**FORUM PLOT** The Spark of Panic

[kaalo]

Kaalo stared across the lake noting the disconcerting nature of the silence in the air. It was cliche to even think it, but it was far too quiet for comfort. Clearly all the birds and other woodland critters had sensed the unrest as of late. The battle had begun in the distance but Shinkou had taken to the air to charge the Giaku lines. It was only a matter of time before the ranks of Giaku found their way back to Akeru and Ookami homelands. Kaalo hadn't fought formally since his encounter with Habble several months previously. Mizu was so often a heartland of activity for Akeru. Surely there were dozens of civilians scattered throughout the area that were at risk. He lifted his muzzle to the ominous sky and launched a low howl of warning. It was the soul manner of alerting the area of the possible oncoming danger...

Maybe this was why he had volunteered to stay back and defend the homelands. Panic... it was welling up within him and he knew he was more frightened than either Zydeko or Novawing and this bothered him. Perhaps it was the unbearable waiting that was getting to him.

The long uneasiness the silence brought.

The calm before the storm.

The snap of the first twig that would signal a gnashing of teeth unlike any this land had seen for years on end...

Kaalo turned slowly to face the intrusion... If the time to defend Akeru had come, he welcomed it with a fast heartbeat and barred teeth...

[Felypsa]

They had hoped to avoid this.

Zahevan stood waiting as the world held its breath. When the news had come of Giaku’s plans to invade, the higher-ups had reacted quickly and carefully. They would not be caught off guard, as Giaku had hoped they would be. They had divvied up their ranks into three: the defense, which would stay in the main lands and protect them in case Giaku forced their way throug; the offense, which would march to Giaku’s entrance and challenge them directly; and the air raid, which would hopefully catch Giaku by surprise.

Since his mother, the alpha Novawing, was with the offense, Zahevan had promised to stay behind. Especially since he had to look after his younger siblings. His twin brother was around here too. As for his father, Zydeko…that was actually a mystery. It had made sense to keep the positions of the alphas a secret, so that it eliminated the possibility of Giaku finding out. But it was nervewracking for his son not to know what Deko’s role in all of this was yet.

He couldn’t think about that now. He stood near the beta, his cousin or something by mating, Kaalo. A sturdy fellow, if Zahevan could judge, but he had not seen him in battle. They would hold. They would have to.

His ears twitched, then. Something was coming.

The first demon, a rabid-looking, bony thing, had reached the borders and Zahevan, with a roar, rushed out to engage it. He took it down with ease, but that was just the beginning Straightening up from the body, he peered outward. And he saw what was headed their way.

The battle—the whole conflict, the chaos that had taken place in the wastelands—was coming here. To Mizu. To home.

Well, damn.

[sparkwolf]

Casmir was unsure if he was even supposed to be here.
He was blind, and had never fought a true battle before in his life. But he was determined to defend his home alongside his packmates and his Beta. He was afraid, but at the same time he was not. Like most everyone, Casmir did not want to die, but he was willing to lay down his life if need be.
He could feel his heart begin to beat faster. He was shocked to find that he was excited for this battle.
Slowly and silently, Casmir wound his way up to Beta Kaalo. He twitched his ears nervously and turned his eyes upon the higher-ranking wolf.
The question hung clearly on his face: "Is it okay for me to be here?"

[Aveilthé]

"Defend Akeru!" Raven shouted, her voice loud above the din. The wolves at her back rushed forth in an attempt to drive off the demons, but it would prove a hard task to accomplish. Meanwhile, Raven bound hither and thither, leaping over fallen, burning trees. She found Kaalo, and as she made a mad dash toward him, she told him: "Shinkou is with you! We shall fight and defend!"

Raven turned thus, and with an angry howl, her fur began to sizzle with energy. A cloud began to swirl, and thunder began to quake inside it. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed into a few demons, but Raven did not stop to see the effect she had upon them. Summoning another bolt, it came down upon more demons. She kept at this until Raven slumped to her stomach, exhausted. She needed a serious boost of healing energy, but in her state, was unable to call for help. Would she be fortunate for someone to notice her and heal her tired body?

Mimei, the young daughter of Shinkou betas Raven and Goth, had appeared from the cavernous hole that was the hideout of she and her siblings. Though she heard cries of protest behind her, she knew she had already made up her mind.

"I can't stand just sitting here knowing that Mama and Daddy and the rest of our family fight. I wanna help too! I'll be back soon, I promise!" she told them all, and began marching forth to the battle of the allies against demons.

Mimei harbored a pelt of dark grey with faint speckles of silver that glistened in the light. Following behind her were two fluffy tails that swayed in unison as she picked up speed, feeling her heart burst with newfound courage. She knew she was doing the right thing, for better or worse. It was infuriating to sit there and do nothing... it was in her blood to fight, too.

Demons were running in a group towards a vicious fight, she saw. Pale blue eyes stared, shocked to see puddles of blood and severed limbs scattered about. This was no place for her. But... she had to fight...

