Stavanger Bay lament of the highborne

This thread takes place on DECEMBER 31, 2018. Sorry it took so long; I’ve had pneumonia. If a pack manager wants to, for threadlog purposes, feel free to edit my post before archiving to set the correct date. According to my calculator, Stormrift will receive a negative event of 5/6 severity, and a random predator. Control of all the things belongs to the pack managers, so feel free to ignore this if you don’t wanna participate. ^^ For Stormrift, I combined the predator with the negative event, because I had this idea a while back and it seemed like a good homage to the Cairn family.

The tempest utters a litany of banshee screams, flinging wings of water against the cliffs and churning up the shoreline. It is a tantrum like no other, and her stormhounds peel back their lips and worry at the terrain, snapping up tree and bracken, moss and lichen. Icefang-ridden gusts are hurled at each small, forlorn figure that trespasses the coast, and with her serpentine hands she charms the sea into frothing tendrils of snaking currents. Her howling rises to a screaming roar as she reaches the apex of her fury, hurling bolts of lightning and gripping the stone with roiling snarls of thunder. It is only midday, but she blackens the sky with a clotted bruise of vantablack, blotting out the sun so that the only light is hers.

She tries to yank the sequoia forest and the remains of the Sentinels up by their roots but does not stop to measure her success or failure. Instead, she summons from the seadeeps one of her fiercest, most bloodthirsty denizens — the Great White Shark — and casts him into the shallows of the bay. The titan thrashes and writhes, trying to free himself from the buffer of sand, but his attempts seem to grant him no reprieve. As he casts a dark, forbidding eye upon the unfamiliar terrain, mad with desperation, the glint in it appears limned with bloody mahogany. He is Skellige come again, a force to be reckoned with beyond any other, and he is so hungry.

The shark finds himself in a position where he has just enough water in his gills to keep him alive. If he should succeed in thrusting himself back into the water, perhaps he will deign to linger like a spectre, terrorizing the stormborn wolves — or perhaps he will merely frequent the bay from time to time, an uninvited guest who never eats his fill. If, however, he cannot find a way to free himself, he will die upon these shores. He thrashes again, the white of his belly flashing whitely with a crack of lightning, and snaps his jaws.

posted by coelacanth.

this is incredible. thank you for taking the time to write such a well-thought piece.

The titan had moved to patrol his claim on that day when the wind had taken hold and gripped against him like a wild tempest, aiming to return him to the waters. Though his heart thrummed in temptation for such things, the dark sea wraith remained closer to the sands than he would have. His ankles still bathed in the saline grip of the lapping waves. Ford moved along the stretch of sea with a sway to his panther prowl. The winter winds beat against him in a way that was both savage and alluring.
 
Before he had a mind to pull himself from it, the wind gusted against the swell and carried it swiftly to shore. The massive wave beat against his frame and thrust him into the sand. The warhound could not stand against the strength of it at that magnitude, but he felt a flush of gratefulness. Down the stretch of beach, his mismatched gaze caught sight of a thrashing figure against the shallows of the bay. Something in the pit of his stomach churched at the image.
 
Pushing himself to his limbs once more, Ford rushed to where the shark had been washed ashore. His breath rose from his flared nostrils in great plumes that vanished against the tempest around him. The shark seemed to scent the prospect of a kill and churned against the shallows again. It was then that the sea hound saw the bloody red of the killer’s mahogany gaze.
 
The panther became rigid in his place.
 
With the wind that caterwauled across the bay, the warhound was certain that his calls would have disappeared before they were heard. Still, the image of the shark unsettled him in a way that he could not have described to anyone else. It was the image of his ruthless father – it was the spiritual guide of the great leviathan himself. A heavy breath passed through his nostrils and carried the height of his disbelief with it. What were they to do?

the ocean shrieks a frightful song today, lashing notes of icy seawater against the earth as the sky thunders and gripes and the winds violently churn the shores. there is a fierce beauty in the storm, a certain euphoria in the fearful racing of his pulse as he watches the darkened sea thrash. he's drawn toward the shore against his better judgment, craving the thrill of a closer view. a figure catches his eye in the distance, dark against the stormy backdrop and moving with purpose.
he turns to follow without thinking, quickening his own pace until he sees the other's destination — a massive creature of some kind, all blubbery grey and sharp white teeth, surely spit from the sea. he slows, hesitating for a few beats as he watches the creature thrash. his gaze returns to his packmate then, recognizing the other as ford. the realization sends his limbs moving again, carrying him to his leader's side with a chuff and an inquisitive look. there is apprehension in his face, too — but if ford has some purpose here that he can help with, he will.

winds violently whipped against the bay; the territory taking blow after blow; surges exploded from the ocean's majestic depths as the tempest blotted out the sky with her clouds. the lightning, the thunder, her violence knew no mercy-- as expected, of course. amatsu finds herself struggling to not enjoy the storm as she notcies her skeletal leader in the distance. he is in the bay, waves lapping against him, calling him deeper. his hesitance is noted although it is conflicting: she feels the same way.

saline winds knew no end or mercy as they thrummed against the crags. she notcies his attention shoots to something peculiar-- sand, thrashing on the shore, a sight she was not ready to see. the tempest howled as she reached her apex-- crashing waves & lightning onto their shores. the stormborn shuck rushed to ford's side as he gaze sets on none other than a massive beast: a great white shark, writihing, surviving although barely, on their claim. its massive jaws snap the air as the scents of the pack wolves cross into its senses. amatsu stays behind her leader, body coiled up as a snake, keeping her grip in the sands as tightly as she can although the storm demands it overtake her: she will not allow it. born of tempsets herself, the deity lifts her crown towards the sky and howls, as if she were commanding the storm to cease.

her call to the heavens ends as she stares at the beached carnivore. what could a beached shark do? she ponders this; not much, however the storm is calling and even the slightest change of the tide or crashing waves could end both of their lives in a second's time. ths beast was not one to be toiled with: this creature was one to be respected, they could never win against the hunter of the depths if the waters beckoned it closer to them. she shoots her gaze towards the wraith as he is filled with disbelief & conflict, unsure of what to do about the sea-wolf on their beaches.

