Shadewood get used to it

She's been walking for what feels like years, though it's only been about one, and she's growing hungrier by the day. It seems this place hasn't faired much better in the recent swarm of bugs; as her golden eyes look upward, the canopy is a mere weaving of skeleton-bare branches. She sighs. It seems that she's chosen the wrong direction, but Cypher knows what's behind her. It's ahead that's the mystery, and maybe if she keeps walking, she'll find someplace the locusts haven't devastated.

For now, at least, this barren forest is shelter. If she's lucky— or unlucky, depending on the outcome— she might find signs of another wolf, and hopefully that'd mean a pack wasn't long to follow. Cypher's been alone too long, and there's a sense of foreboding that grows with each sunset.

He had cast a howl to his family, primarily @Lasher to notify him of his travel. He wished to seek out @Emaleth, and his travels had taken him along the coast and through more open terrain. His heart filled with worry, the swarthy man could not keep his eyes from the barren trees and the lacklustre landscape. Dread turned his paws quicker, and the Mayfair's fiery eyes cast wearily upon the stripped down trees before he entered another woodland.

There was no sign of his sister, scent nor trail. Yet when his eyes fell upon a swarthy stranger, Constantine did not hesitate to announce himself, though maintained a respectful distance. "Hello," he called out, his muzzle tipping slightly. "Sorry to bother you, but have you seen my sister? She's just a pup.. black fur. A blue and a green eye?" He felt his words begin to facade,  feeling this effort futile.

Just gonna jump in here, don't mind me XD

The white ghost had seen enough of the coast, if that was even possible, and now made her way to what seemed like another part of the wasteland. Had she traveled all the way to this unknown land to see dead insects and stripped down trees without any green? Apparently. Did that stop her? Not really. Her heart said that here she would meet someone so unique, so special that it would take all her worries away.

Voices drew her into the woods, that were awfully eerie now that the Teekon was a total wasteland. Bi-colored eyes looked around. What a mess. The crunches of dead insects beneath her paws was sickening. Two, brown masked strangers came into sight and she stopped in shock. She had only heard one voice and they had been down wind for her. Her muscles tight and her aqua orb staring at them, she stood there.

She hears a call ring out in the thick, barren woodland, and it decides her path. Death is everyone's fate, sooner or later, and she'd rather risk it at the quick and sharp teeth of her brethren than the slow and deep claws of hunger. Cypher winds her way through the trunks, and it's not long before she and the dark male see each other. He calls out as they halt, respectfully distant, and her dark ears move to catch his voice.

"I'm sorry," she tells him, eyes squinting to look at the white figure that came into view behind him. It's rude to just stand there like that, watching them silently, but Cypher says nothing about it. Instead, she refocuses her attention on the male, "You're the first sign of life I've seen since I got here." It's not exactly true. There's still a few locusts chomping away at the rare bit of green that remains, and the birds are having a field day with all the bugs... but she's talking about mammals.

He studied the creature before him -- lean, tawny fur with dark chocolate accents. Had he been of a better mind, it was likely he would have noticed how attractive she was and went with that – yet his heart was far too distraught at the current loss of the redwood tree pack.
 
Her bright eyes squint past him, and Constantine allows his muzzle to drift back, the scent of the other stranger only coming to him when his pumpkin eyes fall upon her. She’s a gruesome thing, and he feels the guard hairs along his spine lift with caution, though he offers her nothing more for the time being. The ivory beast only stands and waits, watching them – the tint of red from her eye tinting the air with the fading scent of iron and blood.
 
One ear would flick at the sound of the other wolf’s voice, and swinging his muzzle back, he releases a gentle sigh at the information. He had expected no more, and gave a small nod as such. “It wasn’t always like.. this,” he offered, his tone gentle as he lifted one paw to give a gentle wave of exaggeration.

Just saying here that the stained color on Ondine's face isn't blood, it's berry juice! :D

The siren's sensitive ears picked up all of the words the female masked wolf was speaking and she flashed a smile. So she wasn't the only one coming here only to find a wasteland. It filled her heart with joy to know this land wasn't abandoned, wasn't a total waste of her time. Her heart had been right all along, and as soon as the green would grow back -if it did- she would find a home. For now though, she'd much rather explore on her own without being bound to one place.

She studied the others from a distance, not sure if approaching them was such a good idea. But the curiosity! It almost tore her apart to not begin blabbering to these strangers. They had seen her already, and if not, they could definitely scent the salty smell of the sea that she carried around with her everywhere.

A curious glint in her one aqua eye and a full on grin appeared on her face as the masked male now spoke. She stepped forward, not thinking anymore. She needed to know. How was it then? She asked curiously with a soft, sweet voice that didn't fit her quite dangerous appearance. Of course, she wanted a full on description of ,like, everywhere the male had been, but she wasn't sure if that was going to happen.

"I'd imagine not," she starts to say, but is swiftly interrupted by the ghost behind him. Cypher takes the opportunity to give her a closer look, wrinkling her nose at the grotesque dye— she thinks it's blood, though she can't smell any, and wonders why the creature wouldn't clean herself. She'd understand it even less when or if she found out it was dyed that way on purpose.

Her ears flick in annoyance now that the other female has decided to join in, uninvited, but Cypher keeps her attention on the male. She only looks at him, a bit expectantly, as she awaits his answer to the ghost's question.

Sorry, Marie! Assumed that because there are no plants or berries, she'd have to use blood for her desc.

