Hope at last

[danarisky]

Torikkusuta was hungry. And angry. And tired. In short he was not in a very good mood when he heard the strangers. He wasn't supposed to be here, and would rather be away before nightfall, but his curiosity was sparked. He growled, to give the strangers warning.

Torik just happened to glance up, to see a dark shape block the sky. He realized it was one of the strangers. Well, he thought, I can deal with flying-types. He focused on the other stranger instead. He bounded out, strides carefully judged, and stopped right in front of the stranger.

"Hello" he said.

[Jayie]

Streak looked cooly at the stranger who had stopped in front of her. She forced herself to stand her ground, trying not to show how weak she was. She looked over the strange creature, with his wings and his scars. She held her tail moderatly high, showing that she wasn't afraid of him and wasn't about to submit, but she wasn't about to pick a fight. She replied cooly, "Greetings. Who are you?" She tried not to show the fear in her heart; not fear for herself, but fear for Zeusia, whom this rouge could easily kill, and Tenshi, who had become her friend. All she could do was be brave and if it came to a fight, do the best she could.
Zeusia watched from a small hole in the bark, several yards away. He was interested in the winged wolf, but he could see that Auntie Streak didn't like him very much. He wanted to help, but Auntie Streak had told him to stay...

[danarisky]

Torik smirked. he could see that his appearance was bothering her, but she was tough enough to not let it show. Well, he thought, I'm good at reading these things.

Tenshi panicked when she saw the stranger run towards Streak. She was angry at him, but it wouldn't be wise to pick a fight with him standing in front of Streak. Instead she contented herself with drawing his attention away from her.
"Hey, who are you?" she said loudly, trying to sound friendly.

Torik replied smoothly, attention not leaving the wolf he had run up to.
"Call me Torik, friends." he said smugly. "and may I ask the same of you, my dear" he said, directly to the wolf in front of him, "and that of your friend, who appears to be trying to distract me. Well, truth be told, you could do a lot better than that." he said, this time to the other wolf. However, he noted that she had four tails. He stood full height, wings raised slightly.

[Jayie]

Streak kept her body completly still, her tail still held high, her blue eyes calm and a little defiant. She noticed Torik looking at Tenshi and drawing himself up a bit, and frowned. She didn't want this stranger and Tenshi to get into a fight on her account. She told him curtly, "My name is Streak." She would let Tenshi introduce herself if she wished; she didn't want to tell him Tenshi's name if she didn't want him to know it. "May I ask what brings you here?" A sudden thought had occured to her. Maybe this wolf knew where the pack in this area was to be found. Maybe he could lead her there. But at the same time, she was loathe to leave Tenshi, her first friend since running away, and she didn't trust the male, who's scars spoke of his many battles, which, from the arrogance in his eyes, were probably started by him.

[danarisky]

Tenshi looked on, not sure what to do. She felt helpless, but she tried to appear unaffected. "I am Tenshi" she said, staring at the stranger. "And I too am wondering why you are here."

Torik smiled. "Hello, Streak and Tenshi, I am Torikkusuta, but you can call me Torik." he said. He was actually quite impressed with Streak, as he knew other wolves had not reacted so confidently and calmly.
"Oh, and why I am here. Well, I was just passing through. And I saw you two hunting. I must say, Some interesting techniques. "
His arrogance was clear, but he knew his weakest traits, and made sure he was careful with them.

[Jayie]

Streak dipped her head slightly. "Thank you." She said, allowing her voice to soften slightly. "Tenshi came up with the idea." She studied the winged wolf curiously. What sort of life had he led? What sort of wolf was he? She had seen the defensivness when he'd seen Tenshi, she could see the arrogance in his eyes, but what more was there to this wolf? She always wondered at the stories of those she met, no matter how little she liked or trusted them. She continued, "Do you know where the pack in this area lives, might I ask?" She gave Tenshi a quick smile, so as to reassure her only friend that she would not abandon her on the word of this rouge.

[danarisky]

"No, I'm afraid I do not, I did say I was just passing through." Torik said, trying to sound genuinely sorry for her. He flapped his wings gently, sending a little breeze of air through the trees.

Tenshi came even closer, softly walking. She returned the smile, saying that she would not leave her alone with this rogue.
"Are you sure?" she asked, concerned for Streak. "I'm sure that even if you were just passing through, you would make sure the pack is not hostile, or nearby."

Torik rounded on Tenshi. "Of course I'm sure" he snarled. He did not liked to be questioned, especially not by another loner like him. However, he did not attack. "If you really want to know where the pack is, bring their attention to you. I just wouldn't want to be here when you did."

Tenshi hoped that this brief lack of attention would enable Streak to move away. She gave Torik an angry look, making sure his attention was on her.

[umbre0lupus]

Chiyu had noticed the scent of the strangers from a good distance away. She crept toward them as quietly as she could, her charcoal grey pelt blending into the shadows; the silver streaks in her fur, however, were far less subtle. She reached the three outsider wolves, two of which had wings, but she could smell a fourth; she decided to watch them cautiously from behind the shelter of the underbrush.

The winged male was snarling and seemed like he might attack the others...two females and a pup. One of the females was pregnant, Chiyu discerned from her overall lackluster appearance and slightly distended abdomen.