Proudly did Dirge charge, her body glowing a pearly color. Head lowered, her horns met with Shinkou flesh. When she lifted her head again, she saw a wolf scramble away from the fray. Snarling, Dirge wildly ran after it, and with a mighty pounce, ended the life of an innocent Shinkou bystander, merely trying to find his family in the midst of chaos. Had she realized this, perhaps she would have held back her blood-soaked teeth.

[Kiroro {D.evil's A.dvocate}]

Rook marched forth, his army behind him. His large paws hitting the ground with an eager thud. Hordes of demons preceded him, the firsts beginning to tear away at their enemies. A small grin crept across his face, pleased with his remaining army. They had lost some numbers at the wasteland, but they were still numerous.

Behind him, his followers howled in delight. The first stench of blood had began to cling to the air around them, blanketing them in familiarity. They were hungry and restless. Before long, they would be fed.

As they pressed forward, Rook spied flashes of lightening. His mouth began to water. The same fae that had attacked him at the wastelands had fallen back to her home. He knew she'd want his throat. It was only a matter of time before round two began.

A large explosion from ahead sent ash and underbrush flying, the burning smell colliding with the scent of blood.

"It's almost like home."

The General took a moment to reflect, his nose twitching. He paused his steps to look around him, and took in the sight of his army as they swarmed around him. They were close now. The second wave was most likely colliding with Akeru and Shinkou forces by now, and the sounds of battle grew louder by the second.

He shuddered with a macabre sort of excitement, and spread his massive wings. Closing his eyes, he titled his head back and unleashed a loud, ominous howl. In response, his horde screamed in delight.

"Press forward, my brethren! Show them no mercy!"

Again, screams erupted. They were growing restless now, pressed forward with haste. Each wanted his own trophy, his own claim to fame. They had a thirst for blood and a hunger for chaos.

Who dared challenge them?

[kaalo]

Kaalo looked at those around him. He did not recognize most of them, but he knew quite a few names just out of pack knowledge. It was his duty of sorts to be a leader in times of crisis. Times like right now... There was the one called Zehaven, son of the alphas. He was young and definitely a valuble asset to their hopes of remaining solid through this conflict. His eyes passed over a few other strangers before seeing an unexpected figure. Raven of Shinkou. She looked ready to explode and that was exactly the rage they needed... full confidence, no fear...

It was then that a timid creature approached that he did not know well. Casmir...

"My brother, this is a trying time for us all. Only the strong will survive and now more than ever the weak must be hidden away. Pick which you are and if it be near myself, fight harder than you've ever fought before." Kaalo then lifted his head to the rest of the crowd around him (this was no army)... "My brothers and sisters! This is Akeru's stand! Evil has no place here, AND WE SHALL MAKE IT SO!!!"

It was then that Raven called, voicing Shinkou's alliance, something this war had counted on from the beginning. Hell broke loose and the battle had begun...

Kaalo looked to Zehaven as the demon neared them. The younger warrior took the wirey creature down with ease, but while Kaalo watched this, he was distracted by the much larger problem that followed. A horde of horns, claws and fangs broke the treeline, charging through the snow as if it were not there. Kaalo broke to the right, hoping Zehaven had enough foresight to cut left. Divide and conquer was their only option.

Kaalo was running perpendicular to the enemy lines when they reached him. He was swept up in the fury and began to slam into demons where he could. He stomped the weaker ones to the frozen ground beneath his paws. He saw now that the toll on their own ranks was severe already. This charge was too fast, too sudden. He watched, Dirge, a savage horned beast from Giaku, cut through some of the less battle-tested of his brethren, pausing briefly to note the cruelty of her actions. It was then that he charged toward her. Any common wolf could easily take down one of the lesser demons, it was the pack members that provided the most threat. He barrelled into the horned creature sidelong and skidded to a halt to face the evil-doer.

"Not now, you insane fool of a beast. It is no right of yours to be here!"

[Felypsa]

The onslaught of enemy soldiers rushed at them at once. Zahevan stood his ground, pouncing on the demons as soon as they passed by, dodging left as he sunk his teeth into one enemy’s neck. But soon he was lost in the chaos, rolling around and around, his claws dipping into so much fur and flesh and coming up bloody that he knew not where he was. Let alone where the rest of his family was…where was his mother, his father, his twin? Where were Akeru’s alphas?

Caught in the middle of everything, Novawing ordered some of her healers to stay behind in the wastelands. Heart in her mouth, she began to run back toward Mizu, where she could be better used. If only the stars would reach her—she could help with her magic. Her sister, Echo, lingered behind: she would calm the dying souls while those who could be healed would be. Hopefully they could salvage as many soldiers as they could. They were going to need every breath, every tooth.

