Blackfeather Woods so be it (PACK QUEST /DISCOVERY THREAD)

this is a discovery thread for the in 'quests' mentioned weeping meadow. i'd prefer one of the newer members that cicero hasn't met yet :-)

His return to Blackfeather Woods felt strange. After being out in the open, in a light and friendly pack, Cicero felt even darker upon his return to the Woods. This was where he belonged. He felt it in his veins, but he did not want for it. If it were not for Damien, he might have run away, turned tail, forgotten about this dark place. Before what had happened to Potema, he had never given it much thought, but now, the pack felt torn into pieces. Grimnir was what had torn it into pieces, as well as Meldresi -- by leaving the reins in Burke's hands. While he was a competent wolf, in Cicero's eyes he was not their leader. He was not a priest. Burke was just duct tape attempting to hold together a crumbling piece of rock when perhaps, it was simply too late.

Left alone with his thoughts, Cicero explored the southern borders, a part of the Woods he had not often come to, for it had little visitors. He was on his way to the borders when he stumbled upon a meadow. The adolescent could not believe he had never seen this place before; that he had missed it his whole life.

In awe Cicero stared at the tree, amazed by how big it was. Light broke through the foliage above. Had he found a speck of light and hope amidst the dark forest? Cicero turned his head towards the light and stepped into the meadow, allowing the speckled light to fall on his mismatched coat. A smile fell on his face as he trotted towards the tree. He noticed that something was wrong, noticed something was intruding his body... But he did not stop. Did not stop walking towards the source of the intrusion, did not stop breathing in and out in a steady rhythm.

If this beautiful would bring death, then so be it.

Hope you don't mind if I jump in? :)

She was thinking about everthing that had happened in the past few days. Lusa' pups had arrived and Ayana still shivered when she thought about her meeting with Grimnir. Although Lusa made her feel like she found a good place to stay - at least at the moment - Ayana was still not sure whethr Blackfeather was meant to be her place to live and die. She decided to trot around the territory to get her mind off the things that bothered her.
"You didn't meet all the pack members yet, maybe you'll find some new ... 'friends' or whatever they're called." Ayana had trouble making contacts, she was still damaged by her past. Being a very unsure wolf, she never knew how to talk to others or even develop feelings for them. She was ill. But she didn't feel ill, in fact she felt more alive than ever. She was being herself.

Suddenly she stopped. Where was she? Her eyes wandered around the area which was the most beautiful and utterly perfect place she had ever seen. Golden light was shining on the soft ground, a light, warm breeze blew through her light coat. Did she die? Ayana felt like she was in heaven.
After a while of simply standing around, she noticed that something was wrong. It was quiet, too quiet. There were no birds, no rabbits, no deers anywhere near her. It was frightening. Why was there no sign of life?

And then she saw him. He stared at the enormous tree, seeming like he was unconscious. She didn't know him, but he smelled like Blackfeather. He was small, must be rather young. "What is he doing?", she asked herself. Why did he not move? He stared at the huge tree in delight as if he was paralyzed. Her heart stopped. Paralyzed! Of course! This was not any kind of tree. She knew those from her old pack, they were extremely dangerous. They had a magical effect on whoever came close to them, they made one feel dizzy and Ayana remembered when a wolf of her pack told her he had seen images that were not really there.

She knew she had to act, otherwise he would die. But she didn't know him! The last time she met a new pack member she almost got killed, she didn't want to risk another fight. But he would die if she didn't do anything!
The next second she held her breath and ran towards the youngster. "Get away! Run, you hear me? This tree is magical, it is possessed! It lets you see things and can stop your breathing, you need to leave! Now!", Ayana screamed, hoping the young male would wake up from his paralysis.

not at all, thanks for joining :)

Cicero was snapped from his trance by an alert screaming. He turned his head and looked at the panicked female that came rushing towards him. Cicero felt at peace and calm, and wanted this feeling to last. He felt possessive over whatever it was that was here, whatever magic -- herbal or otherwise -- made him feel this way, and didn't want to share it.

