Ouroboros Spine hellbent

HELLO ALL. See OOC forum :D Post in here by the 30th, if you'd still like to be all titled up!!! Just a short, intro post :) I'll come edit this and tag everyone :3 @Wyvern @Kroc @Echelon @Sitri  @Sinaaq @Alusia @Ivev[/url] [url=http://wolf-rpg.com/member.php?action=profile&uid=1736]@Loreley If absent, disregard! But if you can post, please do!  

 

Tonravik wasted no time, lest the wolves she now ruled thought she herself a fickle woman and weak in her desire to maintain her claim. No, Tonravik would make sure that the wolves here knew she meant business. It was time to restore order, and Tonravik would ensure that this occurred. Tonravik moved toward a rock that unceremoniously jut from the earth. The Alpha stood atop it and turned to look at the territory around her. 

Hers. The large, bear of a wolf now would rule this place and would rule it with an iron fist. The subordinates would respect her, or leave. But Tonravik was a woman who understood respect must be earned. She did not hesitate in taking the reins, and she held them with pride. 

Another howl. This time, summoning. Wolves of the Spine, come. Her call died, and when it did, she turned to sing it again, letting her call resound against the mountains, echoing and carrying to the ears of her wolves. 

Sitri heard a new howl, and he was saddened that yet again another leader had taken the place of the former. Without a word, however he traveled towards the howl. His red eyes bright as he walked. He strode to the area, and with a small look around. He bent his liegs and sat down, curling his tail about his paws. He waited then and looked about him, looking up at the new queen. The new queen that he would follow, and kill for and die for. When would this end, when would he finally die. He had been trying to just waste away, but he got bored. So here he was.

Tonravik called and she came. As of yet, Kroc hadn't lain her head down to rest, moving straight to learning the lay of these lands and the lines of their borders after they had come and conquered. So used to traveling, her body was functioning easily on a late night and only a few hours of sleep. So when the call came, Kroc had no issues turning on her heel and running, her gait long to make up for her slower pace. 

She arrived shortly after the call, having been not too far away. Gold eyes caught the form of one of the pack members from before this dawn and examined him, her posture not unwelcoming but not open either. Looking to Tonravik, she chuffed, a low sound that preceded her approach, giving her a quick nose under the chin. She was the Alpha here and Kroc acknowledged that, as she would none other than Siku. 

The bear gave the dark woman some space then, remaining on all four feet as they waited for others to come. She did not see the brown male as a threat with the way his tail touched his paws, the way he sat there with no words and no objections to this change in leadership. Her stance reflected those thoughts, her tail and head above his own, yet still respectful of Tonravik herself.

Alusia had left the Spine, but not forever. She returned to the Spine a smile on her face, but it quickly faded. Something felt off. The pale wolfess finally learned what had felt wrong when she was accepted into the pack by someone other than Cara. Alusia was silently searched for her former alpha, when she heard the new queen of the Spine call for the pack. 

Alusia trotted to the scene to find the new alpha, a pale female, and Stiri. She didn't bother to bow, or show any respect to this stranger who called them-self alpha of the Spine. The pale wolfess went to sit next to Stiri, as he was the only one she knew. Alusia didn't like this. Cara was her alpha, not this stranger. 

@Alusia Replying quickly, because Tonravik wouldn't accept that :)

 

Tonravik looked to the first wolf who had come, who had seen her and recognized her rank and stood respectfully. Next, Kroc, who also did the same. Tonravik looked to them both, pleased with the quick attendance... when a third came. Her approach held none of the respect that she expected, and Tonravik was quick to dismount her rock and come upon the woman with a fearsome grimace. 

Tonravik lifted her tail, daring the other to dispute her claim. Her snarl continued as she looked directly at the woman, and if she did not mind her place, Tonravik would chase her from these lands. Tonravik had let this woman into her fold, and this display was obscene. Their Queen had abandoned them. Tonravik, however, was here to stay. If they wanted to follow a woman who would run from her own home, she would not stop them. But she would not tolerate squatters. 

