Wolf RPG

Ajei had been napping in the midafternoon sun. When a great rumbling in the ground, that vibrated her body, made her wake up. She was disoriented and she whimpered as she stood and the ground rolled and bucked beneath her feet. She could feel the vibrations in her body, in the skin and the bone, and it made the organs of her stomach quiver and her teeth chatter. Birds flew from the treetops and the squirrels and other such creatures chattered madly. She lay her ears to her skull and on she pressed herself back into the ground. Claws scrabbling to gather purchase, but that drew her nearer the vibrations and for a moment she was dioriented.

Nearby a loud crack was heard and she watched with trepidation as a tree branch fell and the hill that was also near it, crumbled and fell away like dust. Fine dirt particles flew up into the air and a chasm just a little bigger than her mama opened up in the hill. Then the ground stopped shaking and the smaller animals calmed and Ajei felt instant relief. 

She lay upon the ground briefly, refusing to move. While her body grew reaccustomed to the area around them. And her stomach stopped pitching and feeling funny. She closed her little green eyes and took deep breaths. Trying to calm the staccato of fear that had racheted up her heart rate.

Slowly, she got to her four paws and moved towards the hole, but what met her had her screaming like a banshee as a grinning head of gleaming white caught her attention followed by another and then three small ones. She screeched again, it looked so eery. She tried to run, tried to back up and instead she landed hard on her rear haunches and then rolled, her body rebelling, knees buckling on the small incline, and moving her closer when she fell than to get away. So she closed her eyes tight as she came to rest after her small tumble right in front of the den of dead things.

Massaraq was out wandering, attempting to catch mice in their burrows when he felt the ground shaking beneath his paws. He did not know the earth could do that and though he had felt the small vibrations of other creatures moving about in the world he had never felt it so seemingly unprompted. It made him wonder just what had caused it - maybe a giant creature or perhaps it was the earth itself speaking. Frowning he looked around, but the only sign of the tremors seemed to be the leaves and branches fluttering to the ground.

That was when he heard the scream. It set the fur on his ruff up and he instantly stiffed. Instead of running away from the sound his first instinct was to head towards it. If someone needed help or something scary was there then he needed to go help! He was quickly growing and beginning to understand the concept of danger - and if there was danger in Moonglow there was danger in his home.

His run abruptly stopped at the edge of a pit he did not recognize - he was fairly sure it should not be there. Peering down into the darkness he thought he made out a few shapes. "Hello?" All the sudden his bravery felt more tentative staring into the darkness and steep embankment.

Ajei's ears swiveled and she heard the call of one of the youths. It took her a moment to place his voice, but then instant relief. She was scared and didn't want to move. She didn't even open her eyes. She kept them tightly closed, because she didn't want to see the gleaming smiles of dead things staring into her lively eyes with their empty sockets.

She whimpered once and twice. Curling her tail tighter around her rear end. She tried to speak, but her voice felt stuck. Frozen there she said nothing and did nothing for what felt like forever, when really it was mere seconds. 

Raq. She called out. Her voice quivering and fearful. There be dead things down here. I not want to open my eyes.

She whimpered again and squeezed her eyes even tighter. So tight they began to hurt. She reached a paw out and then popped it back to her side fearful she'd touch one of the white gleaming creatures.

The voice below was familiar and that strengthened his resolve. Ajei was down there. She sounded scared and though it made his heart jackrabbit up into his throat it also made him more sure - he had to help now. He could hear soft whimpers from within and he answered quickly, trying to project his voice loud enough to be heard below. "It'll be okay!" Looking at the way down he frowned. It would be bad if they both got stuck, but the thought of leaving her alone while he ran to go get an adult was instantly abandoned.

He kept talking, unable to see her, perhaps to reassure himself that she was still there and remind himself of what he was there for. "I'm coming down and then I'll help you up." Looking around he walked, across the mouth of the small ledge of earth that had been created. There was a place where the slope was shallower and he picked that, cautiously placing his paws on it to see if it would test his weight. When it held he grinned and began to pick his way down, weight shifting awkwardly on his hindquarters and straining his front - unused to the angle.

His decent was slow as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he took care to mark and follow the easiest path so that when they went back up he would be able to lead the smaller pup back up. "You don't have to look, you can listen to me I'll be right there." He spoke again, voice tremorous with effort as he tried to speak and focus on his way down.

Ajei wantedcto tell him not to come down here. But the words stuck in her throat. It was scary down here. And she'd be a liar if she said she wasn't glad to have someone there.

okay. she called back her tiny voice wavering. She didn't think it would be okay. Not while she inhabitated a den with dead things. She was gruesomely curious but also scared near to death.

You is okay, Raq? she didn't want him to get hurt helping her of course. And she hoped the dead things wouldn't scare him.