The adolescent trotted towards the pack mate -- he didn't remember her name, nor remembered ever seeing or meeting her up close before, but he could smell she was part of the pack by her scent -- and trotted past her, almost as though she didn't exist. Then he turned his head and said, "Follow Cicero." He was getting away from the tree, but he hoped he'd draw the female away too; he didn't want to share this beautiful place.

At the frays of the sunny clearing, Cicero halted and looked over his shoulder. His head was still clouded pleasantly, and he wondered what caused it. When he looked at a ray of sunlight, he saw specks dance in the light; was it a herbal cause? Were they plant parts? Cicero smiled, his front legs spread goofily as he sat down on the ground to stop himself from falling over. He'd never felt so relaxed and ready for a nap. Cicero observed the female then, to see if she felt the same, or a mild version of what he felt, or nothing at all. "Does wolf also see the flying foxes?" asked Cicero while he looked at the rays of light. The herb specks he'd seen in the light had suddenly turned to foxes that darted through the air as if they were aflight.

Ayana stopped. As if he suddenly woke up from a dream, the small wolf stood up and began moving away from thre tree. Did he hear her and realise how dangeorus it was? She hesitated. She didn't know him, neither did he know her and it was a potentially dangerous situation. He might be a dreamer and she might become one too if she stood near the tree for much longer. The magic would possess her body and she wouldn't be able to defend herself to the male.
But he was of the youth. He was pasrt of the pack. And he ... sat down?

The light wolf decided to walk up the the wolf. She started to feel the tree's magic in her bones, she felt how slowly the power started at her paws and mved up her legs. She had to act. However, she admitted that she liked the feeling it gave her - she wasn't too worried anymore. This drastically changed though, as soon as he spoke out the words. It was too late. He saw things. Things that were not there. Foxes. Foxes? Foxes! She liked foxes. Those tiny little creatures with their orange coat. So soft. Soo soft. And orange.

"No!", she screamed suddenly. Or was it someone else who screamed? It didn't feel like her body at all but it was definitely her voice. Ayana was shaking, she felt like waking up from a nap that lasted 10 years. Where was he? She started to panick. Where was he? She needed to get him away, she needed to find help, she had to! He was part of the pack!
Then she spotted him, staring at the sky as if he was still seeing things.

She ran up to him and pulled him by his neck. "We need to go away, now. Or you will end up seeing those foxes forever. Or worse. Let's go!", she said alarmingly. He needed to listen to her, every minute counted. Otherwise she had to run back inside the territory and find help, although she knew she probably wouldn't make it in time.

Cicero looked content, washed free of his usual stoicism (a trait he had not chosen to adopt, but a trait that had found him nevertheless after a childhood full of smiles), as he stared at the light and the foxes. He didn't care much for the foxes, but somehow they made the world seem brighter, like the rays of light that danced down from the canopy, washing this little part of Blackfeather Woods in its purity.

"Cicero wants to be pure, too," the adolescent admitted, to no one in particular. His head was clouded, and yet everything had never seemed more clear than it was now. "Is the wolf one of them? Is she dark like them?" Cicero stared at the girl as he got up, intently, the content look on his face falling off, replaced by an expression wrought in anger.

He didn't choose to be this way. It was this place. It had shaped him, made him. It fed him the thoughts, the darkness. It made him believe there was no option in life other then darkness... Until now. Everything was clouded, and yet everything had never seemed more clear.

He was mental. Crazy. She didn't know any other words to describe his current state of mind. How dafre him to ask that? How dare him to ask her about something personal like that? He was possessed, definitely. He was dangerous. She needed to leave, now!
But he was part of the pack. And his possession was reason enough to try and help him. "My name is Ayana and we both need to disappear.", she said, taking a few steps towards him.
Her view rested calmly in his eyes. He needed t calm down because he was turning mental. Crazy. Like her. Dark like her. He wanted to know if she was dark like them. Who were they? The pack? Was she dark? Yes, Ayana. You are dark. Remember your brother? That sweet, innocent child. He was neither a child nor innocent. But her mind was right. She was dark. She was dangerous. She was worthless.

