One thing Bryan liked about this pack is how friendly everyone was, and of how tight knit the community was. He said morning. to most of the people that greeted him and was a little surprised by the gestures so early in the morning. He then felt the other farmer, Braden pat him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry friend, I’ll keep the work going. We’ll get this fence done in no time.”
He smiled at the thought, then turned to look at him. "I hope so, its been taking for ever, plus the animals are gonna need more space soon so lets work on it so we can get it done, only about half a mile left so its not that much." He aid with a smile. "I'll be out here in a minute gotta go check on Leia, just start were I left off." With that he turned around and went towards the barn. @Grim327
He saw Kleo, Liea, Elize, standing there greeting and talking, well not Leia. He approached the three. "Good morning ladies. I just wanted to see if the little one was awake and well and now that I know I will be on my way." With that he hugged Leia and turned back to and headed out in the direction of the fence. @Aspen Wren@AcaciaMalikov ______________________________________________________________________________________
Leia
Leia jumped at the thought of working with the animals today. She did everyday, the girl loved anything living and not hurting others. She smiled back at the knowing smile of Elize and started to bounce on her toes with excitement. She loved taking care of the sheep, they were fluffy and made the best sound in the world.
When Kleo said good morning to her she just waved back and then nodded toward Elize in agreement with her statement that it was time to start.
Niall was greeted at the door by his wife, the packs head chef so to speak. She made sure everyone was well fed to do all the things they had to to survive. He would have to take the pack out for a hunt tonight to reward everyone for their hard work, it would be a welcome relief from all of the stress. "Of course, dear." He replied easily, accepting a kiss. Lycans, especially males, were not known for being romantic so Niall was one of the few who could easily let the female control the kitchen. Despite her sweet demeanor she would enforce pack law with iron jaws.
He inhaled deeply as the smells of food permeated the air in the kitchen. He loved breakfast foods, especially when Aurora was cooking but he was a tad biased on that subject. He loved the woman for all she was worth, their pairing hadn't particularly been one based on love but Niall had grown to love her over the past year. "It smells delicious in here. You can at least let me take stuff out to the table when it's ready." He commented with a large grin.
Niall could hear a distinct shuffling of footsteps, the most unique in the pack, moving towards the dining room of the Bed & Breakfast. He also heard a soft thump of something hitting the ground. When the pack's medic, Saffron, entered the dining room he called easily to her, "I believe I heard you drop something unless my ears deceive me."
Elize
Elize was not one for words so when Bryan, who was Leila's care taker, came by to check on the little girl Elize was not the one to reply. The little girl was happy to be helping with the animals and neither she nor Kleo would let the girl stray too far. Not that the flock strayed very far from her anyways but pups could catch a whiff of rabbit and take off on occasion so you had to keep and eye on them.
As he was walking away Elize's upright form gave way, quivering and changing sharply and quickly into that of her wolf form. She was rather easy to identify with her odd coloring and tall stature. She was one of the only females who was nearly as big as their Alpha Female, Aurora. She had grown up as the heir to her own pack in France and wanted nothing to do with being Alpha anything. She had her sheep and the other livestock to care for and that was more than enough. She gave a low, soft howl as she stood and waited for her sheep to come. Her flock was a chaotic thing at the moment, stepping upon one another and making that strange noise that was unique to them as they flooded from the barn where they had hidden for the night. Eager to graze they bumped and pushed for the best position at the front to get the best grass. The other livestock knew her well enough that they followed the flock now and in a much slower fashion came the cattle and horses. She moved easily amongst her sheep, trusting Kleo and Leila to bring up the rear as they moved the pack towards the new pasture area, they would all graze in the same pasture to keep the ecosystem intact as best as possible here. Each animal ate a different part of the grass and they all fertilized it.
