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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 19, 2008 20:14:01 GMT -5
It had been a few days since Midnight had come to the lake, since Roan had fallen in. But today, she was back, padding through the heavy-set snow as her mind wandered to miniscule things of her daily life. Lately, she was becoming more and more finicky, and she wasn't sure where the anxious step in her paws had come from. With a sigh, she stopped walking once she reached the edge of the lake, staring at the hard-to-see reflection on the surface of the frozen water.
She that for a few seconds when she sensed someone else nearby, and she looked up to immediately see Topaz just a short walk around the lake. She looked... Extremely deep in thought. Deciding they probably could both use the company, the black-pelted female stood up once more and sprinted over towards the pale she-wolf, her tail wagging in a greeting.
When she reached her, her previous assumptions were only confirmed up close. Topaz looked depressed, not just deep in thought. "Hey, Topaz! Are you alright?" she she politely asked, stopping just a few feet away from her packmate. She wasn't sure how much Topaz possibly enjoyed her dominance over other packmates, and since Midnight was a mere Omega, she tucked her tail and lowered her head slightly, for a pinch of respect.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 16:28:00 GMT -5
Midnight was growing anxious, waiting at the edge for the male and female, two of her friends. It was almost over, all they needed to do was walk carefully forward and then warm themselves up. Then they'd be okay... Right? "Just come together! If you either of you fall, we'll help each other," she called out, perking her ears and watching their every move very closely. "Hurry," she whispered.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 16:12:03 GMT -5
As Roan advanced onto the ice, safe and sound, she gasped for much needed air, and sighed with relief. Well, yes, he had been saved from the water, but now they needed to move, and fast! Pushing on Liea's rump, Midnight began to run forward, staying clear away from any other thin ice. At least Roan had fallen in rather close to shore, so the sopping black female made it safely to the solid and dry ground. She turned towards Roan and Leia to see if they had followed safely, praying fiercly that they would if they hadn't.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 15:34:30 GMT -5
Leia? Now that the little female was on the dangerous ice, too, Midnight's panic began to rise. "Stop, it's dangerous, Leia!" she ordered as loudly as possible. She had to admit, though, with the female tugging on her skin, it helped her pull up on Roan a bit, but it also made it much more dangerous with the cracking ice. All the extra weight would probably cause much stress on it.
Don't fall, don't fall... she prayed, for all three of their sakes... And she tugged harder.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 15:01:55 GMT -5
Midnight wasn't going to back down now, she would never let someone die like this! Especially sweet Roan! No, never. "No," she bluntly refused, with a mouthful of fur. Instead of letting him go, she only tugged harder, trying to get a good grip with her back paws on the smooth ice. Water splashed on her face and neck, and she was shocked at just how cold it really was. Poor Roan, it was just all her fault! "Pleaze get up," she said, more to herself than Roan. Ohh, if only we could get help!
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 14:45:59 GMT -5
It happened in slow motion - Roan falling, Midnight gasping, a flash of fear and guilt tearing through her soul. "Ohh my God, ohh my God, Roan!" she screamed, flinging herself forward of the ice. She slipped as she neared where he fell, nearly falling through the ice herself as she pounded along. She hit her shoulder against the frozen water, scratching it roughly, but she ignored the pain and peered into the hole in which her friend had fallen. He had not been carried away by the moving current, but the longer he stayed in the water, the more tired and numb he would become. She had to get him out now. "Roan, don't move! Try to hold on to the edge!" she commanded loudly, hoping he could hear her through all of his struggling and the water lapping at his ears.
She crawled foward as quickly as she physically could, creeping along the thin layers of ice and trying to be careful that she didn't fall in, too. If she did, it would probably be over. She was close enough now to reach out to him. "If you can hold on... I will grab your scruff and try to pull you out!" She reached forward and her teeth locked onto his skin, but she heard and felt the ice underneath her begin to crack as well.
What have I done?!