She shook her head. "I am dark. Are you?", she asked the young wolf.
Suddenly he started to change. He got angrier, his muscles tightened.
They needed to leave right now or something bad would happen. Ayana ran up to the tree and grabbed some of the leaves and fluff the tree was spreading through the air. She wanted to numb him so she could carry him, no matter if he would hurt her. He was worth it. The pack was worth it.

If she would be hurt while saving him, then so be it.

She did not answer right away, clouding her actions in words of fluff. Introductions that were meaningless. Her name did not matter. No one's names mattered. When they died, if no one was around, all that was left were bones and flesh, and no one would care for their name. At least Cicero would not. He did not care for this wolf, for he did not even know her.

The wolf ran off then, and as she went to the tree, Cicero turned his back upon the place. He walked away from the clearing, into the woods, the dark woods. He did not really want to leave the place of lightness, for he still had the ambition to be more than he was now -- to be pure, to be light -- but there was nothing he could do about it.

He was a dark wolf, a dark soul, and he would never change. All he could do was accept it.

And so, with anger still burning in his body -- for perhaps the first time in his life -- Cicero crossed the boundary from the infested tree back into the dark Woods. He did not walk fast, with enough time for Ayana to catch up to him if she wanted to, and his head light and chaotic.

Ayana picked up some leaves from the tree. She wanted to help the small wolf, but she was scared at the same time. How would he react?
She turned around and he was ... gone? She panicked. Where was he? He simply left, without a word! He was all by himself, high on those leaves and couldn't control himself. He saw things that weren't there, maybe dangerous things, he could hurt himself! Ayana let out a howl in order to find him, but she knew he wuldn't reply. He couldn't.
Ayana started to feel her mind becoming possessed aswell, she felt sleepy and breathing was hard, as if someone wrapped their fist around her neck and pressed her lungs. She coughed and started to shiver. The sky was a weird orangy purple colour, she knew that she had to get away from the beautiful tree and find the wolf, for the sake of the pack. They couldn't lose a member now, it would be way too dramatic, now that Lusa had her pups, which excited the whole pack already.

She trotted away from the tree, looking around the golden meadow. Wouldn't this be a good opportunity to leave, Ayana? Simply run away and get yourself out of all this drama. You found a friend, Ayana. This isn't right. You're not worthy of a friend, let alone being loved. It's simply wrong. Just leave, you don't care about that wolf anyway, girl. Her mind was screaming, she tried running away but the bad thoughts kept appearing and didn't stop.

Then she saw the wolf. He was walking slowly, as if he was some kind of snail. She walked up to him. "Hey, little one. Are you going home?", she asked in a soft voice. She liked him, in a way. Stop it! NO feelings. None. Zero. Nada. Stop, Ayana. There's no room for friends.
Ayana decided to walk next to the adolescent for a while, as he seemed to escape from the tree and walk up to Blackfeather. She howled again to inform the others that the two were coming and they needed help. Hopefully his breathing wouldn't stop. He had a lot of drugs inside of him.

It seemed for a moment that the other wolf was gone, that she would leave him be. Cicero walked the dark forest alone, and soon all reminders of the light patch with the tree in it were wiped from his vision. It was just him and the darkness of Blackfeather Woods. He was where he should be; in the dark forest, with his dark thoughts, and his dark personality.

Alone.

He heard her voice then, and when he looked she was beside him. He didn't remember seeing him walk up beside him; or had she been there all along? Cicero just stared at her for a while, and nearly tripped into her when he started to falter to the side; that was when he started to look straight ahead again, keeping his vision as straight as he could, and therefore -- so far -- not falling.

The howl sounded loud and noisy, and he scrunched his nose briefly. Then he looked at her, his anger ebbing away, and he remembered she had asked him a question. Was he going home? He did not remember. How long ago was it since she had asked the question, anyway? He probably should say something back. "Why is the light wolf here?" asked Cicero. "Why not in a place like Bearclaw Valley instead? Why here?" She was unsuited for Blackfeather Woods; as unsuited as he wished to be for it. She did not belong here, and yet she was here. Just as he wished not to be here, but he belonged here. And Damien was here. Damien... A haze blurred Cicero's vision and his mismatched eyes looked distant as his thoughts were consumed by Damien.

