Chase the Sunset [cptkickercutleg, Midnight, Oki]

[Akeela]

It was sunset, the beautiful orange and pinks painted the sky as if it were an artist's canvas. The soft glow illuminated the scenery around her in a clash of colors. It was overwhelming, the beauty of nature. Especially during sunset. Akeela's glowing bright green irises floated over the land; yet, although her heart was as cold and hard as stone, she felt a warm smile brighten up her scarred features. She sat silently on a small cliff that allowed her to look over the tops of the trees--just barely. Her delicate frame was a mere silhouette in the soft blaze of the sun as it etched it's way underneath the horizon.

It was peaceful as she sat there, watching the sun travel to other parts of the world. A part of Akeela wished that she was sharing the moment with somebody--anybody--but she knew better. She was a loner and that was how it was meant to be. Akeela had a flawed design, one that decided her fate from the moment she was born. She was meant to wander between the packs, as if she had no direction. A ghost in the eyes of the world.

A sort of forlorn sparkle entered Akeela's irises. She lowered her head and stared at her paws for a moment, wrapped up in her own little reverie of self-hatred. A soft, scornful chuckle emitted from the she-wolf's throat as she shook her head in mockery of her own fluctuating emotions. Akeela jumped from the cliff and landed gracefully on the ground below, her muscles bunching underneath her silky fur. Slowly, she rose to her full height (which was, unfortunately, about 2 1/2 feet tall at the shoulders) and rose her head proudly in defiance of her fate. She began trotting along the path in front of her; the last rays of sunlight catching on her dainty frame. It shone on her dark amber fur, turning it a golden brown; her eyes, glowing as if they were two polished emeralds.

[cptkickercutleg]

(( Sorry about the long time it took to post, I was at college ^_^; ))

Graal watches the female approach, a proud, defiant loner by the looks of things.
"If only you were the same, you worthless excuse for a defender. Can't even protect a cub from a bear..."
He shakes his head, refusing the thought even as a shot of pain radiates through his chest, a broken rib.
"My own little reminder..." he chuckles, smiling at his own pain."Hai Drappa!" he calls, padding out from beneath the foliage, amber eyes glinting in the sun.
"Dost voh ken ou vash es?" he asks, cocking his head.
"Do you know where we are? I've not been here before, and my sister is hiding from me... Again." he adds, smiling.
"She's getting good at this..." he thinks, a twinkle of amusement in his eye.

[Oki]

The early evening was passing as the sun set, melding into the horizon. Dusk was soon approaching. Then suddenly Kovu awoke, sore and stiff. Sitting up, Kovu felt very disoriented and weird. Lifting a paw to his head, it rubbed the side of it as he grimaced of his physical state. Clenching his teeth, the anthro coyote tried to recall upon when he was last awake. Opening his eyes, he saw the orange sky with the clouds having a pinkish hue to them. Figuring it was just before night, something still didn't feel right. Looking down, the sea was below him, though by a thousand feet or so. Finding himself inside of a bubble in the sky left him confused and bewildered.

Then, without warning, the bubble burst and Kovu began to fall from the sky like a rock sinking in water. An involuntary yell escaped his gaping mouth as he fell. Not noticing before, there was an island almost straight below that he was heading for. Luckily it was Earth and his landing wouldn't be anywhere near as rough as water. Spinning uncontrollably, the land came up fast and Kovu tried to position himself to face the island. Once close enough, he reached a paw out as if to grab something. Then, twisting his wrist, his other arm pulled forward to match the other arm, then ripped back. "Hope this works..."[/i]

Suddenly, the ground met his body and everything went black.

The plume of sandy dust began to clear to reveal a sphere of Earth surrounded by a frozen impact crater; meaning, the edges seemed to flare up as if the sphere was a drop of water in mid-splash. Breaking the silence, the sphere of Earth cut in half without breaking. One of the halves sliding off the other, the anthro coyote rolled out onto the sand, finding he landed on the beach of this unknown island. Finding his legs, he stood, groaning the whole way as he reached he full height of just over 6 feet. Stretching, he said between his clenched teeth, "Better than expected, but...", Kovu looked around, "...Where the hell am I?"

It was warm here and the air had a thick humidity to it. Mismatched eyes continued to scan the area. Turning around, and actually not too far away, he found two others, both what looked like wolves or of the like. At the distance it was from him, he was surprised he didn't see them before making contact, they were that close to him. His impact must have mirrored a bomb going off, with the size and sounds; it made him smirk. For now, he stood there blinking and trying to judge as to what the two were exactly.[/color][/size]

[Midnight]

Midnight whimpered from her hiding spot in the hollow of a tree. She didn't like this femm. It wasn't natural for wolves to not have feeling. It just wasn't normal!
Climbing out, she scampered the length of the branch and emerged from the leaves. 'Hm,' she thought pleasantly, 'apple tree.' Ripping off a branch with a couple apples on it, she jumped down and laid it on the ground. "Hi stranger. I'm Midnight." Looking at Graal, she nudged one of the apples towards him and to Akeela. "Have one. They're really good."

