Wolf RPG

Lucani Cygnus was a dud catch. She had a mysterious illness, and it had a negative and seemingly permanent affect on her stamina and her mobility. This meant she was no longer the warrior she used to be, and could not hunt anything that required her to run hard. She couldn't exert herself, and any trek across a territory was a long trek indeed. And so Lucani had little to offer a traditional pack: which was why she set out to join an untraditional one. Many days after her travels had begun, she entered a great swathe of the region that captured her heart. This land was far away from past pains, and lay by the sea — something she'd wanted to catch sight of her entire life. Now that there was a small possibility she might live next to it, her heart almost ached with how wonderful that would be.

But she remained realistic. Dud catch. She vowed to be honest with these wolves about her condition, but she would not go light on the advantages of having her around either. She was a dedicated and competent healer with a great many remedies to her name. She was intelligent, mature, civilised — oh, and perhaps most importantly, her illness was non-contagious. So while she didn't get her hopes up, nor did she let them plummet. Lucani sat a short distance from the borders of the magnificent sequoia forest she had her eye on, and assumed a submissive position. She didn't have the strength to howl, so would simply have to wait patiently.

Despite her illness, Lucani did not look so bad today. She had rested up the day before in preparation for this, ensured a good diet of fish kept flesh on her bones, and had groomed herself carefully. She looked neat, handsome, and tall despite her lowered posture. With her yellow eyes reflecting the early evening sun, she awaited her future.

another joiner. groomed well. quiet. lasher had grown grim in the wake of tachyon's wounded return, angered at the circumstances that had kept him away. his murkwater eyes watched the silent woman from the cover of the thick redwood branches, but he did not move to address her -- not yet.

a trip to the sea was nigh at hand, and, though he hated to think of it, donnelaith might well now be in need of more wolves at their flanks. the spirits roamed this place; he knew them to be here when he had called them wildly to fore with emaleth. perhaps they had adjudged this woman to be worthy.

he let his eyes behold the glint of her eyes and the charcoal sheen of her pelt, now darkening with the lower swing of the sun, and he stepped out into the dusk, plume raised and eyes gentle but questioning.

The silence lingered, but Lucani found peace in it. The swish of those huge trees was an almost moving sound, and if she listened very carefully she could hear the crashing of the waves. It was beautiful.

So too was the quietly majestic appearance of a wolf who'd been watching. Closing her eyes momentarily as she dipped her head in respect, Lucani caught a scent of the very sequoias that made up the territory beyond the borders, then regarded the man who held that scent. She was slightly surprised to find that she actually cared about his age. Back at Sleeping Dragon, almost everyone had been a hardy yearling. Finding someone of her own generation was just... nice.

Good evening, she said gently. My name's Lucani Cygnus. I come seeking a home by the sea, and a pack to devote myself to.

she was respectful -- taltos appreciated this deeply. "welcome, lucani. i am lasher, ruler of donnelaith." he watched her for a moment, allowing the seawinds to comb through their pelts -- the druid settled himself before her and lay his tail o'ertop his forepaws, basking in the quiet communion between the ashen wolf and himself.

"the sea. that i can provide," he murmured at length, turning his eyes past her to the greyish lap of the waves upon the sands. "what can you bring us in return?" she seemed hale. strong. again, the need for brawn had perhaps come, though this stirred into sickness lasher's peaceful nature.

deirdre had taken to attaching herself at her fathers side as of late, her dependency upon him having grown great. she felt stronger now in his presence, and once again she felt safe. it was the forest and its easy breeze this day that told her of his path, and she followed it to the borderline. the lovely cub paused just before she could grow too close; then, from a comfortable distance, she simply listened. her father, lasher! the wood seemed to come to life at hearing its given name, and she a remnant branch from the tree beside her stroke her spine in a manner that comforted her. she glanced to it, and looked to its knotted, ancient eyes before she expelled a breath. she was not impudent, and obeyed it as she felt it will her to go forth.

the pale babe drew forth mutely, content to observe and listen. her father had asked what the other could offer, and the flower of the forest watched the other—handsomely groomed—as they were evaluated. deirdre did not know the way sickness smelt, but there was a foul scent that wafted toward her then, and she tilted her head. it was not offensive to the point where she wished to flee, but she wondered what it was she detected, and glanced to her father. it did not cling to the other, either; perhaps it was old, like something that had gone bad but that had been rolled in. so, she did not fret or think on it as her gaze turned back to lucani.

The name of the Alpha and the land itself seemed to roll together in the accent of the male. Both words echoed in her mind, but she did not try them for herself yet — she knew this would be a difficult interview, so measured each word.

She had been about to reply to Lasher, who settled down with reassuring serenity, but was distracted by a lively sight. Something that Sleeping Dragon had not had: a puppy. This one looked perhaps quarter of a year old, and looked immediately to be a child of Lasher's. Lucani saw the pup's little nose twitch curiously, and she could only guess at what was being smelt. Many remnants, no doubt, of the ample lands she'd passed through, from pine forests and dead riverbeds to flower-shot meadows and craggy ditches.

Lucani gave a little nod to her, and left room for anything to be said regarding the pup, then answered the question when appropriate. My skills are in caregiving — healing, first and foremost, with a wealth of botanical expertise. But I also have an interest in the psychological welfare of those around me. Of all ages, she added, appreciating the presence of the little one.

