DotW RP: Origins

----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

Leaves fell in silence towards what would be their multi-colored final resting place. As they reached the bottom, they settled in oh-so quietly, resting on the blades of grass. Some, laying on one another, making a messy pile of colors browns,
yellows and oranges. Fall had finally come around. This, was Learahs favorite time of year. All the colors and the cooling breeze that ruffled her fur made her the happiest.

Today, she was to visit her favorite spot in the Havir territory. A small body of water that lay just out of sight, surrounded by trees that practically hugged one another with how close they were. Learah waved her way through the wider openings and towards the water.

As she approached the waters edge, she peered in. Her eyes catching sight of little silver fish that danced just below the waters surface. Her rump hit the ground below her, crushing a group of leaves wirj a loud crunch. Even this spot, so peaceful and beautiful couldn't seem to cheer her up. Anger and frustration boiled inside of her. Could he really be coming back? was it possible? Why would he?

"How dare he!" Learah growled as she smacked the waters surface with her paws. She let her front legs sink into the mud below, too confused to care about getting dirty.

----------
Tazihound said the following:

A haunting bay shattered through territory, sending a startled flock of ravens skyward. Faust lowered his nose from the sky and surveyed the land, eyes carefully searching for any movement that would betray a predator. The Havir pack breathed rumors that dispersal wolves were encroaching on territory lands, hunting their prey and terrorizing the pack. Faust scowled. He wouldn’t hesitate to snap the neck of any foolish loner who dared scavenge in his domain or harm his kin. He had dedicated the day to conducting a perimeter search, looking for signs of stray wolves and reinforcing the borders.

A familiar scent and a clamorous splash drew Faust’s attention away from the boundary. He headed into the woods. His nose identified a pack wolf within range but he couldn’t surmise why anyone but a hunter would be so far from the den so early in the day. He walked with easy intention, his head held in line with his chest, large paws gracefully maneuvering through the brush. Through a clearing he saw a young female, her body half emerged into the frigid shallows of a pond. He squeezed through the branches, making himself known to her. “Learah?” He questioned, giving her a quizzical stare. He moved to stand before her, head held high and brows curved down in question. He was not much for casual conversation, least not a wolf he was practically a stranger to. Still, he expected her to divulge the reason for her dismayed state. There was much work to be accomplished and truthfully the only wolf lackadaisical wolf he’d tolerate was Silvanus. Her look of irritation gave her the benefit of the doubt as Faust took a step toward her, “Are you alright?”  His brows knit together as his fiery gaze moved over her, registering her flustered body language.



----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

Learah was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didnt pick up on an approaching scent of another wolf. She didn't notice someone had come out of the woods and into her private area of seclusion.

When a voice finally cracked through her thoughts, Learah jolted out of the water, flinging droplets all over the place. She wasn't expecting anyone to find her in her little secluded spot in the woods. Her eyes focused in on the one who disturbed her. A large frame, gray and tan coat. Learah immediately knew who it was.

"Faust!" She barked back at him, still in a shocked state. What was he doing here? Learah started to shake her front legs, trying to get the sticky mudd off of her. "I uh.... I'm just.. Fishing! Yah... Fishing." lieing was not one of Learahs stronger abilities. In fact, she sucked at it. She didn't know Faust very well, and what she did know about him made her nervous. He was the brother of their alpha and a higher rank then she was. Learah slumped her rump onto the ground, still shaking her legs and trying to wipe her paws on the grass.



----------
Tazihound said the following:

“I see,” he said flatly, his lidded eyes casting a critical glare at the small female. Her lie wasn’t a difficult one to read and she had not quarry to support her hunting claim. He stalked toward her, his head held low as if she were his prey, “Come, there’s work to be done,” he stated simply. He circled her, shepherding her through the trees to return to a thin path that edged the territory. Under his watch she’d have to be productive. He didn’t want to burden Learah with his own worries, that lone wolves had been infiltrating pack land, but still, two wolves were a greater defense than one. “You’ll shadow me today.” He cocked a brow at her as if daring her not to join him. He could feel the affect he had on her, he was accustomed to it. He shot her a coy half-smile. She was a pretty she-wolf and he was no stranger to the partnership between male and female.

He kept his steady, graceful pace as they dotted the boundary, keeping Learah at his left, on the inside, as they walked. He’d stop every so often to set a marker or let up a warning howl, one that would keep the dispersals at bay. He insisted Learah do the same.

“You’re lucky I found you,” Faust shot her a searing, side ways glance, “Imagine if AdeSaurugol had caught you idle?” Or worse, his mother. He was teasing, of course, looking only to get a rise out of her.