Kleo had nodded towards Bryan once he'd come to check on young Leia, though seeing she was find he'd scurried off as quickly as he'd arrived and she'd continue with responding to any actions made by Elize in silence until they finally prepared to leave with the livestock. As Elize quickly began her shift Kleo followed suit, the process almost seeming unnatural, because... well to most it was. Darkened pelt of smoothly mixed tan through to cream and timber shuddered upon tall standing wolfess. She stood only a fraction taller and longer than the female she now followed and seemed quite content as she emit light puff of breath.
Velveteen nasal panels pulled at the air as she picked up all scents, and after guiding wolf called her flock she'd mimic shorter, high-pitched howl. The sound sharp enough to gain the attention of one pup she knew was probably off annoying some other member, it wasn't one for him to follow, but a warning to behave or she'd be back to deal with him herself. As the entire herd of mixed sheep, cattle and equines emerged from the barn Kleo would begin quick, elongated trot around one side of the grouping, head dipped as she watched each animal and placed herself in a rear-position to keep any strays caught up with the rest.
Brightly toned amber eyes trailed over every living body they'd be watching and made sure she knew how many were all together before glancing to Leia and offering a nod if she wanted to help keep them together at the back or if she wanted to take one side and keep strays from wandering off in that direction. Her motherly instinct told her to keep close eye on the young female even though she wasn't hers, it was her nature to ensure her own pup didn't wander far, but she trusted the Beta male to keep an eye while she was off out of sight from the rest, and as such she transferred that to the one pup in their care at this current point.
Had frozen on the spot for a brief moment when he'd head the quick vocal ring in his ears from the back towards the barn, creating partially displeased expression at her threat to return if he misbehaved made him just start fiddling about, he'd trailed behind Aden continuously once they'd emerged within the building and continued his rambling about the present, the only real answer's he'd gotten being;
"It's something you'll like," or "You gotta behave and then maybe I'll go get it," and sometimes even, "It'll help you with something you wanted to do earlier."
Tyrone was indeed still young and all the answers just made him annoyed inside at being so confusing for him. As Aden continued about his business of preparing the one cabin, the young brightly haired boy would begin wandering about, though he didn't stray to far until he found himself following closely behind Jorn instead and he'd look up with a bright smile. "Is there anything I can do?" he'd ask in a soft, seemingly excited voice. He liked the older male and he knew that he was usually the one in charge when his mother wandered off to do things without him, so it was fine with him when he was left behind. He was willing and seemingly eager most the time to help with somethings even if most pups wouldn't, but it was because he had a mind for learning and helping out those who asked if he knew and trusted them.
Johnathen had cut down three fine trees and was now in the process of cutting them into shorter pieces for transport. The sweat continued to bead and run over his skin. After the first few swings the wind carried a message. The scent of food was in the air. It smelled delicious. The logs could wait as he grabbed up his shirt and the axe to follow the aroma back to its source. He walked through the woods to the ranch and saw the changes that had occurred in his absence.
Everyone had pitched in and the place was certainly coming together. The fence, the buildings, the property as a whole had received the attention it so long for. John replaced the axe from the barn where he took it from. He washed off the sweat from one of the water troughs for the animals. Using the shirt as a rag. He rung it out and let it hang to dry. Everyone came together to make this a quaint little community. Things were certainly looking up from what they were a year ago. Another strong scent was carried to the olfactory gland as a reminder of why he had stopped in the first place.
With so many to feed there was certainly a way he could help out. jogging to the cabin where the scent was strongest John stuck his head in the kitchen. The work was always welcome and he was no stranger around a kitchen. "Anything I could lend a hand with?" He had a broad inviting smile on his face. John touched the tips of his fingers together in front of his face and began to rub his hands together in anticipation of getting involved in the process. @Midori
Leia nodded at Bryan when he came to check on her, and then left just as quickly as he came. He always had this fatherly air around him when it came to her. He never let anyone mess with her and took care of her the best way he could. She was grateful and tried to do the some thing any daughter would do and obey her father.