If Ayana could cry, this was what she would have done in that moment. She didn't know what to do, whenever he asked the wolf a question it seemed like he needed to think about it for minutes before answering. Sometimes he didn't answer at all, did he even hear her? For goodness sake, Ayana. Simply leave. WHo cares about that wolf, anyway? It's unnecessary to try and make him follow you to the pack to get help. He simply won't, finally give up, girl. Her mind was driving her insane, she wanted to help the wolf but in a way she was right, it was pointless. She was simply not enough.

Then he asked her what she didn't dare to think about for weeks. Months, even. Why was she here? Why did she even exist? She was unworthy of anything, even life, after everything she did in the past. Her beautiful little brother. Too young, too dumb. She was disgusting. But the small wolf didn't know what was inside her, her sould wasn't as light as her coat, and neither was her past. Dark past, white coat. How sarcastic. Go die, girl. Nobody needs you. She got angry, angry at herself, angry at the tree that possessed her, angry at the male. How dare him to not stand up right, how dare him to disrespect her like that? She was part of the pack and it was NONE of his business to tell her she didn't belong there. She did belong there. Right ...?

Ayana snapped at him and growled a little. If it didn't work the soft way, she would have to use other methods. The male looked at her puzzled. "I genuinely don't care about you, but I do care about the pack" - unfortunately - "So if you don't want to die, follow me and be quiet. You should't be so disrespectful, wolf." Ayana reminded herself of the meeting with Grimnir. The huge male reassured her of her rank and maybe this was exactly what she had to do to get back the adolescent's attention. She wouldn't let anyone disrespect her, no matter what state of mind he was in.

Cicero hungered for the information that he had asked for. If he knew more about Ayana's path, perhaps he would come a step closer to figuring out his own path, and understand more about why he did what he did, and what he needed to do. With his head still drowsy, he watched her as she suddenly turned more dominant and agressive, and told him to follow her.

Unfortunately for Ayana, Cicero cared very little for his own life. He wondered why she cared for the pack if she did not care for him. "The wolves make the pack, and the pack is as strong as its weakest wolf," Cicero said matter-of-factly while he stared at her with his mismatched eyes, before they rolled upwards in their sockets and the adolescent fell to the ground. Near a crooked tree he collapsed into a deep sleep, and unless Ayana would take Cicero elsewhere, he would remain there for half a day, awakening groggy but alive.

Suddenly the male spoke his last words and fell down onto the muddy forest ground. Ayana ran up close to him and let out a loud howl to inform the pack about what had happened, while trying to wake the male up by licking his head softly. She didn't know what else to do, she had never experienced love or care, how could she take care of this wolf now? She desperately tried to make the wolf stand up, blaming herself for the whole situation. If she hadn't gotten so angry, he wouldn't have died! She was the reason the pack had lost another wolf and she knew that this was not an easy thing to take, now that Meldresi was gone, Burke was already stressed out enough. Ayana didn't want to imagine what Burke - let alone Grimnir - would do to her if they found out what happened here. See what you have done, you little dumb girl. Now you bloody killed him, you better leave and never come back again. Do you realise now how shitty and unworthy of anything you are? First your brother, now this innocent child?! Oh Ayana, you stupid, stupid thing.

The light wolf couldn't take it. Everything was too much for her. She had lost the wolf, an innocent wolf, and her mind killed her with it's bad thoughts. Ayana layed down next to the male, keeping him warm, but she had lost any hope already. He was dead, she was for sure. She layed her head on his torso and closed her eyes. She felt so weak, not physically but mentally. Everything was quiet for a moment, no animals made a sound and not even the wind was blowing.
Then she heard it. She almost started crying in excitement. It was quiet, almost not audible, but it was there. Soft and monotone, as innocent as a little pup. He was breathing. He wasn't dead. She didn't kill him. He was alive!

