Neverwinter Forest The Guilt Trip

Nadie had vanished and Mazi felt her heart slowly sinking.  After all the two friends had been through together Nadie had just decided to leave her?  Leave her best friend?  Today the agouti found herself walking around Neverwinter Forest was a sad expression.  Tail dropping, ears back and head hanging in defeat.  Eventually Mazi came upon a puddle which she found herself staring into at her reflection.  Mazi sighed at what she saw and attempted to appear more neutral.  Then she contiuned on through the territory.

There was another thing that was troubling her,, even if it was a small problem and not a huge one.  She had thought about it often, though she didn't really know why, because her friend had given it to her maybe?  The thing was though that when the swarm had come through they had eatten the fern that Goldhawk had given her for her den to fit in with it's title.  She hadn't even realized and noticed till about a week ago though which made her feel even more guilty.

Allure did not many of her pack mates -- something she hoped to remedy. With determination in her step, Allure sought the day to gain more knowledge on her fellow pack mates, and  soon came upon a richly brown she-wolf. The unknown girl would have been lovely in many aspects -- the gentle shades of russet, cream and red seemed highlighted by the sun, despite the burden of famine.. but it was the lacklustre way in which the she-wolf held herself that stirred Allure to pause.

Slowing her pace, the black and white Frostfur tipped her muzzle down slightly, her ears perking forward as she studied her comrade. "You okay?" She called out gently, her pace slowing as she gauged the woman's reaction.

Wile soaking in her guilt, Mazi was sudden startled back into her senses at the sound of a voice asking if she was okay.  The agouti linked and her head darted around looking for the source... then she noticed a gray female and her startlement stopped.

For a few moments, Mazi actually forgot what the female had asked, but suddenly it all came back to her, quick as a flash.  "Just thinking about some things.  Besides that I'm fine though."  The agouti responded in a blank voice, but in truth she was obviously not fine, she just didn't want to get involved in her problems.

The agouti girl responded – studying her gently. Allure shifted her weight, feeling the wind ruffle her black and ivory pelt lightly before she gave a nod – she did not believe her, but she would not pry. “I’m Allure,” she offered then, tipping her muzzle down slightly in polite greeting. Pausing then, her mind considering how to better get to know her pack mate, she then swept gently down to her haunches, hoping she was not intruding too much. “Have you been here long?”

Her problem's slowly began to melt behind her as the other did not pry.  Instead the female gave Mazi her name, which awas Allure... it was a beautiful yet unique sounding name.  Mazi liked it.  Soon after Allure asked her if she had been here long and Mazi tilted her head in thought as she thought back for a moment.

The agouti female gave a small nod.  "I've been here for a little while."  She responded, truthfully unsure how long she had actually been here.  Mazi wasn't the best at keeping track of time.  She knew the timeline, but she didn't exactly keep track of the dates.

Allure gave a gentle nod, feeling every bit more like she was intruding as the other only offers answers to her questions, and seemed less engaged in the conversation. The awkwardness stretched out for a second longer, as the bi-toned girl struggled to broach a safe topic, but instead tipped her muzzle down slightly, her shoulders lifting in a gentle shrug. “Okay, well..” she began awkwardly, her bright eyes shifting away from the girl. “I know we don’t know each other.. but if you ever need anything.. a friend or something..” She paused again, wondering how she managed to place herself in these social situations. “I’m here.”

Some awkwardness hung in the air, that Mazi wanted to vanquish badly, but wasn't entirely sure how to do.  Allure was nice about it, offering her comfort and suddenly she began to realize how little her problems were.  Nadie was gone, but Mazi didn't really need her anyways.  Nadie had left her and that was that.  The gift from Goldhawk... well that was just bad luck, it wasn't life and death or anything like that.

"Thank you."  Mazi began quietly.  "I'm Mazi by the way."  She then decided to informed the gray furred female, since Allure had given her her name anyways.  Then in an attempt to make normal conversation, Mazi asked her a simpler question.  "How long have you been here?"

The tawny wolf seemed to open up a bit more – the bi-toned girl was given a name, and she gave a gentle nod, still uncertain of what to make of her seemingly downtrodden companion. Mazi was a pretty name – and it reminded her of her mother, Bazi.

“A few months.. I was in a pack called Redhawk Caldera, but when I found my father here.. it seemed right.” She shrugged, her eyes falling to the other woman’s toes. “Though the Alpha of the Caldera certainly didn’t agree with the decision.” She paused, shrugging, still feeling a burning embarrassment from her time with the Caldera wolves. She had let them down – and yet she did not know why she let it bother her. They had never readily accepted her. “What about you?”

As soon as Allure mentioned the Caldera, Mazi's eyes lit up in surprise.  Had Allure had a similar expierance?  Yet possibly not, because Allure's reasoning seemed much more... well reasonable.  Mazi had missed a vital meeting, but still did not agree to this day with Peregrine's attempt to solve the situation.

"I had a situation similar to yours too.  I was at the Caldera and had a good friend named Nadie, who came here with me.  We left the Caldera, because we accidently missed a pup introduction, which I really regret.  Yet Peregrine... well Peregrine told me and Nadie to fight eachother for a position in the Caldera.  It was sick in my opinion, Nadie agreed, so we ended up leaving together just like that."  She still felt guilty and ashamed for the cause of the whole thing, but still Peregrine didn't have to tell them to fight eachother for a position in the Caldera.

She hadn’t considered Mazi had been part of the Caldera before – and as the tawny girl informed her of her own experience, Allure’s eyes widened in light surprise. “What?” The word blurted out in her own abhorrence to the idea, and she shook her muzzle gently.

It looked as if she had left behind a pack of psychopaths.

“That’s ridiculous. I was barely allowed to attend a pup greeting – they didn’t trust anyone but their closest friends near the den.” She snorted in disdain then, her eyes softening on her companion. “Good riddance, then,” she decided more firmly.

Allure seemed to quite obviously agree with her that that pack was full of jokes.  Although she had to admit that she had enjoyed Eljay's company, that was about it for that pack though.  No one else has really caught her interest for the good at that place.

"Eljay was pretty sweet though in his own way."  She remarked to Allure with the smallest smile.  "The rest of that pack I think are a bunch of crazy psychopaths.  Especially Peregrine."  She commented, glancing at Allure to we if she agreed.

It occurred to her that it was the same pup introduction they had both went to – the hypocrisy of it almost stirring a sardonic snort from her. They had barely let her attend it – having kept her at a careful distance, to which she had understood – but kicking Mazi out because she hadn’t gone, when they likely wouldn’t have let her within their circle anyhow?

She shook her muzzle, her ears cupping forward at the mention of an Eljay. “I didn’t know him very well,” she offered, trying to recall which one he might have been. “@Shrike seemed to be kind, though,” she noted, recalling the handsome male and how he had seemed to dote upon his pack mates. It had never once occurred to her that it was special attention he had gifted upon her for that one meeting they had.

“Who was @Peregrine?” Little did she know that even after all these months, the dark Alpha still had her duped with his real name. and it was not shith-heed.