When the Kleo and Elize shifted, Leia looked at Kleo and understood the gesture. She nodded towards the back and shifted soon after. Leia stood smaller than Kleo and Elize, she also had a lighter coat than both of them. Her's being white with specks of black, she usually took the side, it provided more excitement especially when the sheep tried to get away, but today she wanted to do something different, and did not want to be alone so she would stay in the back.
"I believe I heard you drop something unless my ears deceive me."
Saffron leaned heavily on the doorframe and moaned softly at Niall's words. What a pain, to have just made it to the door--she sighed and turned around. Oh yes, there was her notepad, with all the information she'd taken down the previous night. She left her stick leaning against the side of the building to retrieve it.
"Thank you. It's a terrible pain, getting old. At this rate I'll be a crone by thirty." She called over her shoulder to the him.
She gave a curt nod to the alpha pair when she returned, lips a thin line.
"Niall, Aurora. Good morning. Many an apology if I'm interrupting anything--smells heavenly, doesn't it?" The smirk that played across her face was gone as soon as it arrived.
"Not to be blunt, but what is the schedule for today? I was also wondering," She looked to Aurora, "what our kitchen stock consists of. As is, we're fairly healthy, but with the move some of us will be more vulnerable to catching...well, you know. Of particular interest? Fresh basil, watercress, parsley, honey, St. John's Wort tea, and, for purely selfish reasons, any turmeric?"
Pietro stepped into the sunlight and stretched, back popping pleasantly. The pack was already toiling away or lost in conversation, the air was warm and crisp, the environment relatively new and unexplored--he couldn't wait until something unfortunate happened.
The young man laughed quietly in spite of himself and noticed Braden, the pack's cattle handler, toiling away on the fence. He approached, hands in pocket, and leaned on the fence where it had been completed moments before.
"I see you're trying to pen up paradise. Want any help with that?" He smiled at the slightly younger man, gasoline blue eyes glinting with humor.
He could feel the thunderous beating of his heart, the quickening as his paws battered the woodland soil, and beyond that a instinct that fed his urge to find home. Tomas labored through the blurring trees, following the scent of the Blue Ridge pack. An abundance of woodsy, musky, and a especially unique odor. The scent that werewolves, lycans, or whatever they were calling themselves carried.
Bolting around a large tree, he came upon an outstretched cliff, the quaint settlement was near. Far below him they lived their more-likely boring lives, he decided suddenly. Though he knew he shouldn't have. It was all they had known, all they were use to. Exploring had broaden his horizon but they … they were still stuck in dusk. Tomas looked down his blackened snout, his heaving deep and loud.
Not long now. I'll make it down the mountain in maybe an hour or two … half an hour if I push myself. He stepped away from the cliff, pawing towards the pathless greenery. Its been awhile, I've forgotten how much I love the shift. Living among humans has soften my instincts, left them dull. But I can feel them sharpening quickly. He managed a throaty chuckle before starting into a sprint, loping down the cliff towards a further down path.
The early morning light glazed his black coat as he stepped behind a nearby tree, one just outside the settlement. He felt the rigid cracking of his bones as a heat took over. Before long he was upright, naked and, moist with sweat; the weight of his belongings pulling on his chest. Tomas took off the dark green duffle bag, changed into simplistic clothes, and stepped out with a charming smile on his lips.
“I won't even think about all the she-wolves I'm smelling. Looks like my brother is doing a fine job. ” he mused, walking into the flourishing settlement as if he belonged, as if everyone should recognize and remember him.
The tawny female moved easily, the creatures all following her lead as they moved through the newly fenced pasture to some grazing and in an opening in the wooded lands that they had purchased. Her nose was constantly at work, sniffing about for anything that might threaten her flock and there was one scent that was freshly adrift that caught her attention. Another wolf whom she had not seen in a long while. Everything part of her body went on high alert. A sharp bark erupted from Elize's muzzle stopping all of her sheep and the livestock behind them, it was followed soon after by a long high soprano howl to alert the rest of the pack.