Looking at Alusia, her display was unwavering, jaw dipped over her throat and lobes thrust forward in the promise of aggression should Alusia not relent. Her patience was thin. She dared Alusia to test it.

Alusia watched as the dark wolfess left the rock she was on, and started heading straight towards her and Stiri. The pale wolfess would have no problem with this wolf if they had actually earned the rank of alpha. In Alusia's mind no one should be allowed to just walk in and claim a pack, but instead had to earn the right of leadership. Alusia wasn't gone for long, and so the pale wolfess came to the conclusion that this dark wolfess had recently become alpha.

Alusia told herself again that the wolfess infront of her was not her alpha, and so the pale female saw no need to bow. Instead she stared at the midnight wolfess, curious about how much patience she had. Alusia stood, and as she did a growl rumbled in her chest. The pale wolfess wanted to send a message to this dark female. A message that said, you don't belong here.

From the edges of what was a small gathering in its fledgling state, Echelon watched them come in one by one. Among some of them, she found capable wolves worthy of Tartok. But others, she wasn't entirely sure what to make of them. It did not take long for one of these wolves to march forward and test Tonravik and again she watched this act of defiance. And she knew in a matter of moments how it would go, what it would mean.

Though the temptation to launch herself into the fray and show one particular insubordinate creature how things went, the petitely built Echelon withheld that urge. It was not her place just yet to show these capable beasts and if this one survived the onslaught Tonravik was liable to bring, then she would only add to the misery soon to be inflicted.

For now, she lurked on the edges of the others, and continued a studious guard.

The other did not stand down. Tonravik's wrath was immediate. She wasted no time, lurching forward and dipping her muzzle over her throat to protect it for an instant, moving to attempt to ram her right shoulder blade into the others chest, knowing full well her own stature was enough to overwhelm Alusia when push came to shove. Tonravik had earned her place hundreds of times over; she would do so here, demanding respect. Her intent was to knock the wind out of the smaller wolf, and in the process, her fangs were revealed to seek purchase on the others shoulder, so that she could push down if said purchase was gained.

Tonravik was sure to maintain her defenses all the time, her eyes narrowing and her lobes flat atop her head. There was no time wasted, here; she would put this wretch in her place. 

The dark wolf was quick to anger, and Alusia soon was shoved to the ground. Her once pale coat now had pieces of dirt clinging to it, and Alusia once again let out a growl. The dark wolfess was larger, stronger, and most likey more experienced when it came to fighting. Alusia was torn between submitting, or fighting on. The pale wolfess watched as Tonravik showed off her fangs, and Alusia didn't feel like gaining any new scars.

Alusia lower her tail, but kept kept growling at the dark wolfess. She had no idea where Cara was, or even if she was alive, and did not know many outside of the Spine. Due to this Alusia fell into completed submission mode, rolling over to show off her stomach which had her black birthmark on it, and tucking her tail between her legs. She stopped the growling, and hoped no other wolves showed up to see this embarrassing moment. 

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Wyvern had been existing on the fringes. Lotan had expressed his interest in continued wandering more than once, and her ears were eager to listen. With springtime in full bloom all around them, it was certainly difficult to ignore it. They had originally settled because of the winter.. and she had never really had a plan to begin with.

She wasn't rooted. Of this she was certain. But, the possibilities were almost too numerous to count.

The lithe Ostrega squirmed with unease as she interpreted the message that hit the winds then. She had noted Cara's faded scent, oddly enough, and tried to ignore it in hopes it would go back to how it was... so, maybe this had been inevitable; Wyvern had never been left behind by an alpha before, and even without any word. She felt a vague disbelief, and worried for Cara in that fleeting instance. Did anyone know what was going on? She stalked forward towards the summons, already anxious about what this could mean.

And of course she came onto the scene to see a dark bear of a strange wolf pressuring Alusia into submission. Her hackles raised subtly, half in surprise and just general unease -- seeing such strangers so far into the territory alone was frustrating in several ways. She did manage to shoot Sitri a quick look of question (and also checked around for sight of Sinaaq), but stayed neutrally on the edges of this gathering for now. 

