give us that, I and every other member of this pack with return to you the same." To Coven, that last part was everything to him, and hopefully it would be to Antero as well. It would be extremely helpful if Antero would stay here, though only under those conditions lined out...but what pack didn't demand loyalty? As for what Antero would decide, Coven hoped that he realized there would be no peace for him in Silverlight except with this pack.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:52 pm

As much as she wanted to stay awake and watch over her pups, their birth had drained all of her energy and left her weak and exhausted. Fighting to stay conscious, she shook her head, licking the pups a bit more before yawning and taking a deep breath as her eyes began to grow heavy. After only a few more moments, she found herself lowering her head to the cave floor and sighing at the feeling of the cool stone beneath her as she drifted off quickly to sleep. She had picked a secluded and protected den, and she wasn't sure if even Coven could fit into the tight entrance she had squeezed herself through to get in.

She should be protected, and with her back to the entrance and the pups shielded from the world by her body, she slept peacefully. That is, until the squeal of the youngest pup, and only female, shook her from sleep and made her jump. She lifted her head quickly to see what was the matter, and frowned as she quickly realized what was wrong. The twins were fighting over a place to eat, and they had knocked her over and rolled her away from her mother's stomach. Carefully, Molly nudged her back to her side, licking and nosing at the twins to settle them down before sighing softly.

She just wasn't meant to sleep or rest, was she? Not to mention she was starving. But she found that she wasn't really surprised that Coven was absent, or that neither of the other two males were of any help at all. She was just lucky that nothing had gone terribly wrong like she had expected. She was exhausted and drained, yes, but she had four healthy puppies now curled up against her belly and she was still alive and healthy as well. Although she could use some food, water, and rest, she would have to wait until she knew that the pups were safe and could sleep while someone else watched over both them and her. But until then, she was forced to fight off sleep and exhaustion, which was definitely not an easy task at all.

Guest

Antero took note of the more relaxed position that Coven took when Antero asked about what they could give him. And so he listened, as Coven didn't seem to look as threatening as he could be. The black male addressed everything that could be addressed in a few sentences. "Strength and loyalty. I can give you that. Antero let a silence sit for just a moment as he went over everything else his new alpha had said. "Karbon; he is the other black wolf, correct? I did not have quite the welcome with him." He let out a chuckle as he remembered how protective Karbon had been of Molly and the cave the other day.

Glancing around himself, seeing the falls and the mountains, the forest everywhere else. Coven was right when he said they had the advantage. Antero had another with his perch, he could see just about anything from there. If he really was going to be loyal to these wolves, and the pups that could come any day, he knew he'd have to be careful. He couldn't be so arrogant, or so aggressive anymore. And as long as he'd be with these wolves for quite a while, he thought he might mention something. "Pravin is my half brother. He was your beta, I know that. We do not have the best relationship as brothers."

Guest

The black male regarded Antero seriously as he agreed to stay in the pack. Well, that was it. This officially became a pack in Coven's view, not simply some random assortment of loners sharing the same air for the night. There was definitely a lot of work to do...

"He's young and proving his worth as a protector here; you weren't meant to receive any welcome from him, though it would be a good idea to remedy his wary attitude toward you right now." Coven glanced up at the cliffs for a brief moment, starting to wonder about Molly. Karbon and Antero could handle themselves for a while. As for the information on Antero's relationship to Pravin, that was only good news to the male so concerned about traitors. "As long as you stay true to your word and stick with us devotedly, I don't care who your family is, unless you need me to," responded the wolf as he nodded once with finality before beginning to walk off. Looking back, the black wolf reminded the other male, "I'm not kidding about you getting things settled with Karbon." Those two needed to sort things out; Coven figured they were both mature enough to do it without him present as a mediator. There was one more wolf he really needed to talk to, no matter how difficult it was at times.

He began bounding up the cliff face, taking a shortcut up the wall to the trail Molly had passed on. Once on the trail, he followed her scent at a trot, poking his head inside the den they'd slept in the night before and picking up the barely-touched porcupine from that morning. Coven hadn't eaten a thing in two days, but the stress was still so high that, even with food in his mouth, the desire to eat didn't register.

After a winding journey up the mountain, the black wolf paused, having lost Molly's scent. What in the world had she been doing? This was the most convoluted trail he'd ever seen from her, almost as if she was hiding...Putting down the carcass, Coven walked in a loose circle and picked up the scent once more. Jumping down from a boulder, he finally saw where she'd gone. The hole was small, but not to small for the little white wolfess. He lay down by the mouth of the hole but did not even attempt to venture in, instinctively feeling that a move like that might earn him a nice bite. "Molly?" he called, voice automatically pitching lower and softer than usual in response to the odd feeling about this place. The scent, the sharp occasional whining...not just Molly.