Hearing Ajei's reply was a good sign, but he could feel his heart leaping about towards his throat and then to his stomach as he nearly stumbled on his way down. There was a tenuous silence which felt like eternity where he was focusing so much on where to place his paws he could hardly speak to reply. But when he reached his breathless voice finally answered. "yes, I'm here." Despite the danger in coming down he found himself curious over what he found within.

His eyes had had some time adjust and the gleaming white of the skulls and bones shone in the patches of light that reached the bottom, dark shadows rested in the eye sockets like particularly withdrawn gazes. "wow." He let out a breath, crowding near the other pup but undeniably drawn to the face. He could not tell if they were wolf bones or some other creature - the musty smell was the only thing that revealed their age.

Ajei heard the mistep and bit her lip hard so she didn't cry out. She didn't want to startle him. Mama says you must be calm in these situations even if it was hard. Ajei turned towards his voice, her eyes still shut tight and shifted. Pushing herself up to her paws a small whimper in her throat. 

Ajei buried into his side. You see dem dead things! All dead. It is scary. She shuddered, but opened one eye and then shut it really tight again with a yelp.

Is it wolves? She thought if it was wolves that was almost sadder. There was clearly parents and babies. That much she had been able to catch when she first came upon them. And though her fear was slowly inking away. She still didn't really know if she wanted to look at the things.

While the bones were certainly about the right size to have belonged to wolves he could not tell exactly what they were. The bridge of the snout may have been a wolf or a coyote or even a bear, and the ribcage could have belonged to a deer. Feeling Ajei's heartbeat through the skin on his flanks was an odd contrast to the stillness of the gleaming white remains. Despite his own words he felt himself pressing back into her. "I don't know. But they can't hurt you." He looked at the recessed darkness where the eyes should have been on one of the smaller skulls.

An unfamiliar twinge of sadness tugged at his chest. Whatever this creature had been it had still been small when it died, and then buried here for who knew how long. Forgotten. "I'm going to look, then let's go." He really should have just gotten them both up as soon as possible, but if he left he was not all that sure he would go back. And it felt wrong to simply leave it there.

Ajei finally  opened her eyes and looked because well she was morbidly curious. A small little yelp fell from her lips, but she kept them open this time. And she felt a sense of absolute melancholy steal over her and it made her sad. She knew things died. She didn't fully understand it, but now here was evidence staring her in the face. And even babies. Babies died. That was not okay.

Okay. Her voice was small, but she moved when he did. It be sad Raq. That dem be dead like this. She shuddered and frowned in thought.

Massaraq could not help but agree. Two small skulls, one tipped to the side, and a larger one. "Yeah." Ajei was right it was sad. He knew little about death, but he did know that whatever they did with the bones would not bring the dead back to life nor would it change that they had died. But it was still sad that what was left of their bodies was left down in the dark.

He hesitated, but spoke anyways. Maybe anaa would have known what to do with the bones, she might have had a story, but maybe not, and Ajei was there. "Maybe...still dead but maybe not like this if they were in the sun?" He took a step forward and murmured a small apology and promise to be careful before taking one of the smaller skulls gently in his teeth.

Ajei was studying the white things now. Though she had to close her eyes every now and again so she didn't feel so intrusive and a little fearful. After all they were dead! Just lying there with empty sockets and mouths. So white.

She blinked. No no no no no. She wouldn't touch. How could he, but they were. 

A soft whine, but she took a deep breath and grasped the other small one, murmuring her own apology and also throwing  a prayer to someone as her own mama had taught her. Now they just needed to get out of this death trap. What about the mama and papa though? WOuld they be sad not to have their babies?

Seeing Ajei did the same steeled whatever remaining nerves Massaraq might have had. He had come down to help her, and even though now she seemed less frightened by the bones they were still down in the caved in earth. Returning to the spot where he had descended he marked out the path that he had come down. "Rhhgh Hrrr" His words were garbled, but he hummed and took a few steps up, hoping she would follow. They would need to go slowly, carrying things as they were, but he could see the sunlight from where he stood and that too rejuvenated his confidence.

Ajei went after him trying not to think about the baby dead thing in her maw. But then she thought about its parents. Should they separate them?

It didn't seem very fair, but then again. Wouldn't the Anaa and Tataa want the babies in the sun?

She wasn't sure, but a small whine of delight escaped her when she saw the sunlight. They were getting out. Thank goodness.

Massaraq kept his steps slow, making sure that they could keep apace of each other easily. He needed to be close enough to grab her scruff if she started to fall and he himself was not eager to fall into the dark alone by himself. When the light of hte sun hit more strongly along his shoulders he gave a breath of relief.

The two larger skulls were still below and he tried to think. He did not want to make Ajei go back down, but it felt wrong to separate a family that had been resting together for so long in the earth. His mind turned the problem over until they were at the lip. Taking a larger step and hoisting himself over he set the small skull down carefully and turned around to help her up over the slight lip if she wanted.