----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

Learah scoffed at the male. He thought he was so great. When he led her towards the territory's border, Learah almost felt forced. But, she admittedly enjoyed the company and actually liked looking for outsiders. The thought of getting into a fight scared her slightly but also gave her a rush of adrenaline and excitement of defending her pack.

"Shadow you?? I know how to handle myself you know? " slight sarcasm slipped off her tounge as she spoke. His presence did make her feel safe which gave her some confidence to speak up. She followed him for a bit, remaining right at his side before deciding to make things a bit more interesting. Her gait picked up, slightly moving out ahead of him to show more of her independence. She marked and howled out ahead of him, trying to prove herself as strong.

Learah looked back over her shoulder as he continued to speak. "If I got caught?" Learah stopped in her tracks and spun around to face him, lowering her head in an almost taunting way. "The only reason you caught me was because I wasn't on guard. I was in the moment of the hunt." She say back, raising her head and puffing out her chest. "Besides, even if I got caught by him, I would have told a more convincing lie."


----------
Tazihound said the following:

“I don’t doubt it,” Faust spoke quietly to Learah, but his eyes never left his surroundings. He was constantly on guard for any slight nuisances. The she wolf trailed ahead of him and he allowed it, his ears swiveling with each new noise sounding in the forrest. Their pace picked up as they reached the steep incline of a high peak. Faust paused momentarily, studying some suspicious forms in the distance. Coyotes. Nothing to concern them.

Learah’s voice broke his concentration and he glanced at her standing before him. He shook his head and continued walking, “You were as loud as a wailing pup! I caught your noise alone a half mile out. What were you doing out there, anyway?” He asked, concern streaking his pointed face, “There have been some minor threats at the border, nothing too serious. Still, best not to stray too far until the borders are secure.”


----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

As they made their way towards a very large peak, Learah decided to walk beside him again. She was only half listening to him speak. Her other ear was too busy listening for any strange or unusual sounds. Nothing out of place for the woods. Learah noticed the coyotes in the distance but shrugged them off. Nothing to worry about with them.

As Faust continued to speak, her head lowered with slight sadness. She wanted to tell someone about the information she had learned earlier that morning, but she didn't know Faust all too well. Hell, this was the longest interaction she has ever had with him. As much as she liked being around him, she just was too scared to trust him just yet. So, she stuck with her pathetic lies. "I told you... I was fishing. I missed and got mad that the fish got away so I made some splashes in the water. No big deal." as Learah grew more nervous, she began to speak more in an attempt to calm herself. "Besides, why would you want to know anyway?" Learah cocked her head at him with curiosity. "I'm sure the threats are nothing. We have very strong wolves in our pack and our numbers are increasing. The outsiders should be the ones who are afraid." Learah sneared slightly as she finished her sentence. She knew she was strong and would do anything to protect her pack.


----------
Tazihound said the following:

“Indeed we do,” answered Faust in reply to Learah’s comment regarding the strength of the Havir wolves. There was no pack quite like Havir in fortitude or resilience. The wolves had to be proactive in their survival alone, dwelling in the harsh and unforgiving terrain. Still, what was one Havir wolf to a band of ill-intentioned dispersals? “Stay near the den for now, Learah, don’t wander off too far by yourself,” he growled in warning, putting an end to the discussion. It had been a fortnight since the original sighting of the loner, but Faust was not trusting. It was his job to protect his pack-mates.  He wouldn’t tolerate any innocent blood on his paws. He would not be tasked with explaining the death to his brother.

The wolves reached the peak and Faust stood, looking over the valley beyond Havir territory. Through the heavy gray sky he could just make out the stark etching of a white summit in the distance. What lay beyond Havir? He wondered before the subtle fall of paws sounded in the distance. Faust’s eyes widened before grabbing a hold of Learah’s ear with his teeth and motioning her to a crouching position. The wolves huddled in the thick branches of the underbrush, peering out warily into the valley below. Faust had no qualms about defending his territory, but he wanted to get good look at his perpetrators before ambushing or putting out a call for aid. His protective instinct fell into action as he stood over Learah, her level of defensiveness trivial as he sought firstly to protect her, as he’d do for any pack-mate. His stance was confident as he eyed the land in search of the disturbance.


----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:


As they reached the top of the peak, Learah sighed in awe of the view. It was beautiful, the view. It gave her a small sense of peace, a small chance to get away from all her worries. That was, of course, until her ear's picked up the sound of something..lots of something approaching their position.

Before Learah could even think to speak up, Faust had grabbed her ear and lowered her to hide behind some brush. Learah looked around in a slight fear at first. She wasn't sure what was coming or why Faust reacted so suddenly but she was sort of glad he did. It meant he was smart enough to keep the two of them and their pack safe. It was slightly alluring the way he stood over her, so focused and determined.