[Akeela]

As Akeela strolled along the path in front of her, a male gray wolf approached her from the foliage. She paused in her tracks, her amber ears swiveling in attention toward this newly met acquaintance. "Hai Drappa!" His deep voice spoke the greeting cheerfully as the corners of Akeela's lips turned up in her own sort of 'hello'. She analyzed the wolf in front of her; every inch, every scar. She did it discreetly, in a way that didn't cause her to attract attention to herself. But she knew she could remember his face if she happened to see him again. He proceeded to ask where he was, which caused Akeela to chuckle in amusement. The she-wolf opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by the loud noise given off from some large object's collision with the ground. The sound was so loud that it seemed almost as if it rattled Akeela's brains. She could feel the vibrations in her paws, shaking her down to the core.

It left her paralyzed for a moment; she could hear no sound, only look on in astonishment as an approximately 6 foot tall creature, which closely resembled a coyote, stared back at her. Akeela blinked. Once, twice. He was still there. She ruled out the fact that it was a problem with her sight or perhaps her imagination. The she-wolf glanced at the male who had approached her a moment ago, only to notice another wolf. There was an apple placed in front of Akeela, as well as the male. It immediately registered in her mind that the she-wolf who'd offered her the apple must be this male's sister. Then she remembered his earlier question, the one that had been cut off by the head-poundingly loud impact. "By the way... We're in... Koto Shoku..."

This strange creature's arrival threw Akeela all out of proportion. She continued to stare at it, as it continued to stare at them. After a moment, she cleared her throat and raised her head into the position it had been in before. She pulled another smile, somehow, before forcing the word out of her mouth in that silky voice of hers, "Hello?"

[Midnight]

((To akeela:
...you're good. Very good. ))

[cptkickercutleg]

(( I concur. As much as I'd love to have your talent for the typed word, I can never seem to grasp it when I truly wish. ))

As Graal smiles at the loner, a fey grin crossing his face as the sphere's crash echoes around them.
"Do your ears hurt?" he asks, shaking his own head, his own ears were ringing but...
"Sounds like a human gunpowder charge nearby, did you see any around? Ah well, they shouldn't bother Vulfs such as us." he continues, nodding.

At the sound of a subtle rustle to his left, he turns away from Akeela, smiling wider, "There you are!" he exclaims,
"Didn't I say not to wonder off?" he thinks, aiming his thoughts crudely towards Midnight, then takes the apple offered, nodding politely towards both of the females.
"Thank you sister, you always have a knack for finding the best fruit, I should take you hunting with me more often!" , he growls playfully, then looks up at Akeela again,
"I apologize, you said Koto Shoku? Thank you, Drappa, may I ask your name? It is not often I find another Vulf of similar age and predicament."

[Oki]

Rubbing the side of his head, he was curious if the few that he spotted were natives or not. Well, only one way to find out, he supposed. As he started to make his way over to them, he noticed one of them spotted him in return and another appeared. It made him chuckle. His entrance was a little extravagant and everyone in the vicinity were probably wondering what just hit the island. Still a little sore, Kovu neared the group of three and saw them trying to focus on his arrival and between each other.

A voice came to him and it asked a 'Hello' and it snapped his attention quickly to answer. However, his voice hesitated and didn't respond right away.The three of them all seemed confused and bewildered as he filled the gap between them til they were roughly 5 meters apart. He saw them conversing amongst themselves, but he couldn't make out what they were talking about. Left hazel eye looking over them, they didn't seem like too much of a threat so he stood casually, "...Any of you three know what island this is?..."

Kovu was a little wary about the three and was tired from his previous fight that sent him flying out this way. His main concern was finding out where he was and resting up to continue his journey. By this time, he knew all three of them were gawking at how different he looked and probably his facial appearance. Personally he didn't mind, just when anyone asked, especially when a wolf did, he emphasized more on the origin of the scar and injury. [/size]

[Midnight]

Midnight flinched at the mental barb. She was in some serious crap. "Hi." she mumbled the greeting toward the two others. She was curious about the male who should have been dead, but she kept quiet. She thought one or both would have pity on her. Maybe.