Wyvern's ears were slicked and eyes squinted suspiciously at the new wolves. This already didn't sit well with her, but she was willing to see it out with a grim, pulled-back expression. Truthfully, she was intimidated, and deep down wished to see Cara's reign here defended somehow.. but it was not within her capabilities; these beasts would make swift work of her alone.

It had been unusually thunder-y for a spring day, with the rumbles rousing Ivev from sleep. She left her dry cave by late morning to brave the rainy mist and the odd flash of lightning, tilting her head up occasionally to peer up at the clouds. They grew even darker past the mountain ridges, and so the healer knew today would be a stormy day.

Ivev spent most of her time sticking to the game trails used by the pack, weaving between the pines and leading to significant spots- the lake, for example. They had been less smelly as of late, but Ivev knew the Spine never seemed to be a cohesive unit as other packs did, and it worked to their advantage. The wolves were loyal to their leaders, who in turn, protected them and their paradise of a land, but the Spine never had a strong hierarchy, it was always their queen or else. Ivev liked the unspoken binds that carried, but it was unusual compared to the other inhabitants of Teekon.

With the lack of activity and the day's rainstorm, Ivev walked along the rather still path between the trees. The lightning left an eeire stillness in the breezy tree limbs, and the birds and creatures were silent midst the humid storm. An unfamiliar call rose above the pattering of rain, and her head swung upwards with her ears quivering. It was a howl unlike she had ever heard before.
Cautiously drawn to it, the white she-wolf entered the small gathering slowly, but her pace picked up. She recognized Echelon, and with her tail furiously wagging, Ivev sidled up next to the charcoal wolf.
What are you doing here? she asked quietly, tail making circles in the air. It was only then she spotted Tonravik, and the other Spine wolves gathered around her.

Loreley was picking and chewing at some long grass when she caught a call in the air. She was still for a moment, unsure of the unfamiliar voice. She trotted towards the source, curiously trying to catch a sent in the wind.

Tripping a few times and nearly ending up on her face, she approached a gathering of pack mates and some intimidating looking strangers. Unsure of the situation she stayed quite and tried to compose herself. Sitting with her paws together, her head slightly dipped she scanned the others around her. Loreley wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Well she never really does.

It was only after ensuring that Elenden was fed, giving the wretched and mauled bird his leftovers, scraps to Sinaaq, unwanted and discarded for scavengers not unlike Elenden himself, but a King's feast to the bird, that Sinaaq headed the stranger's call. It was not familiar, though there was little that was familiar about these wolves to the darkling. His social interactions with his pack mates was minimal, though Cara's disappearance from the Spine had not gone unnoticed. Her scent had gradually become fainter and fainter, weak. How one had not risen to the free throne she left in her wake Sinaaq did not know, and even had considered seizing it himself on and off; yet he held no desire for power. He had no interest in leading (aka he'd likely suck at it). Still, he was young but the age before him did not hold any sort of promises with it. His life was a solitary one, his company shared only with those who had managed to intrigue him. This in and of itself was a rare occurrence but not impossible — Quicksilver's face flashed monetarily across Sinaaq's mind chased it away with a vengeance. “Bleid heir, Elenden” Sinaaq commanded the bird in the guttural language his dark priestess sister had favored.


Whether the bird heard him or not Sinaaq could not readily tell for it was contentedly pulling strips of sinew and meat from the bone. With a last look at the mending bird, Sinaaq gave a sort snort and moved with purpose towards where the call had risen from, noting as he came upon the scene that he was not the first to answer. There were others there, though only one that he recognized: the female that had been with him when he'd discovered Elenden — or rather she had likely discovered them by the bird's loud calls. Eyes of liquid gold found the large, ebony woman who seemed occupied asserting dominance over a pallid woman. Sinaaq did not care that Cara was gone. His caring ceased to go beyond himself these days.

