[Udessa]

 
“Oh dear Goddess, bless you for not yet giving us the flies,” she said with slight disdain hinting her words, “And bless you for this gift you’ve bestowed to me, please forgive me my dear Athena, should I show any blasphemy to your bounty.” The urge to succumb to hate and cursing was vivid in her being, but she could not show such disrespect to her goddess. Udessa had prayed for nourishment and Athena had provided. It didn’t matter if the feast that the goddess had provided to her was less the palatable, her prayer was answered, and she must partake to please her goddess.
 
On the grassy plane and before the wolf lay the carcass of a stag, her blazing orange eyes mostly locked to the empty sockets of the animal’s eyes. The last few days had been unseasonably warm, aiding in the rot of the corpse. A smell of the melting flesh sunk deep in her nostrils, but still her stomach rolled its acid over the emptiness that seemed to permeate every bit of her body. This pain trickled to the skin just behind her ribs, her body was searching for any sort of fat reserves to aid in continuing her heart beat. This pain caused her left foreleg to lift her paw ever so slightly from the dry dead grass beneath it and with it a slight wince to her eyes. Being a wayward derelict had not been kind to this wolf, she kept herself alive, but she did not thrive. With the onset of winter came the loss of weight to her already lightweight frame. Fat on her body was nonexistent, it had gotten to the point in which bones had began to become pronounced about her body. Not quite a skeleton yet, but ribs were noticeable, and hips had begun to sink inwards.

Once the cramp lessened its bite she looked back at her blessing. Standing a few feet, the destruction of the scavengers was all around her. Of course, the animals of weak jaws, the crows and buzzards, had gone for the soft belly of the deer. The grass was dark with old blood stains and the other not so pleasant liquids that had burst from the organs, such as the stomach and innards. Along with the scavengers of the sky, there had been the presence of the scavengers of the night. Telltale signs of raccoons and opossum also marred the carcass. The front leg of the deer facing upwards had become dislodged from its joint and pulled off the body, gnawing marks on the leg of the animal as the creature had tugged and fought to free meat from the bone. Then the rear of the animal had also been ripped into. Again, these scavengers of less powerful jaws had to seek the parts of the animal that was most tender.

Not to be entrapped like a fool, Udessa still approached with caution. In no manner did this look like the kill of a wolf pack, it appeared to be an animal that had reached death without the aid of a predator, but still risk dwelled here. For a wolf the smell omitted by the stag was not alluring in the least, well at least to a well-fed pack wolf there should be no desire to seek out where the scent began from. With eyes and ears still alert to her surroundings she drew close enough to have her muzzle grazing the fur of the deceased. Pungent rot filled her senses more heavily, almost drawing her eyes to water, she drew back, eyes turning upwards and closing. A deep breath was drawn into her chest, choking her into a cough as she did so. She was giving her whole being to try to focus herself on mediating on Athena. Trying so hard to bring out the courage to eat what was laying before her.

A paw lifted from below her and extended to the hindquarter, slightly firm pressure was given, and slowly her foot slid down the hip to the knee. As it slid, so did the detaching fur, her stomach churned as the greasy hair stacked in front of her toes and creeped between her paw pads. She allowed her paw to hit the ground hard and she leaned all her weight upon in. Still she could not bring herself to place fang upon it.

[Necros]

"When looking back doesn't interest you anymore
Then you're doing something right.
And now I'll do something best for me. "

On this new day a lone wolf had awoken from his restless slumber before the rise of dawn. His mind slow and groggy making him feel as if he had not slept a wink the whole night which, in turn, made him want to curl up into a ball and try to fall back into the bits of slumber he had just lost. Even as he tried he knew that it would be a fruitless endeavor and a waste of a day. So, albeit reluctantly, the dark male slowly crawled towards the opening of his den to start another day; exhaustion making each move he made feel like a struggle. Luckily for the fringe wolf that he had made his home by the long stretch of weathered rock and bone known as 'the wall' which also acted as the entrance to Geminis lowlands. It was a handy location given that it made his trek to their borders less time consuming which in turn allowed him more time to search said borders for hopefuls and possible threats.