Thomas had returned finally after his long stent away. He had left not long after she had arrived in the pack, mostly feral and as wild as any Lycan had ever been. The livestock behind her were already grazing away and she reached out mentally towards the wolf who had returned. 'Thomas?' She questioned softly. All pack members could speak telepathically but she wasn't sure if he was still be able to hear her or any of the other pack members. 'Kleo, do you smell that?' She questioned the other female. She wasn't quite sure why the male had come back, he had been feisty and rebellious before he took off on his own. That was enough to make her wary, she had been grateful for a pack, a family when her own had sacrificed their lives to save their prized heir.
She trotted around to where Kleo and Leila were to talk to the pair of them.
Produced light smile upon maw as young Leia followed suit, following Kleo to the back of the grouping of animals allowed Kleo to keep better eye on her, she knew the child spoke no words and offered none in return. Her silence producing a calm, friendly and almost motherly air around her as she kept close eye upon those moving ahead of her along with keeping close, yet very relaxed sight upon lighter coated child.
Though upon sudden halting of herds motions caused Kleo to perk up, the scent that loomed in the breeze raced through leathery textiled nasal passages and caused fur upon nape and shoulders to stand slightly on edge. She hadn't met the young male known as 'Tomas' in her time within the pack having joined after he'd left; this mean that the strange scent quite quickly caused ripple upon muzzles length, baring ivory daggers she normally kept hidden.
'Yes, Elize, I certainly do smell that. You know who that is?' she'd quickly toss back at the other female, her senses on high alert as she stood closer to the younger, brighter coated wolf that was Leia; mothering instinct to protect the younger one kicking in with the scent of what could possibly be a threat hanging in the air.
"Why are you just standing there?" Someone close asked, "Did you forget your lines?"
Dana turned helplessly in the blackness that seemed to surround everything, searching for the source of the voice-- searching for any indication that she currently inhabited a body. Everything felt impossible weightless, but they weren't sure, they couldn't feel anything... he couldn't see... she couldn't taste... the sensations of hot and cold seemed as foreign to Dana as an honest day's work! This state of being was... or rather, this state of non-being was existentially concerning. Dana tried searching for the voice again, and was rewarded by having their vision go from a eerie blackness to saturated, burning white.
On reflex, Dana's closed shut tightly, and as they opened again slowly, the world seemed to materialized around her. Velvet curtains were to their back, ahead were nothing but empty seats, all lined with a similar blood red velvet-- the seats of this theater seemed to stretch backward for infinity, becoming deeper and more blurred as one examined the infinite horizon of missed opportunities. Each seat was unique-- each had a tear here, or a stain there-- but they all became that same dull red when you'd seen enough. A hypnotizing red that almost seemed to spiral with the brown walls of the theater. Dana found herself standing in the center of a creaky stage, illuminated by bright spotlights unseen.
"Look at her! She doesn't even know what she's doing!" The voice said mockingly.
Her?
Dana's eyes shot to the from row of seats, three figures materialized-- or perhaps they were always there-- directly in front of where she stood. The voice belonged to a woman, very clearly aged, but still powerful in how it was projected. She was dressed in strange black robes Dana had never seen before, and wore a grey ceramic mask that seemed to depict 'comedy'-- the mask was a horribly distorted cackling face. It seemed oddly malicious.
To the old woman's immediate left was a child who... was just out of sight, but seemed oddly familiar to Dana. The child might not have been wearing a mask, Dana couldn't tell. Whomever the child was, their face was obscured, and they seemed to be in a state of constantly slipping away from Dana's sight... like, being consumed by the velvety chair perpetually. To the left of the child was a small man, wearing more modern attire, he seemed very 60's, with white bell bottoms and white-stripped form-fitting collared shirt. To contrast his black robed counterpart, his mask was orange, and seemed sad-- 'tragic', it may have been a trick of lighting, but Dana swore that the mask was crying.