[Akeela]

[Thank you! I've been role-playing for years already, I think 5 years? It took a long time to get where I am. ^^ But, also, I'm so sorry it took me so long to reply! I didn't think I would be gone this long, but like my friends always say, "Shit happens". (:]

Akeela, still gawking at this strange creature, barely heard the male wolf's question. When the droning noise of his voice became audible words, she suddenly tuned in; as if all her senses were heightened. She didn't know whether to attack this coyote-like animal or if he came in good nature. For the moment, though, she replied to the male. "Yes, in fact... Though I don't think it was human gun power... Look," Akeela subtly jerked her head to the side, where the creature was standing. Her tail flicked. Once, twice, three times. It was obvious to those who were paying close attention to her body language that she was bothered by this mental confusion. But she said nothing, gave away no facial expression. She simply kept her tainted malachite smile, her emerald eyes glinting in the sunset's light.

Then, the male spoke again. He asked for Akeela's name, but it took her a moment to register his words. When she did though, her shining eyes blinked in acknowledgment. "I am known by the name of Akeela," she replied in an almost sing-song voice. It danced around the other wolf's ears, as if it had come to life, as if it had a mind of it's own. Her head was raised once more, as if she were proud of announcing her name. She had no fear or anxiety, only confusion at the obviously new situation.

Akeela looked at the coyote anthro with an interested expression as he asked what island he was on. "Like I said, we're on Koto Shoku. It's a lovely little island, isn't it?" Akeela spoke as if she had been in a predicament such as this before with a relaxed, soft tone of voice. She refused to betray her undetectable, true emotions. It was in her nature. She did not show weakness of any kind and, even if she were dying, she would remain true to herself.

The she-wolf glanced at all of them, one at a time. First, Midnight. She could smell the fear radiating off of her without raising her head and taking a big whiff. It made her smirk a bit, a mischievous sparkle in her emerald eyes. Then, Graal. Her expression remained, a simple smirk. Though she had no prominent thoughts of the male, he interested her. He was special in his own little way. Then, at the anthro. Her interest heightened, her smile grew. "What about yourselves? What names are you all known by?"

[cptkickercutleg]

Graal starts at the sound of a voice behind him, the smell of burning trees and earth wafting over him accompanying the tone.
"Surely I am not being surrounded!?"
He glances towards the malachite smile of Akeela, his fur shifting imperceptibly as a shiver runs down his spine.
"She's just like how I was... She refuses to show emotion..."
At her suggestion, he moves to shield Midnight from the anthro as he turns.
What he sees, relaxes him some, his fur laying back where it had previously stood.
From her tone, he could tell Akeela had never seen anything like Kovu, and so they could not be allies, Graal, however, had.
"Es kin o Vulfen, nort Varg." he mutters, turning back to Akeela with a small nod to Kovu.
"Say hello to the nice Drappa, Midnight, you've not done enough to warrant punishment yet, just don't run off like that in unknown territories, okay?" he whispers, trying to calm the tiny pup. He turns back to Akeela's fake smile, a content grin of his own spread across his grey-speckled muzzle.
Her name floats through his head, a whisper of forbidden memories, locked away deep inside his mind. His smile falters and he chases the fleeing thought, left only with the knowledge that he couldn't remember... Something...
He shakes his head, smile returning with little effort as he glances towards Midnight.
Who am I kidding, I don't want to remember, there is a good reason I hade from my old self." he thinks to himself, attempting to close his mind to Midnight's awareness, "Those thoughts are not meant for anyone, especially a pup..."
"I apologise for my rudeness, I am Graal, from all that is left of the Otonami. This is Midnight, my little sister and one of my ownly friends." he proudly proclaims, lifting his head.
"Lone Vulf survivor from the burning of the Otonami, teacher and student of life lessons. It is a pleasure to meet you Akeela."

(( Finally finished the post ^_^ ))

[Oki]

Massaging his temples a little, Kovu's headache was receding and he lowered his paw that was holding onto the side of his head. Looking down at himself, he found that he was a bit dirty. Well, that really isn't a surprise to him, though his instinct was to always brush himself clean at least some. So, brushing off his shoulders and chest some, dust and dirt puffed and escaped his fur. Turning his attention away from himself, Kovu crossed his arms over his chest.

Koto Shoku, hm? He wondered if it meant anything and what. As Akeela mentioned that it was a 'lovely little island', Kovu looked around. It was. He couldn't see much from where he was standing, but from what he could remember when he was falling from the sky, the island was vast with a variety of different landscapes. Though, even with his ability, he couldn't sense the Earth beyond 50 meters of himself. So, he couldn't tell from where he was standing, what the Earth looked like beyond the barrier of trees just off the shore. "Now that you say it, I can't deny that it is", Kovu responded to Akeela. He spoke in a knowing tone, feeling that now she made him think about it, the island, from what he could feel directly, was beautiful in its own ways. On the edges of his limits, he could feel very fertile soil, a soil that could support boundless plant life.