Perhaps in other company, the youthful Mayfair would have been more accepting of the woman’s appearance. His brief conversation with the cinnamon cloaked woman was interrupted by the seemingly blood-stained ghost, and his gaze held their own condescending disdain as she encroached upon him. The white stranger was grisly only in the sense that her appearance indicated injury.. or a lack of hygiene.
 
The way she moved and the voice she spoke with indicated she was indeed fine otherwise, and with a harder stare of his fiery eyes, Constantine could almost swear there was a black eye in that socket. The scent of blood did not grow as she inched closer, and he studied her with mild confusion.
 
He ignored the question fully – determining that the potential threat of disease that lingered before him far more important. “What happened to you?”

no problem! But Ondine has just entered the Teekon here, so the berry juice is still fresh. Later though, she will probably use blood :)

She passed the other female, as she was not as interesting as the male, eagerly awaiting an answer to her burning question. With hopeful eyes, she stared at him, a glint in both eyes despite one appearing to be missing. She imagined this land to be full of life, music and song, wisps dancing on the waves like fairies and the light of the moon bouncing of the surface to reveal a light show no one had ever seen before. Couples hiding from a storm in a wet, beautiful cave, holding each other to keep warm, falling asleep together as cuddling kittens. The summer sun burning so bright and beautiful it made water sparkle like diamonds, wolves moving into the shade of a single tree, tongue out of their mouth while panting. 

But no. Well, at least, she still didn't know, for her question was replied to with another question. Her hopeful grin turned to a hurt, confused frown and she stepped back. She had thought that here, so far from home, others wouldn't judge her. Perfect moment to act dramatically. Why, if I ever! I've been cursed, a curse I tell you! She spoke mysteriously. If the wolves here were as stupid as the ones back home, they would run in fear or try to kill her. Both were fine. 

Her lip curls as the other woman passes her, as though she weren't truly there, "Rude," she accuses loudly, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. The wraith's attention is on Cypher's dark and handsome stranger, and he looks as annoyed as she is. She's not compelled to humor these dramatics, but he's giving the white woman what she wants. As much as Cypher would like to turn on her back on them both, leave them to their imaginations, she's growing curious. Can't help it. 

"Bless your heart," she tells the white creature matter-of-factly, "No such thing as a curse." Not in the way the ghost was meaning, anyway; this landscape was certainly cursed, but that was the way of nature.

The dramatics seemed to be all but unwelcome by the two wolves, and as the gore-faced stranger tried to plea a curse, her initial approach dropped for one of an actress in the moment, a surge of contempt stirred within Constantine. He was a creature of patience, primarily – such had been taught to him by his father. Yet his time spent with the wolves of Tartok and their ways were not completely forgotten.
 
The brown she-wolf closer to him was keen to dismiss the notion – Constantine, offering a derisive snort, lifted himself higher then, boasting a display of dominance to the white creature as his lips would curl back to reveal fangs. “Leave,” she decided then – and if she chose to continue with her strange ways, the ebony wolf would initiate an attack.
 
He didn’t consider such a thing unreasonable, given the looks of her, and what was clearly a sanity issue.

Ondine ignored the comment of the other female, though quite liked her playing along. It wasn't always she found someone to share her performance-skills with. She looked over her shoulder to the other female. Thank you immensely for your blessing, dear one, there indeed is nothing like a curse. She said in her sweet sounding voice, one of a siren for sure, but beautiful all that same.

After, her bi-colored eyes rested on the young male again, and was quite shocked by his reaction. as for as Ondine knew, she was not trespassing. She snarled. This male stood no chance. He was affected by the barren land while she came from somewhere where food was plentiful. She was slightly bigger too, and her many years had given her quite some battle experience. 

Why, am I disturbing your peace? The silence in this barren land? She rumbled surprised. She was done with these judgmental beings in her life, and for now, he was one of them. 

Tagging for visibility, as I'm wrapping things up and this'll be the last post from me. Please don't kill/injure her, but feel free to otherwise NPC her or have her wander off. @Constantine @Ondine

She feels something electric go through her body as the male stands his ground against the unkempt woman, and she gives him an admiring gaze. It's quickly swept aside when the ghost addresses her. Cypher can't help it; her jaw drops at the blatant misunderstanding of her words. She glances at her dark companion, wordlessly expressing, Can you believe this shit? Regardless of the beauty or battle-prowess this woman thought she had, Cypher is not impressed. Her own posture tenses, hackles raising and lips peeling back.

Cypher looses a low growl in warning. It is two against one, and the tawny-and-brown female has not yet been struck by the effects of famine; she assumes the dark male is in similar health. It would be a few more weeks before the lack of prey would begin to wear on them.

Just noting that since this thread is dated at the beginning of May, the effects of the famine haven't really occurred yet -- especialy since Constantine would have been well fed from a strong and plentiful pack.. so he wouldn't be weak from hunger. :)

The woman changed her tune – indicating to the swarthy wolf that she was indeed loopy. What creature painted their face so gruesome and tried to make friendly talk by inviting themselves in to the conversation of two others?
 
His patience had more than waned – Emaleth was missing somewhere, and he was trying to find her. Instead, he was dealing with some old crone who appeared to only have one eye – and her intent was to push the illusion further.
 
The brown she-wolf at his side cared little for the ghosts’ company as well – and while the ivory female felt compelled to argue her way out of the situation. Constantine did not feel the need to repeat himself.
 
His own snarl erupted from him, but not without his own stocky form lunging forward agilely. His lunge was snake-like, his ears drifting back to his skull in protection, and his nape scrunched to keep his throat from harm.  He would aim to barrel in to her form  at the shoulder, his jaws aiming to snake out and grasp toward the side of her neck – he was out to injure, should she not have gotten his first demand of leaving.