The woman in black almost seemed hyperactive, like she wanted to jump out of her seat. This man, to contrast, almost seemed to want to sink into the seat and disappear like the familiar child, but he didn't know how, so he simply curled in on himself. The man spoke in a reserved, empty voice. "I-i don't know... he seems nice..."
He??
Dana felt the snarl form across their lips, an instinctual reaction to frustration, "What the hell are you talking about?" The light 'Tragedy' shrunk even further into his bloody velvet theater seat. This seemed to give The black 'Comedy' some kind of thrill.
"Ha! Nice he says!" The black 'Comedy' practically howled. The smile on the mask seemed to grow wider, the black 'Comedy' remained in her seat, several meters away from where Dana stood on stage. But the mask seemed to be inches away from her face, "This weak Omega! So ignorant! So foolish! Foolish! Childish! Lazy!"
"I guess so," The light 'Tragedy' added.
Dana's snarl gave way to a much less intimidating, much more scared wide-eyed expression. "I don't..." Dana took an unsure step backwards.
"Do you know how wolves die?" the black 'Comedy' teased, "It's not comforting, cheery or kind." Dana could feel warm breath emanating from the math, yellow eyes glared at her hungrily behind the mirthful eye holes of the grey mask, "A tender Omega like you..." A long tongue appeared from under the mask to lick distended lips, "Mmmmm, Such fanciful flesh... The meat in your mouth... As you savor the flavor, with it's... sizzling blood and the unholy stench..." Dana was paralyzed as the black 'Comedy' spoke of consuming them. The black robed figure was at least twice as tall as them, despite her age. She was drooling through the mask, enough so to drown the theater.
"It's not natural, normal or kind." Said the child-- or perhaps that was just something they'd heard in their head. Dana couldn't tell, those glowing yellow orbs behind the fanged, smiling mask had her frozen in place. The light 'Tragedy' got up and slowly made his way over to Dana and the black 'Comedy.'
"Closer comes the screaming knife," the black 'Comedy' declared, and as if rehearsed both comedy and tragedy masks were thrown off the faces of their wearers, revealing the faces of snarling wolves, grey as death, red as blood. "This beautiful creature must die."
"This beautiful creature must die."
Dana's eyes began to water, "A death for no reason..." Shaking, Dana fell to their knees, unable to support their weight on that creaky stage, under that blinding spotlight any longer. The two spirits approached, eager to consume, "A death for no reason is--"
They were upon her.
~~~
Darkness was all Dana saw, and static was all Dana heard as consciousness began to return to the waking world.
A cow seemed to moo in time with music that blared on loop in Dana's ears. They... She was a tiny figure, laying curled under the large plush blanket that had served as her home, bed, and bedroom for her night spent in the barn. Their small frame had served them well this morning, as it seems they'd been ignored by all the apparent larks eagerly waking up for a day of hard labor. Dana could do without it all, and in fact, it was events like the last week that made her wonder if she'd made the right decision in joining up with the Blue Ridge Pack. Any excitement that may have come from living with the pack was constantly contrasted in Dana's mind with that fact that being up early was an expectation of the pack.
Despite all the stimuli, the animals in the barn, the early risers, the fact that music had been playing on near blast... it wasn't quite enough to fully wake the beast. Never one to jolt awake, Dana twitched an eye open slowly, and let her body slowly find its way upright while sitting in the hay, with stray bits of straw clinging to her hair and clothes. Dana did not yawn. Dana did not stretch. Dana did not look around the barn. The first thing Dana found herself doing was checking to see the health of the stacks of CD's she had brought with her-- the prized possessions she had decided more important than anything else to travel the road the Pack went with. Second; Dana pulled out her earphones with a light tug and popped open their Walkman. Pack rules had made it the most advanced piece of technology she could reasonably have.
The Walkman popped open revealing the CD she had left on repeat for the night, apparently; Meat is Murder
Not for wolves it's not, sorry Morrisey.
