Stone Circle A massacre on our doorstep

backdated to the 3rd of March

Arlette was just outside of the border when she saw something strange in the snow. It was stained red just when they were hunting prey. Her nose confirmed that it was blood. She curiously trotted closer. The female flickered her tail. She was outside of the Easthollow borders and the smell of blood might trigger strangers close.

As she stepped closer she realized that it was a wolf. But the blood was... older. "Hello? Are you alright?" She called out cautiously. Now she was older she did know fear and caution. Her mother had taught her to be more cautious in recent days. Arlette stepped closer to the body. She sniffed and took another step closer. Wait a minute.

"AHHHHH!!!," she keen out loudly in shock. It was Mawk!!! Arlette watched in horror as the male's head was almost indistinguishable. Her red eyes filled with tears in the horror and shock. Probably her distress yelp would probably have alerted the pack but Arlette couldn't help but to also howl for help.

The female had been close when the white wolf cried out. It was only a matter of seconds for Ira to turn midstep and rush in the direction of the scream and howl. She recognized it as Arlette and there was absolutely no reason for the happy girl to cry out like that. Something was definitely wrong.

The mountain-wolf rushed when the scent of blood hit her, it was faint, old, but there was a lot. A spray of snow arched to the side as Ira skidded to a halt, her eyes quickly scanning over the girl for injuries but quickly noted that she appeared fine. Yes, she was fine, relief should have spread through her body, but her eyes drifted to the mass collapsed behind the white girl. It was a wolf.

Her tongue rolled out of her mouth as she panted, taking a moment to catch her breath before approaching. Arlette-- Her golden gaze traveled the man's body. She recognized him, although the state of his skull made it hard to identify him right away. He was an Easthollow wolf-- the one who lost his mate around the start of winter. If memory served her his name was Mawk, but she did not know much about him after that. Arlette you should avoid staring. Get your mother. Ira would do her best to block the girl's view with her body if she could not bring herself to move. Death was never a pretty sight, and this is the last thing the young wolf needed to see.

Arlette didn't need to wait long before an adult came to help her. Technically she was close to an adult herself but she felt very small at this moment. She had never seen a dead body of a wolf, not like this. She snapped out of her stare when Ira block the view. She had not been really looking. She had been staring but the images were already burned in her mind. "I.. I.. I found him like this!!," she cried out and then teared up.

"W-what happened to him? Who did this?" Arlette blubbed and stepped closer to Ira for comfort. She then looked over her shoulder back to Easthollow lands. "I don't want to leave you," she spoke and felt that she should howl to her mother once more instead of running to her.

Ira let her chin rest over the younger girl's shoulder. Situations like this were always difficult, always fragile. Shh, I believe you, but I will be fine and so will you. I will never let anything hurt you. She should have bitten her tongue and she knew it. Promises like these are what break minds. Sure, Ira can fight and put her life above the other residents of Easthollow, but this case was different. Mawk did not die from some predator or an attack, he lost a mental battle...but how could she tell the happy-go-lucky pup (not really a pup anymore) about that?

The roan woman sighed and lightly bunted the side of Arlette's head. Dry your eyes, Arlette, things will be ok. I won't make you leave, but we should alert Valette.

Arlette slowly calmed down a bit as Ira talked to her. She could still see the imagery of the mutilated male wolf. Arlette instantly believed her and cuddled in close to the older female. She was basically like a big sister to her anyhow. If her mother would have told her that Ira was her big sister then she would have believed it. Technically she was her step sister now her mother and Greyback were together.

"How can you say that? One of our packmates died! And it didn't look peaceful. And the scary thing is that I can't smell a predator on him," she ended on a whisper. She tried to sniff again in case she missed something.

This would actually be wonderful for her therapist trade to learn mental illness can kill!! :O

It took the mother a bit before she reached Arlette. Valette was worried as she had sounded panicked. The mother let out a relieved sigh when seeing Ira with her. She ran up to them and slipped to a stop. Instantly she could see what had caused the panic on her daughter. Mawk was there on the ground, and he looked pretty mutilated. Valette swallowed thickly at the sight.