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:21 pm

Karbon had managed to fill his stomach enough to hold him over for a while, and now he decided to head back to the caves, err, dens to see what was going on. He trotted out of the trees, licking his lips and perking his ears, coming to a slow stop as he spotted Coven walking away from Antero and heading towards the caves. He watched the older male for a moment, figuring that he was looking for Molly. Better to stay out of that one. Instead, he turned towards the waterfall, finding himself thirsty after all of his hunting. A good cold drink would be nice right about now.

But in order to reach the water, he needed to pass Antero, who was still standing where Coven had left him. He was smaller than the other male, but not by much, and well, he didn't exactly trust him. For now, he planned to do his best to keep a distance from him as well as a close eye on him. It would definitely be a difficult task to juggle the two, but he figured he owed it to Coven for letting him stay. His pace slowed slightly as he neared Antero, his eyes warily on the other male as he continued to pass him to reach the water.

She was dozing off again, and barely hanging onto consciousness as Coven neared the little den. Had she been more alert and aware, she would have realized he was coming and been ready for him. But since she was so exhausted and tense, his sudden voice made her jump and snarl threateningly. She was jerked from her doze and her head turned toward the entrance, her defensive growl echoing through the cave. This growl was different from her usual threatening one, however. This one held a defensive note, as if she were protecting something, which she was.

Unfortunately, the growl woke the little bundles that were cuddled against her, and their squealing and squabbling resumed, making her lower her growl a bit quieter as she licked them and nudged them back to her belly to calm them. It took her a while to register the male voice with her mate, yet something in side her - instinct maybe? - told her to be careful about the male wolf. But as he didn't enter, and waited at the entrance, she muffled her growl and finally let it cease. She didn't know what to say, and she couldn't think because she was so exhausted. It had to be obvious to him now that the pups had arrived, and she was too weak to do much other than threaten anyone that came near. It wasn't like she had the strength or energy to back up those threats. But then again, lack of strength and energy had never stopped her before.

Guest

Antero nodded as he watched Coven walk away, remembering the last few words as Karbon decided to show up. Antero figured he should take action with Coven's words, but he noticed that Karbon looked wary. Of course, Karbon was the first to encounter Antero here, he had the right to be wary. Even though the smaller wolf hadn't greeted him kindly, Antero hadn't exactly responded kindly either. Antero noticed that slight change of pace as Karbon passed him to get to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Antero got up and slowly walked over to be beside Karbon. He wasn't too close, but enough to have a conversation.

There wasn't honestly much Antero knew to say to the black male next to him. He had no reason to trust Karbon yet. He had no want to speak to the wolf, but Coven wants him to make friends. Except Antero never made friends, he merely made acquaintances and got to know their weaknesses. But maybe knowing weaknesses wouldn't be bad in this pack that he'd just become a part of. "Hello Karbon. We started off badly here. Shall we start over?"

Subject: Re: Rebuilding Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:39 am

Karbon looked over at him as Antero approached, confused at first as the other male sat nearby and seemed to be either thinking or waiting to say something. When he finally heard the voice beside him, he lowered his head to drink slowly from the pool of cool water in front of him. He took his time, finally lifting his head and licking his lips as he looked over at Antero curiously. "Uhm, I suppose so. I assume Coven told you that we needed to 'play nice'?" He asked, glancing over at the caves where he assumed that Coven had found Molly.

It was clear that this was a forming pack, and blatantly obvious who was in charge. Not that Karbon minded. He didn't want to be in charge of anything. He finally looked back over at Antero and sighed. "I suppose we can start over. Better that than get on Coven's bad side. Especially now that Molly has had her pups." He said, surprising himself with the instinctive knowledge that he had picked up from the disappearance of Coven and change in the air and tension around the caves. It was obvious Molly was going to give birth soon, and she must have, since she had been gone for quite a while now.

Guest

Antero couldn't help but laugh when Karbon pointed out exactly why Antero was having conversation in the first place. It was a deep laugh that didn't last very long. After that, he slid into a lying position and looked at Karbon. Coven's bad side? This was something Antero hadn't seen yet. He might as well take this chance and learn more about Coven, and perhaps about Karbon himself.

"Yes, especially since Molly's pups have arrived." Karbon just proved to Antero that Molly's pained exit meant that her pups were here. The pack has just been made and it's already grown. By how many, who knows? Antero never dealt with pups, them being a nuisance most of the time. They weren't even really part of the pack, they did nothing but make noise and more mouths to feed. Antero pushed that thought aside and continued speaking."And I don't suppose you've seen this bad side of Coven?" He asked as nonchalantly as possible. His curiosity was really going to get the best of him, he knew.