After a few minutes of trying to figure out what to do now, Ayana decided to carry the male on her back until they reached another pack mate who could take care of him. The wolf was heavy and strong, but his rather small size turned out to be quite beneficial and it was possible for the female to carry him easily. She could even trot, which exhausted her, but it was all worth it if he would make it then. But she knew that they needed help soon.

Should we just finish without someone helping him? So he will wake up and be fine again? Or should we invite someone else who can take care of him? :) x

yeah we can fade it out with someone else helping him. we could say that ayana takes him home to his family? :) feel free to fade it with your next post! and thank you for the thread <3

Cicero himself remained in place, knocked out by the pollen from the tree. He did not notice anything, nor would he wake up when carried by Ayana. It did not matter to Cicero whether or not he was saved. While asleep, he dreamed a pleasant dream. He lay in the embrace of a loved one while they slept. He felt his lover's rough tongue lap across his face, nibble the edges of his ears painfully rough -- another might consider it too painful, but Cicero savoured it -- and the sweet sensation of arousal befell Cicero.

On the outside, nothing could be seen of all that; he just lay quiet, motionless, not even moving in his pleasant dreaming state. As he was carried somewhere safe, he did not realise who his saviour was, so enveloped was he in his pleasant dreamstate; so far away from the real world was he.

The male layed quietly on Ayanas back. She did her best to get to the pack as soon as possible, scared of what the reactions may be. The soft ground beneath her paws turned into something painful, her paws were aching. Although his rather small size, Cicero seemed rather muscular as Ayana got really exhausted from carrying him.
Her heart was racing as she ran through the woods. She was scared. What if he was dead? How would Damien and Potema react? Or even Grimnir? Burke? She howled to inform them that they were coming and hoped that Cicero would wake up at her howl, but he didn't. It was like the tree had sucked every last bit of life out of him and if she hadn't heard him breathe before she would be sure that he wasn't alive. But she didn't give up.

Eventually they reached Blackfeather and after a while of desperately running around to find Potema, she finally found her. Ayana layed Cicero in a little den and spoke to his sister. "He's possessed from an evil tree at the Weeping Meadow. We discovered it and I don't know what to do. He started seeing things and ...", Ayana said with a whiny voice, which was not really her personality. That's what you get for getting into trouble.

Ayana decided to wait with Potema until Cicero woke up. She hoped that the female could help her brother. Cicero was a healer so maybe he had taught Potema some of his knowledge? Ayana rested her head on her paws and waited until Cicero came back to live. It was all her fault.

It was evident to any healer that there was little they could do now. To put in more medicine might only complicate the matter further. Cicero did not know what had happened between when he had drifted off and when he opened his eyes, but when he opened his eyes, he still looked up at Ayana. The background was different, however; it was the den. How peculiar; he did not remember going here. Ayana must have taken him.

His head was a little heavier again, but Cicero did not look fully there yet. "Ayana can go now," Cicero told her. "Cicero gives his thanks." Cicero lay down upright and placed his head upon his forepaws. He waited for Ayana to leave, assuming that she would do such, so that he could continue to sleep.

Ayana waited for Cicero to wake up, she simply couldn't leave without making sure that he was fine. She was almost asleep when she heard to wolf move. It felt like the weight of a thousand rabbits fell off her chest. He was alive and he was awake. A few moments later she heard Cicero speak in a low voice. He thanked her and told her she could go.
Ayana was pleased. She smiled at the male and decided to leave him alone for now, he needed time to recover. However, she was still a bit worried that he might have any damages when he fully woke up. "It was a pleasure meeting you ... Although the circumstances were rather interesting.", she said while smiling at him. Then she left the small den and stepped out to the daylight. She felt proud and miserable at the same time. It could have ended a lot worse for her.

- Ayana exits -

Thanks for the thread! I really enjoyed it. xx

me too, thanks for the thread :D

Cicero was glad that Ayana decided to head his words and depart. His head pounded and he felt not only groggy, but challenged in the balance department too. The spores had not yet wore off entirely. Cicero looked at Ayana from behind dark eyelids as she left, and when she had departed, he curled up into a ball in the side of the den. It had been an interesting meeting indeed: he wondered when he would see her again.