The darkest evening of the year

Since Ariston's player hasn't been around much, I am going to do some minor power-playing to explain what's going on IC...

Koontz sat on the bluff overlooking the hot springs, her pale gaze distant as she stared at the mountains across the way. She felt the weight of dread on her shoulders. Just moments ago, Ariston had admitted to her that he felt too pressured by the expectations of leadership, that he was so anxious and overwhelmed that it was making him ill. She had seen for herself the drawn look on his gaunt but handsome face, the patches where his fur had fallen out due to stress.

He had left it up to her: she could take the helm alone or the pack could disband. Koontz hadn't even thought about it. "I'll lead us," she'd said without a second thought. Only now, after Ariston had lowered his head in defeat and wandered away to be alone and catch up on his rest, did she begin to feel the weight of this burden creeping up on her. Suddenly, she was leading the pack all alone. She'd gone from second-in-command to top—and only—dog in a matter of a week. She swallowed thickly.

The worst part was not her concern for herself nor for her pack—she knew she could do it, or at least die trying—but she felt bad for Ariston, her friend. He'd always been an energetic, charismatic party animal. He'd looked plain sick tonight. Worry gnawed at her guts. Maybe it was just stress and he would recover now that his yoke had been removed. Perhaps he'd even return to the helm beside her when he felt better. Or maybe it was something more ominous. Could Ariston be truly ill, she wondered?

Suddenly, Koontz found her silvery muzzle tipping toward the dark, drizzling sky. "Is there anyone out there that has any medical knowledge?" she asked of her pack mates via howl. "Even the slightest bit of know-how might help." She then fell silent, deciding not to elaborate unless someone approached. She knew she should announce Ariston's resignation, yet she simply couldn't bear the thought of bearing that bad news just now, not so soon after the two of them had so joyously announced her own promotion just days ago...

HI I LIKE TO RAMBLE

Verrine felt awkward and out of place in this new pack. It wasn't because of anything anyone had said or done since his arrival; his packmates had been nothing but welcoming and supportive, and his companions seemed to be settling in reasonably well, which pleased him. Especially where Julooke was concerned. Somehow, the change of scenery and the new beginning they had forged had begun to heal the parts of her spirit that her parents' death had broken.

Perhaps it was the strings of longing he still felt stretched between his heart and his old home at Sterrenvuur. He missed the beautiful, ethereal forest they had come from. His new home, while very nice, just didn't feel like home to him.

Still, he did not slack in his duties or his dedication. As Leviathorgan -- a name he loved, for it was as if he wore his own father's name upon his shoulders, and he thought it so fitting that Leviathan's name should be used to describe a protector's role -- he made it his business to know what was going on in his territory. He spent most of his time near the outskirts of their packlands; when he wasn't there, he was moving around the inner reaches of their territory, checking to ensure that food caches were safe, that nobody was in trouble or hurt, and that their home was, overall, secure.

So naturally, when he heard Koontz's ringing howl echo over the lands, he was quick to respond. He understood the message in her voice, and as he ran to meet her, he dug through the dusty depths of his mental archive back to the medicinal lessons his parents had given him. It hadn't been very in-depth, but they'd taught him the basics that they knew. He hoped nobody was hurt too badly, so that his limited knowledge might be of use.

As he came within sight of his leader, he noticed she looked particularly somber and drawn. The splendid silver female usually carried herself with dignity and confidence when Verrine saw her, so he knew something serious was going on. In an attempt to comfort her, he flashed her a small smile and waved his tail amiably. "What's up, Koontz?" he asked as he approached, searching her face with his golden eyes briefly before dropping them respectfully down below her chin.

Thanks for joining! :)

After issuing the howl, Koontz began to pace along the ledge, her nervous energy making it impossible to sit still. On every pass, she paused for a few seconds, eyes, ears and nose straining for any sign of help. For a while, no one came, though eventually she heard the telltale scrape of leathery paw pads on shale. The Alpha female froze, facing the place where she expected someone to appear. She wasn't disappointed; a vaguely familiar face materialized as the pack's newest guardian stepped onto the outcropping.

"Hello, Verrine," she said, relieved simply to have company. Although she barely knew him, she decided to be forthright after a short pause. "Ariston just resigned, leaving me as the pack's sole leader. I'm not worried about that, though," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm worried that he might be sick." Only then did something occur to her and her silvery brow knitted together. "You're a Leviathorgan, not a Skullion. Do you have medical knowledge...?" If not, why had he come, she wondered. Perhaps he simply wanted to help, a notion which suddenly lifted Verrine out of the generic ranks of her pack, putting him a notch above the rest.

<3!

Though he was a friendly, kind wolf with a quick smile and a willingness to help in any way he could, Verrine wasn't an outgoing guy at all. He tended to be on the quiet side and kept a low profile for the most part. He preferred to remain in the background quietly doing his job than to be at the center of attention and in the middle of everything. So it surprised him that Koontz remembered his name. He hadn't crossed paths with her too many times since he and his friends had been accepted into her pack, but without missing a beat, she greeted him by name as he approached.

He was surprised by the sudden news she sprang on him -- that Ariston was stepping down as their Alpha -- but it didn't affect him as much as it might the other members of their pack. Being so new here, Verrine barely knew Ariston, so it made little difference to him. Koontz seemed like a capable enough leader anyway. He nodded in response to the information as she went on to inquire of his medicinal abilities, given that his area of expertise in the pack had nothing whatsoever to do with healing: Do you have medical knowledge...? "A little," he answered with a shrug. "I'm not an expert, but my parents taught me a bit." Suddenly, he wondered if he should have even come at all. He didn't want to make himself look like a fool in front of his own Alphas. Sheepishly, he added, "I dunno...if you have a medic in the pack, then maybe they should come. But if not, well...I can try to help?"

Verrine said he knew a little, compliments of his parents. He cautioned her that his knowledge was quite limited and that she might be better served by the pack's official medic. At these words, Koontz frowned. Her lips then curved upward a moment later, heartened by Verrine's willingness to help, even if he wasn't that experienced.

"We actually don't have any Skullions," she admitted regretfully, "which is why I'm glad you're here, even if you don't know much. I don't know anything about medicine at all." She paused, her pale eyes sliding toward the dark forest. "I wish he'd stayed so you could take a look at him, but he needed to go rest. He really looked terrible, Verrine," Koontz continued, her gaze returning to the guardian's face. "Do you know of any remedies to help him sleep and just... give him a boost? He also needs something that might help with his coat, if such a thing exists; he's had some fur fall out from stress." Her youthful features twisted into a frown as she said the words, which sounded very sad even to her own ears.