Luckily, with the wave of enemies came also the wave of saviors. Keroberos came barrelling back to the mainlands. If only he had use of his wings, he would be so much faster! But he made do with what he had. His dark gaze sought out Giaku’s general who was present: Rook. He had lost track of the zombie-raising Zerxes in the fray. But he found Rook and he knew his target now. The Mutatio gave a mighty roar, a bellow that would match the greatest of lions of the savannah. With a glint in his eye, the massive wolf pounded toward that general, the wind at his back, sharp breezes like tiny claws shooting toward Rook’s eyes. They would only be precursors of the duel about to take place…if Kero could help take down the general, it would not take long for the minions to fall…

[Kiroro {D.evil's A.dvocate}]

Rook spotted Keroberos just in time, and flung forth his wings as a shield. He called forth his cursed magic and with it, his teeth and claws hardened. The tips of his wings also formed into razor-like edges, very capable of slicing.

Rook could feel his mouth watering hungrily, more intense by the moment. Keroberos was a massive wolf, but size meant nothing to the Giaku General. He had learned that the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

He braced himself, the winds ripping at his wings. It hurt, but he was fine. As soon at the clawing subsided, he spread his wings swiftly and unleashed a howl that sounded more like a roar, a bit of saliva flying to the ground. He felt tense, and hungry. Hungry for power. Hungry for the accomplishment of destroying Akeru.

[Felypsa]

The general he was charging seemed to change, the closer Kero got. Becoming harder, more rigid, sharper even…the wind whispered a warning in his ear as he watched his preliminary attacks pass by his opponent’s wings without much harm. Not a big deal. Kero was a better hand-to-hand fighter. His magic was only supplementary. But when he defeated his greatest foes in the past, the Lion of Akunikai, and his brother Yueh himself, Kero had been only himself. Granted, he hadn’t had the disadvantage of wounded wings, but he was still confident. Determined.

Rook let out a bellow that seemed to tear through the land, razor-sharp and cruel. Kero’s eyes narrowed. Taking a cue from the general, Keroberos brought his wings over himself, a kind of shield since they were useless already—a split second before he rammed into the general, full-speed, full-strength. It was like running into a small mountain, and Kero thought felt sharp edges sink into his wings, bringing forth blood, but none if that mattered. No matter what happened, he pulled back with a howl of his own, ready to do some damange and fight this duel.

[Jayie]

A lone figure stood several feet away from the battle, her bi-colored eyes scanning the chaos and bloodshed. The wolfdog's name was Mysteria, and she had been alone for as long as she could remember. She'd lost her mother very early in life, and she'd never had another companion with her since that. Her heart yearned to be part of a family. That's why she was here, in the territory of the Akeru pack. She had been watching and listening for a while, and she had learned from some of the rogues in the area that the two allied packs, Shinkou and Akeru, were just and fair, unlike their dark-hearted neighbors, the Giaku packs. She had decided after some thought to try and join Akeru.
And now here she was, watching her potential packmates getting torn to pieces. One part of her mind was telling her that maybe it was best to remain a loner, to stay alone, where it was safer, where no one expected anything of you, and you weren't asked to risk your life. But she'd been lonely for too long. If she died in battle today, it would be better then more years of loneliness. Even though she hadn't been accepted yet, even though she'd never spoken to anyone in the pack before, she felt a tug of loyalty to the Akeru pack. They were a family, despite its imense size, and they deserved to live, just like anyone else.
Without warning, Mysteria raced towards the battle, her eyes flashing dangerously. She hurled herself into the side of a Giaku demon, knocking it onto it's side. It got to it's feet, and the two creatures fought for a bit, before a few quick jabs from Mysteria sent it running. She grinned, her pelt ruffled and a few cuts on her, but nothing serious yet, and waited for the next enemy to attack. Come and get me, she thought. Today, I fight for Akeru.

[Niphanos]

The twins looked out on the battle below. As Ietgarm watched Kaalo and Zehaven, he began seeing their strategy. He nudged his brother, Helgarm, who took the signal, and they both charged down. A demon had noticed them, and working together, darting around, over, and at the demon, they quickly dispatched it. Many find their tactic to be disorienting, and this one was no exception. As they made their way over to where Ietgarm felt they would be most useful, Helgarm was thinking, trying to imagine how he can help with his power, limited though it may be. He slowly began to change, trying to fight even while his bones were reshaping. He became smaller, more compact, and faster. His brother noticed the change and compensated. When he was done changing, he was not only smaller, but his claws and fangs got wicked points. Ietgarm began doing the disorienting while Helgarm was doing the damage. This plan worked well, until some of the smarter demons focused on one of them, since Ietgarm wasn't doing much. Helgarm quickly reverted to his original form before he got hurt more. With a nod from his brother, he went to hide, out of sight while his brother shifted into a winged form and flew up to get another look.

[Mama Z]

((this..thread is pretty dead love. Lol I'd recommend posting elsewhere.))

[Felypsa]

oOc| Yes, unfortunately, any thread marked "Forum Plot" is finished now...