The air that greeted his emergence was cold with a bitter bite seeing as the gusts of wind had decided to blow across the land in continuous bursts this day. It was times such as this where he was thankful to have his thick coat bearing his black and brown colorations which promised to chase away the bitter chill that nipped at his nose and brought form to his breaths. The wolf would just have to wait for the suns light to peek over the jagged mountain tops off in the distance before the warmth could be gathered. Until then he would have to bear through the cold as he headed through the opening of the wall and started his patrol. The life of a Ranger was never easy.

Amber eyes scanned the sky for signs of trouble. You were taught early to use the local birds as an indicator of possible danger and just his luck to make out the large silhouettes of buzzards circling something in the distance. Necros narrowed his eyes as a frown marred his features betraying his minds inner workings. There were only a handful of scenarios that could result from following the airborne scavengers but death was always involved somehow and that made the fringe dire tense with unease. Making his way towards the site that had drawn the birds attention the ranger carefully took note on his surroundings. The Gemini pack had not made any kills last night so if there were any signs indicating of such a struggle happening then he knew that it would raise the packs alarm if something had indeed been killed within their borders without their knowledge or permission.  

After what seemed like hours the ranger came within eyesight of the feathered horde and it was no suprise to find them feasting on a corpse but Necros could not make out what the thing had been in life as he was still a fair distance away to make out such details. He had not seen any blood trails or signs of a fight leading to the scene so he had not thought much of any wrong doings of an outside party. Until he saw them. It had been for just a split second before he had ducked down into the golden stalks to avoid detection. Within that time he noticed the figure of a wolf creeping close by the carcass. He didn't know if they had not noticed their scent markers or if they were just that desperate for food but Necros slowly crept towards them hoping that the squalls of the feeding buzzards would cover the sounds of his approach. He couldn't just ignore them they were already flirting with Geminis borders, if they hadn't crossed it already, and by doing so made themselves a possible threat.  Necros would not ignore any threats near his home.

As they peeled off the skin of the decaying carcass the Ranger stood from his position and growled out a warning, "freeze," he ordered, " who are you and what are you doing here!" Now that he could see them clearly he noticed their malnourished frame and he wondered how they could have gotten so thin seeing as they were obviously a full grown adult. This one had a tale to tell and they had Necroses full attention; have no doubts about that.

[Udessa]

Udessa’s stomach still rolled and gurgled uncaring of what her eyes and nose had to endure. With her snout turning toward the overcast sky of winter haze she saw the buzzards still spiraling around the prize they were still unready to let go of. Next to the trees her gazed turned, here more birds preened feathers or locked black empty eyes on her, an occasional hateful squawk was tossed in her direction or toward another bird that interfered with its neighbor’s personal space.

Focusing on these feathery scavengers had led her to laxing her guard. No longer was her head on a swivel, ears perked for incoming steps, or nose searching for new scents on the breeze. Such ignorance would cause her to be found. Moving through the tall, waving grasses was a steadily approaching stranger, "freeze," The words cut through the air and caused her bones to turn to ice. Her eyes shot open widely as she locked her gaze into that of a buzzard’s. " who are you and what are you doing here!" The wolf’s entire body began to shiver, her joints felt weak and her head seemed to drag slowly to face him, like an old rusty gate that dug into the ground as you try to open it.
Near her was a darkly colored male wolf. Fit, healthy, and clearly marred with the scents of a pack. His words replayed in her head repeatedly. They sunk into every brain cell and she still struggled to find an answer. Yes, she knew her name, her heritage, but what was she? What had she become? It was simpler to answer why she was here, her goddess had told her to come here, her body begged for nourishment and this was what she had found.

The deep shivers ceased, she moved her body slightly and cautiously to face him, keeping a paw lifted to her chest and tail tucked. Would she just run? No, she could never escape him in the state in which currently in. “I…..” she croaked. Voice shaky, broken, and unsure. Udessa titled her head down and cleared her throat, the brought her eyes back to his, “I’m Udessa…. But I’m not so sure who I am anymore” she said softly. Breaking his gaze she let her eyes fall to the ground, muzzle following causing her tuft of silky hair to trail into her face.