Woohoo, quick! Round 2 will end a week from today. @sinaaq @ivev @echelon @kroc @wyvern @loreley @alusia @sitri

The wolf was swift in bending beneath her, revealing to Tonravik a stomach and ultimately dissuading her from using more force. Tonravik understood why the other had done it, and now that she knew the woman she was dealing with, hopefully it would not happen again. Tonravik had no patience for impertinence, and although in this situation she found it was warranted (how could they know of her accomplishments, her savagery?), after this meeting such a move would be punishable with more force. 

Tonravik withdrew and an ear twitched as others approached, listening to them, smelling their uncertainty. Tonravik swung around and moved to observe the wolves, passing each of them before arriving again to her rock. This time she did not step upon it. The dark leader had their full attention. 

"I am Tonravik. Whoever once led you... has left." Her eyes landed on each wolf, gauging their reaction. They would have noticed it, even before her. "Her scent is stale. And when I arrived, there was nothing, no one, in my way." Tonravik was still in awe of this, and it was disappointment now on her features. She would have enjoyed the challenge, then. But now it was of no use. "If you wish to find and follow the woman who abandoned you, go now, and do not return." The words ended in a clipped snarl. You are unwelcome. For that meant they, too, turned their back on this pack, on all those that remained and all those that may come. Condemnable by death in Tartok. They would not get another chance. Tonravik would continue what she had to say, but surveyed the crowd, first, to see if any would turn to go. She would not waste her time, or her breath, on them. 

The wolves gathered and Kroc's hackles steadily rose, eyes moving from wolf to wolf to watch their expressions and gauge their reactions. None were overjoyed, but none except the insolent girl spoke out against this change. Watching the precedings, her ears lay back, a low growl underlying the situation, a threat to any of the other's who thought they could pull this kind of crap. If any of them made a move for Tonravik, they would be met with the irritable bear of a female.


With the pallid female forced to the ground, Tonravik moved to make herself known. Kroc's posture and gestures were supportive of the usurption, which was obvious since she'd been with Tonravik at the take over. These brats hadn't even come to confront them when they'd invaded and the female's opinion of them was low at this point. There was nothing to say that that opinion could not be changed, but likely not during this meeting.

As the black female told them that they could leave in support of their once-Alpha, she bared her teeth to show how unwelcome they'd be if they chose that route. 

More filtered in and surprisingly, Echelon did not find herself tensing. This was in part for her watch of the action between the heathen challenging Tonravik, but also in the way that Tonravik fluidly commanded respect with them all. She wanted these newcomers to their reign to be leery, she wanted their uncertainty with being abandoned to give them reason to follow someone who would lead them, and lead them well.

But this was interrupted when Ivev came sliding up beside her, breaking her attention so swiftly that Echelon's head all but snapped around to face her. Narrowed eyes assessed the face and body of her former companion and she found herself with hushed surprise within. Ivev had been one of the ones that Echelon presumed to have continued on with Tonravik, but she was here? Questions bubbled up in the wake, but they were not asked. Now wasn't the place and to so to answer the question, Echelon gestured to Tonravik. That was all the explanation that was needed, in her eyes.

It was at that time in which Tonravik spoke and she watched with rapt attention, eyes roaming over the masses come to see who would stay, and who would go. And she stayed expressionless, wanting perhaps nothing more than to see one of them go so that she could slip away from this meeting... and give them chase. Their time of laziness had come to an end.

A few Spine wolves filtered onto the scene, and she recognized few of them. This did little to ease her, and the teal-eyed Ostrega licked her lips nervously as the black female commanded her attention with gesture and words alike. Wyvern stayed put, even though her paws itched now to chase after Lotan and his leave more than ever. He had been right, as he often seemed to be, and she wondered how far he had gotten by now. Probably not far... certainly not any length of space she could not catch up to..