She then turned to Ira and Arlette. "Oh Arlette, I'm sorry you had to see this," she spoke and licked her cheek. She showed a grateful nod to Ira. "We should get his body to the circle," she whispered softly. "Poor Mawk," she sighed while standing protectively next to Arlette.

True! Didn't even think of that haha poor Arlette :(

Ira found her voice caught in her throat as the white girl pressed closer. How could she tell her? Tell her that the world was much darker than what she knew. That sometimes it only takes one's self to erase a life. A life they have full control of... Arlette was looking for a source, a reason, but she would not find one without explanation. The subject was actually taboo for herself as well. Ira had only heard of wolves taking their own lives, but she never heard of anyone who knew a wolf who had actually done so.

You're correct it is scary...but sometimes there is no predator to cause death. The sound of thudding paws hit her ears as Valette soon skidded to a stop nearby. A wave of relief flooded the roan women as her Matriarch seemed to take over, giving a small nod to herself that Ira would return. Would you like me to stay or shall I start digging? If she had to guess, Valette would have the man buried with his fallen mate at the warrior stone, but perhaps she planned on naming another.

Arlette was glad that her mother arrived. She instantly moved to her mother and pushed her face into her fur. When Ira spoke she glanced at her and slowly nodded. She was glad that she was not the only one who found it scary to look at. There had not been a predator, Ira said. But Arlette was convinced that there had been. Not a physical one but a mental one. Mawk had not been well for a long time and she had known that. She wished she could have helped him better.

Arlette felt guilty all of a sudden. Could she have done more? Arlette didn't want to look at the male anymore. Her mother was talking about moving him. Arlette shivered and then without saying a word dashed off. She should talk to Nikai about this. He was probably the one that could help and tell her more about this.

Valette was about to answer Ira when Arlette suddenly dashed off. "Arlette!,' she called out but it was a lost cause. Perhaps it was better that the female cleared out from the premises. She would check on her daughter later after Mawk was buried. "Poor girl. Out of all the wolves she had to find him," Valette frowned.

"Lets move him together," Valette suggested. She was used to moving bodies as the main gamekeeper. It was perhaps a bit crude but she was used to dragging dead bodies, especially when clearing out a cache. It was harder knowing it was a beloved packmate but she could put that thought aside for a moment. "Once we are in the circle we can call everyone and bury him together with Illecebra." They should lie together even after life.

The roan woman could only find herself frowning growing deeper as Arlette ran off. She could only imagine what thoughts were going through the young wolf's head. Maybe she understood what Ira was trying to hint at, but she did not really want to bring up the subject again. Not right now at least.

When she was addressed again, Ira could only nod as she moved closer to the deceased wolf. Feelings for the male or his role within the pack aside-- it was pretty damn gross. She could feel her stomach churn slightly at the sight of his cracked skull, Oh Arlette... you should have never had to see this. With Valette's help, Ira would grab a mouthful of the male's scruff to start their journey towards the circle.

Valette hated doing this but she shut off her mind and grabbed the body. She was glad that she wasn't doing this alone. She kept her eyes on Ira or on the surrounding nature. The dragging was getting tougher when they had to go up the slope to the circle. Valette hated to think that this was a packmate. She realized that she was starting to think and tried to shut it off again.

When they reached the top Valette was quick to let the body go. She turned away from it and howled for the other pack members. They could say their goodbyes and learn about its death. Plus they would be able to help dig. Her saddened howl sounded through the air to notify everyone.

@Greyback @Nikai @Korei Julia @Vespera @Merrit @Evergreen

Ira simply kept her eyes ahead. She had seen blood, she had seen death, but this was different simply because it was Mawk's choice. It was scary what one could do with enough determination. Ira made sure she let go of the body carefully so it did not simply hit the ground like a rock, then padded a few paces away to sit. She did not know this man, she had nothing to say to his empty body as Valette called the rest of the pack. Instead, Ira would wait until everyone was done and begin digging under the Warrior Stone.