But unfortunately I'm not in perfect health, she returned her eyes to the face of the dark male, though avoided his eyes submissively. I believe I ingested a poison, and it's made me unwell. It's not contagious, but nor has it passed in time or with all the medical knowledge I can apply. I have my mind, intellect, knowledge base and commitment to what I do, but I confess I can add no physical strength to your pack, beyond perhaps the catching of fish.

as was her nature, deirdre soon crept from the foliage to glance at her father -- lasher silently indicated that she should sit at his side and observe. lucani spoke and taltos listened, though he was quietly worried that should he admit her, she would die, and perhaps spread a sickness to his wolves. but she seemed of sound mind, and her honesty was unflinching -- surely she knew that this could very well cause the druid to turn her away.

his murkwater eyes fell to deirdre then, unobstrusive and wondering, and he wondered what it was she saw in the woman. but she evinced no sort of fear toward lucani, and this was enough for lasher to turn his gaze back to the would-be joiner. "there is a strength to teaching, one that has no price. if e're i need you in times of trouble, i must be sure that you will sacrifice yourself for this pack."

the pale babe watched lucani, her soft gaze shifting to her father when he spoke. the cub was interested in all lucani said, but knew eilidh had herbal knowledge. still, another to teach her would not be a bad thing. the more she could learn, the better. she was as sated by knowledge as she was by food and drink, and so deirdre felt that she should remain. deirdre herself did not know the morbid meaning of what her father spoke of, but perhaps one day she might. sacrifice was not something deirdre knew of, as she was young yet.

Lasher saw strength in teaching, and Lucani saw strength in this perception. But then he spoke words that caused her to hesitate. The truth was, Lucani had pledged her loyalty to two packs her lifetime — her homepack, and Sleeping Dragon — and she had died for neither, even though the opportunity was there. At Weatherside, extreme loyalty would have meant remaining there forever despite her opposition to the principles of the new Alphas. And at Sleeping Dragon, extreme loyalty would have meant remaining with a devalued status until a rival killed her. Was this the kind of loyalty Lasher asked for?

I would fight for Donnelaith, yes — I may be weak of body now, but not of spirit. But I hope you don't mind my asking, she said softly, is your pack a warrior crew, where rank is taken by fang and rivals seethe on the borders? It was an honest and true question, and one whose answer mattered greatly to a woman who desired nothing more than peace and civilisation.

the woman spoke and lasher saw the fear in her carefully modulated tones. "i have not yet been in war, nor have my wolves. not here. we have faced the threat of corsairs upon our coast but that only came to singular combat. i am not a man of battle, nor of war -- i am a lover of peace and those around me. donnelaith is held together by close affection and fierce loyalty."

he paused then, aware he talked at length when he was greatly moved. "i take it you have seen war, and want little to do with it, yes?"

Here stood, without irony, a lover not a fighter. Lucani regarded him with great interest, curious not just about his pack but about Lasher himself — and his bright-eyed little one. What stories they would have to tell... and how honoured she'd be to hear them. But that fate was only just in reach, and hope alone would not progress this interview.

I have fought, yes, she admitted. And while I would do so again for the right cause, it bothers me when the brawling is for pride or rank or a scrap of meat. We have instincts, yes, but we also have minds to control them. And so beyond anything I respect your values, Lasher — I feel the same as you. To be part of a community that upholds peace and cooperation is something for which I'd offer precisely the loyalty you speak of. A home in which the youngsters are curious, she blinked down at the pale-furred girl and offered her a rare smile, but unafraid.

he knew he adored her already, the fond way that she looked up deirdre furthering this knowledge. lasher smiled and stood to his paws, reaching forth to take lucani's scent and grant her his own, and with that the aroma that clung to all wolves of donnelaith -- the commingled fragrances of redwood and seasalt. "welcome to your home. serve above all else the land. this is deirdre. she and her sisters reside her; her brothers have gone to seek new lives in other places. blue willow is my mate, and your other leaders are dante and aria."

he paused to see if she had any other questions before he would lead her to the core of the territory.

With Lasher's words came a soft sea breeze from beyond the redwoods, and it refreshed her just as the words themselves did. Lucani had no idea until now quite how sceptical she'd been about ever finding a new home again. She lowered her head with reverence and relief, and came up with her smile still lingering, looking to Deirdre for introduction, and memorising each name given to her. Thank you, she breathed. She said no more than that, for while later she would ask Lasher to tell her of any packmates who could do with a caregiver, for now she daren't touch the atmosphere. It was perfect.

"my mate and our daughter, eilidh -- they are both well versed in the healing arts. go to the medical den alongside the stream. they work in tandem," he instructed lucani, before nudging her gently. "we shall leave you now, but i will be close if you have any need. come, deirdre."

with that, the father and his pale witch set off, moving toward the center of donnelaith.

the young witch had thought to show lucani where she ought to go, given she frequented the medicinal den, but heeded her fathers invitation instead and did not think to speak over it. deirdre had followed her father for a reason, after all, and wished to show him what she had found, so she gave one last look to lucani before spinning after her father and bounded in step with him.

Although there was so much she wanted to learn about the father and daughter, Lucani gave herself confidence that this would come in time. For now, she had to maintain what she promised: loyalty to the land, and to the wolves who trod it. It's nice to meet you both, said the healer warmly, bowing her head low to Lasher and waiting for their departure before she turned herself and took her first step into the great forest by the shore.