The wolf of poor body and mind was so broken, so lost. In her short life she only knew loss. Loss of her mother and her birth pack, loss of the empire her sister had tried to rebuild in the memory of their family, and then the new pack and new family she had found. Her eyes burned, in these days of wandering she had been so alone. Scents of other wolves were always faded, and she hadn’t seen another since the day she finally let her faith in Errez die and left the marsh, the only environment she had ever know.
Breathing deeply and slowly she crushed her eyelids closed hard and tired to clear her eyes. She let the air escape slowly through her nostrils as she turned her face up again to continue answering. “The deepest apologies for intruding, I meant no harm. I’m just….” her eyes broke from his as she shamefully looked again at the carcass, [/b]“I’m just hungry,”[/b] her words slid slowly from her lips, almost a whisper, “I… I can… I’ll leave,”, she pipped up louder. The mix bred wolf turned away from the deer and slowly began to walk away. Steps were placed cautiously, head held low, tail tucked, her whole body trying to portray that she was no threat and she wouldn’t, that she couldn’t, cause him or his pack harm.

[Necros]

"When looking back doesn't interest you anymore
Then you're doing something right.
And now I'll do something best for me. "

Necros felt a pang of sympathy stab at his heart as the skeletal huntress slowly turned her terrified gaze onto his looming bulk; she was little more than a fightened child that had gotten caught trying to sneak a meal. Her eyes turned away from his out of shame or embarrassment he was unsure but he highly doubted that she held any pride in what she had become and even less for being seen as she was. Still the ranger wondered how it was that the female had fallen into such a sickly state to begin with and if she really posed any threat at all. In the condition she was now Necros was sure that he could snap her bones like a twig without even trying which made his stomach churn unpleasantly at the thought of doing so. Yes the dark Ranger would proudly fight to defend his pack but he would feel no honor going fang to fang with the shivering lass before him.  She could barely look him in the eye as she tried to find the words to speak and from the sound of her voice it had been a while since she had done so.

“I….I’m Udessa…. But I’m not so sure who I am anymore”

How many strangers had he come across bearing the same loss that Udessa carried? Yet the brown and gold fea before him seemed to have felt hers more significantly than the others. Perhaps depression had caused the wolfess to fall into such a state? Or was her appearance an attempt at self punishment? Was there something in her past she was trying to atone for? The male closed his eyes as his brows knitted together in frustration. Why were all these needless questions flitting through his mind? He needed to focus on the task at hand and find out her reason for being out here and if she was alone or if she had company hiding away. If she was with others they were doing a good job of not getting noticed. He had not smelled any other foreign sents nor had he sighted anything out of place, beyond the corpse and Udessa, in the area; leading him to believe that she was truely alone. A heavy sigh passed through his nose as his eyes opened and focused on the stranger once again. Was it coincidence or irony that the same sigh escaped her before her own gaze met his but, much like her body, the gaze wavered before breaking away causing the ranger to feel another painful stab shoot through him.

“The deepest apologies for intruding, I meant no harm. I’m just…I'm just hungry...I… I can… I’ll leave.”

Silence feel over the ranger as he watched the thin lass hang her head in defeat and walk away from him and Gemini. Was she really just going to roll over and admit defeat so readily? Did she have no desire to ask her own questions or seek something for herself? A strange mix of anger and sadness brewed within his bones as he watched the starving huntress slink away without even so much as a morsel of food. "Is that it," he said over the cries of the buzzards making sure that she could hear him, "are you just going to turn tail and run without even trying to gain something," she might be weak and starving but she was alive and she was here so why wasn't she asking him the questions. "Or maybe you don't think you deserve to ask for anything," he continued, "maybe you don't want to be helped but it's too late for that," rising from his spot the fringe dire approached her once more voice echoing with the authority he had been given, "my name is Necros, Ranger of the Gemini pack, do you seek a place within our family?" Don't be lead by pride nor by pain; let yourself find peace its reaching out for you...you just need to grasp it.  