Ajei wouldn't say it, but she appreciated how he watched out for her. How he kept his pace so good for her. Both brothers of moonwoman were so good to her. She loved them both. She didn't know the other well. And the girl, sadly she didn't know her either.

Ajei struggled a little, but she too got over the lip with help. She lay the skull next to its sibling and then turned to wrap paws around Massaraq in thanks.

Thank you Raq!

Then she let go she turned bqck to the skulls and sadness tightened her chest. She gently nosed them together so they were touching. She turned to look back down sadly and fearful.

Her voice small. We gonna have go back down there aren't we Raq? Can't leave the parent by themselves.

After helping her up he accepted the thanks with a wide grin. "Anytime!" He was glad to have a friend, he loved both of his brothers and many of the adults, but he spent a lot of time with Ajei and she was his only friend his age who wasn't a direct relation. A part of him feared that his family and friends and others of Moonglow would disappear like his other anaa had before he was old enough to remember. 

He looked back down and nodded. She was right, he felt sad thinking about leaving the pair of them down there. But he did not want to make Ajei go back if she did not want to. "Yeah, you don't have to if you don't want to though. I can go all the way down and bring them back one at a time and meet you half way? Or we can both go?" He looked at her, not sure what she would decide. Either way they would get the skulls up together.

Ajei found solace in the frienships she had with the brothers of Moonglow. She found herself lately more in Massaraq's company, but loved Arrluk no less. His gentle spirit still soothed her's just a little more, but she was learning that Raq's own brand of soothing came too. She smiled up at him.

AJei looked down and then back up at him with both tears in her eyes and fierce expression on her face. When it came to her loved ones and her friends. She had realized she could do more than she thought she could. Though she hated the thought of it and the dead things still freaked her out so much. She also knew that she couldn't let her friend do it all on his own.

So she lifted her tiny head and gave a firm nod. I will help, but let's hurry. Despite the head raise. Her tail was still tucked, but she could do this. She took a tentative step forward and then another, and pressed down towards the dark.

Massaraq nodded his head back solemnly. "Okay." He did not want to make Ajei cry, but he could not carry both skulls up himself so he carefully followed the path they had taken down as well. His steps were slow and careful, the way down was hard if only because the slope naturally encouraged him to stumble or even tumble or run down and he did not want to leave Ajei behind or fall down and really get stuck if he hurt himself.

It took his eyes a minute to adjust but by the time they reached the bottom again he could once again see the gleaming white of the skulls.

Ajei followed him slowly. Eyes adjusting to the dark. She felt a deep coil of fear in her chest, but she pressed it down. She could do this. Her anaa was so brave. She could be like her maybe.

The skulls came into view and she couldn't help the small whimper or the little stumble at the end as they came off the path, but she was alright. She grasped one of the skulls and then waited.

Looking over at Ajei Massaraq turned and stepped forward, taking the last skull between his teeth with care and a breath of apology. Though not as heavy as a head with skin and sinew the greater size weighed him down more and he took a moment to readjust.

Stepping back towards where Ajei waited he began to repeat the slow steady path that had taken them safely so far. Hopefully, their traversing it had not further loosened any of the earth, but there was only so much he could do about that.

Oh it was heavy. Ahe had to hold it in an awkward positon making her jaw and teeth hurt as they clicked against it. And ahe stumbled a little more, but thus far she kept her footing.

She tried not to bump Raq, afraid if ahw did he'd fall. So she lagged behind a bit. Her eyes smarting a bit at the foreign pain in her maw and jaw.

Ajei slowed behind him but a careful glance back told him that she was still moving forward. Determined to get to the top he forced himself to be slow and careful up the slope. When the light hit him again he felt the weight of the skull press him forward more urgently. This burden was harder to maneuver over the lip of earth but as he craned his shoulders and twisted his head with all the strength he could garner from his spine, feeling the movement all the way down the base of his tail, he managed it.

It was a relief to no longer be carrying the skull and he moved over the lip to help Ajei with her own package and over to be beneath the sky once more.

Ajei's jaw was sore and tired, but she was doing alright. Or at least trying.

Ajei was helped over the side. And she quickly lay the bones down. And opened her mouth, stretching it a bit. A soft shake of her head.

She looked up at him with a smile. And blinked. Shy suddenly. He had saved her. She had been so afraid. Perhaps shy was not the right answer. Perhaps she was more embarassed.

Thank you Raq! We did it.

Massaraq grinned, proud that they had managed all the skulls and that they were both safe. "Of course, that friends are for." He looked at the skulls lined up. Hopefully nothing would disturb them, he had no idea what to do with them now. Lined up together they looked less scary in the light, but no less sad. An entire little family all together.

Shuffling nearer to Ajei his voice went quiet. "Let's go find anaa, she'll know what to do with them." Maybe Ajei's anaa would know too. But to Massaraq his mama knew everything.