Though, pulling his focus back onto the three, he could feel vibes of fear from the small female through the Earth. Studying the other two, he couldn't feel much of their vibrations, so he couldn't tell if they weren't giving off any or they trained themselves well to not give off any. At least he knew to some extent that they weren't angry or hostile.

After Akeela gave her name, the older looking male spoke up next, giving his name and Midnights. Though, they didn't look related. He had a thick accent, nothing that he heard of before; probably a native tongue. Also, Graal seemed to have bountiful experience and knowledge.

Tired of standing, Kovu lowered himself down and crossed his legs. Short tail pulling around one of his sides, his arms draped over his thighs, paws in his lap. Bringing them together, all of his claw tips touched and he looked up at the three, all of them around eye level now. "I am Kovu", he smiled, "Although, I am not a survivor from my pack, the Kusamoeru, I am searching for someone...someone I cannot forgive..." His face became very solemn at the end of his statement. Leaving it at that, he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, opening them back at up with a smile, "So are you three from around here?"

[Midnight]

"Ok." Midnight replied glumly to Graal. She noticed the other two studying her, and so she sat still. All thoughts of that were gone when she noticed Graal hiding something from her. She frowned, and mentally poked his consciousness sharply. That conversation wasn't over.
Midnight giggled when Kovu crossed his arms. "You look funny like that."
She was small cute, and just downright irresistible. He wasn't the first anthro she had seen, but just the way he did it that was amusing to her. She cast out her mind like a blanket around all of them, trying to impress them that one so little and young could posses that kind of power.

[Akeela]

Akeela lowered her backside down to the ground as her unusually long tail came to wrap around her legs and rest upon her paws. It twitched every-so-often as she analyzed the three around her. Two of them looked harmless, but the anthro was extremely imposing. Perhaps it was his size. Yes, that's it. It was his size. Akeela nodded slightly to herself as her ears swiveled to attention and she listened to the other's dialect.

The gray male who had approached her first introduced himself as Graal. A nice name, Akeela thought. He introduced his little sister as well, calling her one of his only friends. Her malachite irises flicked between the two. They certainly didn't look related, but then again... Akeela and her siblings didn't look like each other at all... Well, when they were alive. Now it didn't matter. They had moved on into the life beyond this one and Akeela had been present when both of them passed. Her jaw clenched slightly at the memory, though her face betrayed no emotion.

"A pleasure," Akeela dipped her head respectfully at Graal, a smile painted onto her delicate features. Then, the anthro spoke. He referred to Akeela's earlier observation that the island was lovely; he agreed. Akeela smirked as she watched him sit down and become at eye-level with the wolves. Well, Graal, at least. Akeela was a bit small for her age and Midnight was still young, not yet at her full height.

As Akeela gazed at the coyote-like creature, he asked if they were from around here. Again, the dreaded question. It was one that Akeela avoided, usually giving some vague answer that didn't have anything to do with where she was truly born. "Well, I can't really say where I'm from. I'm a wanderer, I've been everywhere I can go. Perhaps that's the correct answer, everywhere is my home." The she-wolf smiled her tainted grin as she flicked her tail uncomfortably. Then, she noticed Midnight. The feeling that settled over her was strange, but it was definitely coming from the pup. Magic, perhaps? Akeela gave a puzzled look at the pup, her eyes lighting up in curiosity.

[cptkickercutleg]

With a small smile, Graal respectfully nods back at Akeela as he too, sits, watching her vibrant verdant eyes dance between him and Midnight, but his left eye twitches at the sharp mental poke that the smaller wolf send shis way.
"So she noticed. Well, it must be among the most obvious of observations, truth be told, as for Akeela, that conclusion is inevitable."
"No, we are not Pack by blood, but Kerl who found one another and..."
(( "Kerl" means loner, whereas Pack literally means family in his tongue, regardless of blood ties ))
he looks at Midnight, a feeling of love and adoration flooding his mind, "Well, the rest is history, really... It seems that all of we here, are Kerl. Such a meeting would cause my old Alpha Dragga to worry, but if another were to see us all here, they may have thought us a true Pack, Midnight the pup, Akeela the Drappa, and Kovu as the-" he stops, grinning at the anthro. "Well, it depends. Voh es Vulf-kin, nort Vulf, sort voh es Beta nort Dragga." he finishes with a grin, gauging the jackle's reaction.