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 13, 2008 13:46:35 GMT -5
Midnight unlocked her gaze, instantly fully awake, and turned in the direction of the new voice, feeling excited to have company. When she saw whom it was who had joined her, she laughed, flicking her white-tipped ears with amusement. "Ohh, Roan! I was just thinking about you." She tilted her head and watched his paws with a smile. "Sure you can do it! Just walk slowly and stay away from the thin ice, is all." She wagged her tail encouragingly, looking up at his face expectantly.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 13, 2008 13:21:54 GMT -5
The water of the wolf-made lake was thinly frozen over the surface, and snow began to pile on its solid surface. The wet snow, however, was able to reflect the image of the full moon quite well, and the only distractions were the millions of snowflakes that fall from the sky all around the glossy-coated, black female.
This was another one of her new favorite places... The lake was a blessing. And with it frozen over like this, it was so beautiful, so dangerous, so romantic...
Midnight stepped forward, inhaling sharply as the cold sent a shockwave of shivers down her spine. The ice did not budge, so she stepped evener further onto the frozen water, testing it with a cautious paw. Nothing budged, nothing cracked, everything seemed perfectly fine. Perhaps it really was colder than Midnight had imagined. This was the first time this lake was experiencing winter, and the first time its flowing liquids were able to freeze over. She'd have to be careful when exploring out at the middle, but she wasn't too afraid. Midnight knew she was naive for thinking this, but the lake was surely a life-giver, not a life-taker.
After a few more tentative pawsteps, Midnight was nearing the center of the lake. Everything was okay. She stayed was she was, however, sitting down carefully on her haunches, and enjoying the night sky. At that moment, the moon was partially covered by a snow-cloud, but it was so brigh from its fullness that the reflected sunlight still lighted the entire area.
She shivered underneath her thick winter coat. Her rump was probably going to start numbing anytime soon, because of the cold ice sucking the heat of her body.
"Ohh, well," she encouraged herself, looking down the ice all around her. The ice was too thick in many places to see the water underneath, but there were a couple of spots where she saw movement of water. She should avoid those parts, but... It must be awfully pretty to watch.
She scooted closer after lying on her belly, taking tiny steps with her paws. She neared the area of thin ice, and once she figured she was ut of the safe zone, she stopped and stared into the lake below. She could hear it trickling beneath her now, and as she lay there for a while, it almost put her to sleep, and her happy, yellow eyes began to droop.
...I wonder how my mother is doing lately... And how is Caerwyn doing with being the new alpha? .........Surely Roan is doing alright....
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 12, 2008 18:37:44 GMT -5
"Ahh... Here we are..." he sighed heavily, half-dropping his body in a heap near the edge of the plateau. It had taken him a while to find this place, but he had a knack for getting around a territory even if he couldn't see where he was going. That's the way it had been for much of his life and no normal wolf could memorize a territory like he could. It was nearing the end of dusk. The sun was about 3/4 hidden on the horizon and there was only about twenty minutes before sunset was over. Setsuna's last sunset ever. He took deep, slow breaths, laying on his side, and stared at the complete darkness his glazed, open eyes showed him. In his last hours, he was completely blind now, and even his hearing was beginning to slow down. It was strange to feel all of your senses slowly fading, but also curiously peaceful. He didn't mind it. He felt okay. He had a long, hard run. He never had any sons or daughters of his own, but he had been around pups for so long that it seemed like he had hundreds of children. Children that he taught and told stories to, smiling down at their beaming faces and their serious expressions. He had always loved telling stories to children the most because they had the imagination to understand them, to relate to them, and to truly walk inside of them. He hoped that, after he passed, the young ones would remember to call him as "Grandpa Setsuna". As each minute passed, more and more stars popped out in the darkening sky, greeting the dying old wolf as he lay motionless on the cool stone. The more stars that showed up, the longer it took for his heart to beat. There was a moment where he was completely swamped with memories of Kieriana. Oh, how he wished he had been with her when they were younger... So they could have lived a longer life together. But perhaps he would see her soon. Remembering where she had died, he wondered why he didn't go to that exact spot to lie down forever. Something had just pulled him over here, is all. Yes, something... Something strange. It tugged on his failing heart. Xaka. Xaka is dead, too. He remembered Xaka so well. What a strong wolf. Did he and Quianna ever get to have pups? Ohh, yeah. Roan, Vesuvias, Bandit, Prospero, and Caerwyn. Caerwyn would be a fine leader. He was just like his father in every way. Perhaps he'd have fine sons and daughters soon, too. He tried to remember everyone he knew. It was important to Setsuna, to think of all his loved ones before he died. But he just didn't have time. As the sun sunk lower and lower, his mind began to throb, and he could no longer hear a heartbeat. In fact, he couldn't feel his legs anymore, or blink his blind eyes anymore, or move at all. His lungs naturally gasped for air, and he sucked in the crisp oxygen, but it didn't matter anymore, because the heart wasn't going to feed his body any longer, and soon, his brain just clicked off. Setsuna was gone. [Don't ever forget the things I've taught you] >I'll miss you<
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 20, 2008 15:04:59 GMT -5
Giggling as if she had grown a year younger, Sukalina shook dust off of her fur and stared at the small hole at the far end of the den, where sunlight was peaking in and a trail of snow led outside.