It was set out before her. Cara was gone, scent stale, and the dark leader seemed let down by this? Wyvern's expression furrowed and she naturally sought the expressions of Alusia, Sitri, and Sinaaq as she processed this. She then glanced to the strangers, who looked poised for aggression or otherwise should anyone act out. As if their leading female was not enough. Wyvern stayed put upon her spot on the edge of this all.

There was an odd mix of sensation and it only helped to prickle a small ridge of fur down her nape. A simmering frustration paired with her ever-insatiable interest in the unknown. And, well, this was presenting plenty of unknown suddenly... but truth was, she wasn't sure if circumstance here suited her entirely. She didn't know why they had chosen this place.. or what it was that had caused Cara to leave them without a word, or really anything.

Without her brother at her side she suddenly felt overexposed to all these factors, and unsure if she was ready to commit to such change -- especially coming at a time when she was still just beginning to find her stride here.

She kept her ears splayed, tail lax, and rest of her posture tense as she waited to see if wolves would go at the words their brand new alpha had offered. So far, none had, and she was definitely not going to be the first of them to do so.

The new Queen of the Spine did not appear to be the type to beat around the bush, for the bear of a woman jumped right into a very simple explanation — and what Sinaaq himself had assumed after Cara's continued absence. Despite that he felt certain it was truth he could not help but be a little skeptical of it, nevertheless. Not of the new Queen's position, he would follow her because he gave himself no other choice. He did not want to leave the Spine, having against his better judgment became comfortable there which meant he held little to no intention of leaving, lest it be by force. Cara had seemed so proud of her place as their sovereign, and so ready to wield her power though Sinaaq doubted she had any idea of how to do so properly; it struck Sinaaq as nothing short of suspicious, for what could one day change Cara's mind so suddenly and purposefully? Not that he truly cared enough to find out for he didn't. Cara's disappearance made his life easier, or at least for now. Trouble had a way of finding Sinaaq, though he gave into the notion that perhaps it was he that had a way of finding trouble. Getting himself into it was easy, but it was maneuvering himself out of it that seemed to call for the most effective tactics.


Their new leader introduced herself, her name recognized for being within the same origin of his own: Inuit despite that Sinaaq's name had not been given to him of his own will. He made no moves to depart, firmly rooted to his place among the others (whose names he mostly did not know, the hermit anyway), or rather those that chose in that moment to stay under their new leader's reign.

Sitri did not know many, and he really didn't want too. However, he did move closer to Wyvern sensing her distress, slightly. He knew he was a poor substitute for her brother, but he was at least someone she knew. That was all tha tmattered right? He hoped so, because otherwise he had nothing to offer anyone. However, they could take solace in his presence as unmovable as he was.

This thread will be archived Friday -- so if you'd like to get one more post in, please do so before then!

There were no complaints, and none left when given the opportunity to do so. The whole of them remained, and her eyes looked toward each and every face with ample interest. None flinched, but plenty looked about them... Tonravik sensed that they feared her. As they ought to. But she had given them the opportunity to go as peacefully as she would ever let them. To leave at any point beyond the one she had offered was truly a death sentence.

"Things here will change," she rumbles to her audience, held captive by her presence alone. "You have been lazy, and you will atone for this. Begin now. Mark the borders. Dispatch predators found of any sort. Trespassers are to be met with violence and ultimately, death. No questions asked." The woman looked to them all, her tone serious and leaving no room for if, and, or but situations. She did not care for those. This was only the beginning, now; her regime was strict, but it would supply many positive results. Tonravik herself would join them, and wasted no time in doing so. She then surged forward, moving through the line of wolves she had brought together, her tail lashing behind her like something of a cape. She would waste no time in making this place safe for the pack again.

They kept quiet. Good. As soon as the female alpha realized that none would speak up, she issued orders for them to spread out and do what they'd been lazy about. Her own task aligned perfectly with what Tonravik instructed and it was with intent to follow those instructions that Kroc too, moved, heading after the dark wolf for a spell. At some point, she made a brief bridge of contact, a friendly bump to the shoulder before she peeled away to make her rounds of their new home.