Dana couldn't help but feel like that might have had something to do with their dream. As their stomach growled, Dana remembered the one sensation strong enough to bring them out of the pure blissful reverie of deep sleep; hunger. "I could go for meat..." she could hear herself muttering, and so with less of a hop, a skip, and a jump, and more of a stumble, a sigh, and a blank expression, Dana made her way to the cafeteria, where she could already hear others talking. Saffron wanted herbs-- probably not saffron, Alpha dog was being Alpha dog, Alpha dog female flavor was being Alpha dog female flavor.
Dana poked her head in, waiting in the safety of the door frame with Saffron, "Yes, tumeric. Tumeric's great-- Hey, also when's it all going to be done?"
His bare feet felt hardened from walking on the ground, the sensations of his former-paws enhancing the feeling all the more. Where was everybody? he thought, catching glimpses of more-or-less alien wolves and people. Most of them were the same but either they did not recognize him or was simply afraid to approach out of fear of Niall. Tomas quirked his lips, passing by a chatterly group of female wolves. Instinctively, he raised hand in greeting and smiled, flashing a charm grin their way. They were staid and apprehensive.
A few things would never change and that was, without a doubt, he held the potential to be a Alpha. Just like his brother. Should Niall die and no heirs to throne be born, it would be his responsibility to take over. If he so pleased. Just the thought of it made him want to retreat. Since traveling the countryside, he learned that freedom was everything to him. Being tied down to a pack, as its leader, was overwhelming. He plopped down on a random wooden porch, his legs bent as he stared at the sky. When a voice spoke to him mentally, gentle and soft, Tomas lifted up, smiled, and stood straight up.
Finally. I was waiting for contact to be made. I didn't wanna alert anyone myself so I figured I'd let the pack initiate. Who am I speaking to? Its been awhile, I can't tell.
Through the clattering and banging going on in the kitchen as breakfast was prepared Niall heard the high soprano call Elize had made. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he moved quickly through the Bed & Breakfast. The only thing a call of that type, especially from Elize, could mean was an intruder. Whether the intruder was friendly or not remained unseen as he bristled and prepared to fight if the need arose. "I'll be back shortly, stay here for now." He called to Aurora. There was no need in her getting involved unless she had to. "Saffron, please get ready if there is a fight we will need you to fix everyone up. Dana, John, will you please come with me."
He stretched and pulled himself up to his full height as he walked, he towered over most humans at a height of six foot seven. His eyes flickered to the dark gold that was his wolf as he allowed the creature's presence in his mind to come to the surface. It would allow for a faster change if he needed it. He inhaled deeply, trying to see if this perhaps was someone he recognized and it was. His pup brother had finally returned. They had fought harshly, especially after their parents' deaths and since he had become Alpha. Niall could scent only calm as he tracked down his own blood.
He truly hoped his brother had a lot better of an attitude than when he had left the pack. He had been lost and with their father gone there was no one to guide him. He found his brother on the porch of one of the unfinished cabins, he was smiling like he was being spoken to by someone in the pack. If he was that meant that he had not cut ties with them, simply left and come back home. "What brings you back to the pack little brother?" Niall questioned?
Elize
Tomas' reply was quick but he wasn't sure who she was. That was fair enough she supposed being as she had only been there perhaps a month and hadn't spoke to anyone that she hadn't been forced to speak to during that time. 'It's Niall's pup brother, Tomas. He took off before you joined the pack.' Elize replied to Kleo when the other female questioned her if she knew the intruder. Niall would sound the all clear if there was nothing to worry about, for now though Elize remained close to Leila as Kleo had done. Between the pair of them they could fend off a large male long enough for the rest of the pack to get here.
'It's Elize.' Was all she replied when Tomas questioned who he was speaking to.
Johnathan followed Niall not knowing the where or why. He lost the smile he had usually worn and took on a look of concern. Food would have to wait. Johnathan began to sift through the various invisible threads and focused on the one Niall was tracking. It was similar to his own, another wolf but not a familiar scent. It didn't take long until they came upon the source. This Tomas was new to Johnathan but from Niall's reaction they knew each other.