"If you really want to know where the pack is, bring their attention to you. I just wouldn't want to be here when you did." Well, they certainly had part of the pack's attention now.

"Excuse me," she said meekly as she stepped out of the brush. In her one year of life thus far, she had gained little experience and was still having a hard time conversing with those older than she. However, her voice quickly gained confidence as she remembered this was her home now, and she the representative of her pack at the moment. "We of the Shinkou pack are not hostile, if that's what you wanted to know." Chiyu hoped she had done right in interfering with these outsiders, but the Shinkou had welcomed her in when she was a lone wolf, hadn't they? Besides, there was tension rising among these three, and that was the last thing the pack needed in their territory, in order to maintain an environment of peace.

[Jayie]

Streak turned to face the stranger, ears pricked fully and eyes full of hope. "The Shinkou pack?" This wolf in front of her could be her best chance of surviving. "Do you think they would let us join?" She asked hopefully. She regretted that she would have to part company with Tenshi so soon, but for Zeusia's sake, and for the sake of her unborn pups, she would do it.
Zeusia watched from the tree in which he still hid. Auntie Streak had been glaring at the one winged wolf before, but now she looked happy. He relaxed a bit, allowing his tail to wag a little.

[umbre0lupus]

The pregnant female turned towards her. "Do you think they would let us join?" Eyes filled with hope, this female must have been desperate to find safety, Chiyu thought. Her silver streaks glittered for a split second as her magic pulsed within her. This was a wound no magic could heal, but maybe magic wasn't needed: this was a wound of the heart.

"The pack welcomes all who are in need. I came here not long ago myself. And as far as your young ones are concerned, Shinkou is one of the safest regions in the land, and we have plenty of mori--that's what we call babysitters--to take care of them as well. And I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is Chiyu." She bowed her head low, tail between her legs, since she was the youngest of the adults present.

Chiyu found she rather liked this mother wolf. Maybe it was the hope in her eyes, or the fact that she was pregnant and needed to be cared for--just what a real esun would do, Chiyu thought to herself. The young healer could already imagine helping bring the female's new pups into the world, feeling the joy well up inside her from being of assistance.

Chiyu sniffed the air, reminded of the fourth wolf that was somewhere hidden...a male pup, by the smell. Maybe he would be somewhat close to her age; she so often times still felt like a pup herself. "Isn't there another with you? It's safe for him to come out. Well," she said, darting a glance at the winged male in front of them, "I can't speak for everyone here. But I can speak on behalf of my pack." A shot of pride raced through Chiyu, as she found herself in such a position of importance at this time.

[Jayie]

Streak stiffened at the mention of Zeusia, her gaze flitting to the agressive Torik. "Very well." She said, narrowing her eyes at Torik to show that in order to hurt Zeusia, he would first have to get through her. She turned to face the pup, calling out, "You can come out now, Zeusia."
The pup saw Auntie Streak call out to him. He poked his head out of the tree, then ran through the air towards her. He stopped at her side, looking nervously at the big winged wolf.
Streak said plainly to Chiyu, "I am Streak, and this is my nephew Zeusia. We wish to join Shinkou, if your leader will accept us." She gave Tenshi a sad smile, then turned back to Chiyu. "If you would take me to your leader, I would be much obliged." She drew Zeusia closer to her with her tail, suddenly feeling vulnerable with so many wolves around.

[danarisky]

Torik whirled around at the sight of the new wolf. He snarled backing away. There were three other wolves now, four including the little pup. His chances in a fight were dropping fast now. He took off, wings outlined against the sky.


Tenshi smiled joyfully
"Streak, you have found a pack!" she said excitedly. She was really happy for her friend. However she realized that this might mean that she wouldn't see them again unless she joined too.

She stayed quiet, joy gone from her face.

"I'll just..." she mumbled.

[Jayie]

Streak felt a rush of relief as Torik flew away. She felt as though if he'd come across Zeus on his own, he would have hurt or even killed him. She turned and saw the sadness in Tenshi's eyes as she said, "I'll just..."
The dark gray wolf asked quietly, "Do you want to join Shinkou with me?" She knew her friend would probably answer no, but it was worth a try.
Zeusia looked up at the wing-less wolf, Chiyu, shyly. She smelled of a lot of wolves, and he wasn't used to that. He and Auntie Streak had been alone since... He shuddered, not wanting to think about his old pack. About his father dying in front of him.

[danarisky]

Tenshi frowned out of puzzlement, "I don't know. Perhaps, but I just don't know how to act in a pack." she said quietly. She hadn't really thought about it much up until now. She looked up.

"Perhaps my time as a loner is up. I'll see how this works out, but I shall do so with others." she said, brightening up.

She was relieved when Torik flew off, but she was still cautious of the pack wolf in front of her. She hadn't any clew as to what to expect.

[Jayie]

Streak smiled at her friend. "I grew up as a loner, lived in a pack for maybe a year, and have been pratically alone in the two moons since then. I'll probably be as bad off as you. We can get used to it together." She was glad that her friend had decided to join Shinkou with her; now she would have someone there to talk to, someone who could be her friend through the hard stage of being accepted by a new pack.