[Udessa]

"Is that it,"  an ear pivoted to the darkly hued wolf, "are you just going to turn tail and run without even trying to gain something?” Mid stride the female wolf froze, a forepaw raised and the opposite rear paw hovering. His words sunk deeply, and she allowed her paws to sink to the ground as she let these words perforate her mind. will I turn from him and run? she asked herself. The first wolf she had seen in months and she could not hurry herself quicker from his presence. While she had never been a social animal, she had yet to let herself be surrounded by large numbers of others, the presence of a few was much easier for her to deal with, and at this moment it was only one wolf. Surely the presence of only one would not over power her to the point of reclusion.

With paws firmly planted against the golden dead grasses she continued to give him the attention of her ears, "Or maybe you don't think you deserve to ask for anything," no truer words could be uttered from the muzzle of this stranger,  "maybe you don't want to be helped but it's too late for that,"   "my name is Necros, Ranger of the Gemini pack, do you seek a place within our family?" 

With shoulders hunched and face lowered she looked passively up at the wolf that seemed tower over her. Her eyes bubbled with liquid and she searched his face and her own inner self for what she wanted. Udessa recoiled backwards from him for a step, this wolf may not try to be an opposing force, but the dark pelt he bore and those starkly bright and piercing eyes buried in his face struck fear deeply into her core. She felt as if at any moment this wolf would sink teeth into her and without mercy rip her flesh from bone for sport. , ”Ne….Necros, she softly uttered, “Can you offer me sanctuary?” her words soft and heavily laden with hurt. Her soul was so weary and tired and drifting. She could not handle this floating from place to place any longer

[Awina]

Bump @Necros

[Ivaylo]

"And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you
I will show you fear in a handful of dust."

She had been testing her leg that morning, working the muscles that went unused for so long. Slowly but surely her movement was becoming less stiff, less rigid. She could walk for hours a day, and run for a good while before needing to rest and bare the pain. Ivaylo was pushing herself more than usual. She needed something to keep her mind busy. Not thinking at all was better than thinking too much.

But, the day was still young. The pale woman burst through a clump of shrubs, her bad leg clipping on a branch. A wince, followed by a groan, sounded from her as she tried to walk it off. Her head shook, feet pacing. She was fine. She just needed to breathe. Her grouchy moment was soon interrupted by the sound of pawsteps descending into the lowlands beyond. She glanced upwards, panting, and noticed how close she had traveled to Gemini's wall. Perhaps a quick run through the lowlands would be easier on her. But who did she just hear getting the same idea?

Likely one of the many wolves who kept the pack's borders safe. Nevertheless, due to recent events, she felt a strong urge to survey the area in case her medical training were to be called upon. She didn't want to see anyone lose their life before her eyes again.

The healer pupil padded through the wall's opening, pausing for a moment to stretch her toes. Her foreleg was beginning to get sore, but she carried on. Eventually she caught wind of a familiar scent, and one... not so familiar. And another... dear heavens. After a minute of wandering, she came upon a rather bizarre sight. She felt a wave of unease that was slightly diminished at the sight of Necros, but still remained as her eyes locked on to the decaying carcass laying before the stranger's feet. Likely it was a victim to the strange poison that had tainted Gemini's lands, but it looked as though it had gotten sick and maybe starved. Even so, it was plausible that it had been indirectly affected by these strange occurrences. And possibly this new face as well.

She hesitated at first, but her paws brought her next to Necros, staring face to face with the unfortunate soul who had found her way here. She heard something, something about sanctuary. Was this woman in need of a place to call home? Or someone to assist her in her emaciated state?

"You look frail. Are you alone, miss? What happened to you?" It wouldn't be the first time she came across a hungry one, too tired and afraid to return to a stable society. Being lost and surviving on one's own required a certain mentality, to shut off any emotions and act on only inhibitions that ensured she'd withstand another day. That's what it took remain alive. Ivaylo recalled her time as a loner, the vague memories of killing prey but not being able to hunt or feed herself. Her anger was amplified in those days, and only helped her live when she remembered to. She wouldn't wish it upon anyone, save for the most vile of creatures. But she could tell from this wolf's demeanor that this wasn't the case. She wanted to help her, but she needed to know what was going on first.

@Awina Reath asked for someone to help take this acceptance, hope it's alright if I stepped in! And so sorry it took me awhile to get to