"Hahaha, alright, I'll beat you outside," she barked, throwing herself forward as she raced towards the exit. As she squeezed through outside, the colder air hit her and was a shock at first, but she was quickly used to it, watching her breath roll around as she inhaled and exhaled, inhaled, and exhaled...
Shaddix, are you there, somewhere?
She spun around, tossing now at the den. "Hey, Slowpoke! Where are you?"
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 19, 2008 19:46:01 GMT -5
It was a motivating thing, to see her young friend confidently throw her voice out for the world to hear. Sukalina decided, too, that she would join in the singing, and so she stood up with a proud smile, tossing her head back and howling in the hollowness of the den. She was a happy mother of Dancing Stars, proud of what her family had done, and proud of their survival thus far. She was proud of Shaddix, for being brave and strong before he had died. She was proud of Quianna for sticking it through all of her hard times, and never giving up. She was proud of Jasmyn, too, and all of the pups who had grown up into fine young wolves, who were already taking over the pack as the next generation.
She glanced at Jasmyn as they both howled out their glory, a smile on her open mouth.
I hope the rest of the pack can hear this and be proud, too!
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 18, 2008 16:17:01 GMT -5
Suka smiled quite proudly. She was and would always be such a mother to anybody. "Yes, you're very right. Your mind is sharp." She chuckled serenly, and leaned closer towards Jasmyn to prod her with a forepaw in the side. "And you know what that should prove to Falling Moon? We're proud, strong, and full of sharp-minded females, which will be their downfall for underestimating us. We'll always survive!"
{Yes... Yes... First short post of the site, shhhh}
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 18, 2008 15:06:31 GMT -5
Sukalina sighed, not an unhappy sigh, but not necessarily a joyful sigh, either. It was just curious. Accepting. "Our new home will work out just as fine as our old home, I believe. Now that we have water and more life here, we will get long just as we had years before." She smiled tenderly at the younger she-wolf, wondering how she had taken having growing up in a strange place, one she was not born in. She did not look sad, depressed, or concerned. It had been mostly the older wolves, anyways, who had taken the move the hardest, since their hope and pride was swiped away for a while. "And what do you think? Have you had fun exploring every inch of it, and learning how to hunt and survive here? It's quite the exciting adventure, if you ask me." She shook her head and neck, sending a couple of clumps of fur to float through the air.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 14, 2008 13:20:10 GMT -5
"I know, it really is," Suka colorfully replied, shaking her head a bit in small disappointment. "I've been fine, by the way. Just miss seeing all you pups running around, though. You're all getting so big!" She smiled warmly and sincerely, meaning every word she said. She hadn't talked to someone who was so glad to see her, at least not in a long time. Jasmyn has made her ten times as happy with her puppish antics. "Have you been behaving yourself?" she asked mischeviously, as if she knew something Jasmyn had done. Not that she had, of course, she was merely playing around.
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Post by [Midnight] on Mar 13, 2008 15:34:23 GMT -5
Sukalina responded to Jasmyn in a grateful tone, "Hello, is that you, Jasmyn? Come further in, I know it's freezing out there!" She shivered just thinking about it; they may be wolves, but cold was a natural killer and took no mercy on any living thing. Soundness of mind was needed if a wolf was to survive in the freezes, which meant that they had to take time during each day to warm their bodies up. She moved a little ways forward so that she could see the other female, glad to have her company.
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