Learah shook the thought from her mind and poked her head slightly through some of the little branches and leaves of the bushes she hide behind in an attempt to get a better look of what was going on around them. Whatever it was, her fear had decreased immensely and she was ready for anything.


----------
Tazihound said the following:


Faust stood quietly as he scanned through the leaves, his eyes focusing on movement down in the valley.  A pair of dispersal wolves, on Havir land? A growl rippled through Faust’s body and he shot down the steep cliffside, releasing his bay in warning. The two wolves whipped their heads up for a moment before bounding away in fright. Stray wolves knew to keep far from Havir borders.

He stood at the defense for a long moment, until the figures disappeared on the horizon. He turned to Learah, coaxing her to accompany him, “come, it’s best we return. Seems dispersals are gaining confidence as of late,” he sighed, traipsing back into the territory. He feared for Havir’s defense, but knew it could only grow stronger if the Guardians kept up their lessons. They would be a pack well trained in combat.


----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

Learah watched Faust as he went head first towards the strange wolves. She was a bit in awe but also held in some jealousy. The she-wolf liked a little action now and again. She attempted to run down the hillside behind him, but didn't make it in time to help him do some justified scarring. So, she slammed her rump into the dirt below her paws and waited until he was ready. Learah did however, catch a glimpse of one of the wolves who took off running. A sinking feeling set into her gut and her breathing increased rapidly.

When Faust finally motioned for her to follow him, her gaze was still fixed on the horizon where the dispersal wolves had vanished. Learahs mouth opened slightly, as she allowed one word to spill past her lips "Father?" Learah shook her head side to side at the thought. How could that be possible? The rumors she had heard must have been taking up her mind so much as to cause her to see one of the stray wolves as her father.  "Y-yah... " She finally replied,  quickly rising to her feet and moving past Faust. "The sun is setting quickly. Let's make haste."


----------
Tazihound said the following:

Faust rose a curious brow as Learah fell in step beside him. Had she said “father”? He admittedly did not know much about the she-wolf’s past, but did not want to pry into her own affairs. Still, she seemed rather upset by something, and that bothered him. “Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked, glancing toward her for a moment before fixing his eyes ahead again.

They made their way back to Havir quickly, but faust did not stop trekking until they were well into the thick of the densite. Here he knew she would be safe, but still isolated should she feel the need to reflect. Faust could understand that, being a recluse himself. He studied her for a moment, as if debating whether or not to leave her with her own thoughts.


----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

Learah remained completely silent for the majority of the walk back to their packs territory. She couldn't think of a proper way to bring up everything she had heard and possibly seen. How would he react? Would he tell anyone? Could she even trust him with such a thing? So many questions rattled her brain to a bunch of mush. Still, she felt like she needed to speak of it to someone.

Learah stopped dead in her tracks, her head lowered as she built up the courage to spill the deer's guts, so to speak. "No...I don't know actually." Learah gulped down her fear, contemplating her next words carefully. "I think...I think I saw someone...one of those wolves you chased off he-" Learah's words trailed off with her thoughts.


----------
Tazihound said the following:

“… was your father?” He finished her sentence, concern striking his face. If that was her father, why didn’t she say something? Wouldn’t she want to see him? After loosing his father at such a young age, Faust did not truly know what it was like to have father. He did know that it was a bond unlike any other, certainly no relationship to neglect.

“We can go back, I’ll help you find him. The others, they don’t have to know…” He offered, keeping his voice low. Fraternizing with lone wolves was considered a sin in Havir, and Faust did not want to try his brother’s patience. But he knew he had to get Learah to her father, if that was what she wished.

----------
K-i-n-a-r-i said the following:

The brown wolf's head jolted up at Fausts response. He was willing to help her? To not speak a word of what he now knew to a single soul? Learah let out a slight sigh of relief. It was nice to know she had someone she could trust. Yet, she couldn't lose focus on the current issue.

"I couldn't ask you to do that for me. Well, technically you sort of owe me for helping you out today." Learah chuckled slightly, trying to lighten the mood. She wasn't too good at communicating how she felt to others, especially on such a touchy topic."I guess we could take a look, see if those wolves are still around. I'm not even sure if it was actually him I just... I need to find out.”


----------
Tazihound said the following:

Faust nodded and started back toward the border. They’d have a look, see if they could pick up the wolf’s scent. “I can’t permit you off territory, if you leave you likely won't be welcomed back..” His voice was a pierce warning, but what else could he say? Still, he understood her desire to find her father, to discover the truth of her origins. Faust would have done the same.

“Let’s go.”