Embry had planned to head to the Sealion Shores. He had good memories of the place from his earlier days within the Teekon Wilds, and the longer he delayed the more he felt a certain gravity urging him towards the punctured sands. Today, however, he would not be relieved of this pressure.

The skies darkened to an ominous ebony hue. The tympani of distant thunder paralleled the rolling timbre of the ocean, which grew ever-inspired as the turmoil mounted. In a matter of minutes, Embry found himself facing a tempest of a storm. His sea-green orbs widened in a feverish manner as the wind embraced his body, tossing his fur of burnt umber with frenetic semblance.

A few off paces down the shoreline, Embry spotted the leaden form of his leader. Even further still, he could spot a packmate. The two seemed to be looking in the same direction. In the chaos of the storm, Embry did not attempt to call out to them. He observed their body language: in one, alarm, and in both, resolution. And then he saw the shark.

It was menacing and, to his eye at the onset, like that of a monster. The glossy skin and flat, misshapen nose was unmistakable. This was one hell of a creature. The thought of its looming in the sea sent a shiver down his spine.

He glanced back at the curling tide as he set his paws into motion, pacing himself so as to conserve energy should he soon need it. He headed for Ford, and for once he did not feel so kindly toward the ocean.

The winds blew hard and unforgiving, sticks and sand riled up in the air hitting the wolfdog like target practice. Curled up she closed her eyes to bear the storm through. Loving the sounds of the crackling thunder and every peak that she gave she made contact with a lightning bolt. As much as a thrill that it was she heard a howl nearby of a pack mate, worrying for the worst she carefully tried to stand swaying back and forth. The wrath of the sea was hitting against the rocks and yelling for something or someone to calm it.

With her head down and ears back she moved forward at a slow pace. Eventually she caught up and saw Ford and Amatsu and then what they had their eyes on... A great white shark that had been washed ashore. Jaws clamping together with every yell of the sky and a thrash like a baby trying to waddle on the floor with every wave hitting its back. Elixir came to Amatsu's side and looked at her like she had no idea what was going to happen next.

She had seen nothing like this. It was like the sea was punishing them or trying to anyway... Are we going to help it? she couldn't help but to let her sympathetic side take over as she said what she did. If she was that shark she wouldn't want to die there, she would hope that something could be done... but Elixir would only do what Ford wanted done.

This was a tempest like no other. Saucy had never experienced something like this before, having grown up farther inland in snowier regions. It was terrifying at first, that first crack of thunder whipped her eardrums and elicited a yelp from her mouth. Her ears flattened and she ducked to the ground, glancing around with widened eyes. Thunder had always frightened the yearling, the only difference between now and then was that then she’d had a mother to cuddle up next to. Now she could only huddle in her den and wait it out.

Or.

Saucy was almost a fully mature wolf; in a mere three months she’d be two years old and in one she’d be able to bear pups. So she had to get over this irrational fear, especially since badass was her chosen job title and she couldn’t be that and be scared of thunder at the same time. At first her paws were reluctant to leave the dryness of her bedding, but the more she walked in the howling wind and rain, the more excited she grew. Her fear slipped away into an anxious energy that coursed through her body like the lights above.

The lioness’s boldness took her ashore, a horrifying but wondrous sight. The sea who once only met the sky at the horizon was now one with it, allies at war with the earth. The sky pelted the sand with rain like bullets, waves from the sea that crashed like tanks mulling over the battlefield. The earth had no offense, it could only wait out the assault and assess the damage. The Stormrift wolves were right to respect the ocean, for it was truly a force to be reckoned with. Saucy was tempted forwards, the howling of the wind over the ocean crests was like a sirens song, yet she had the sense to stay far enough back. Her white fur was soaked and hung at her side heavily as she watched the battle continue.

As she walked along the beach amidst the storm she noticed others up ahead, her pack mates gathered together around something. Her first thought, Their doing some tradition shit without me, but as she got closer she saw the large slimy animal they circled. Ford stood at the helm of them, looking contemplative and unreadable as ever. Sentinel was there, as well as Amatsu and some of the newest recruits. If only Dalia and the other brothers could see this, she could only imagine the look on the speckled girl’s face. 

The warrior woman moved to stand by Sentinel, tipping her black nose to touch his shoulder. She would give Ford some space to think.

She was an adventurer, a wanderer, and a pirate of the lands and sees. The weather, pounded at her side as they wanted to wisp her to the netherlands, but she had her fair share of these gnarly storms, and did not give in to it's winds. Though so close to the waters, she would surely be pulled into the tides as the thunder cackles behind from her misfortune, but alas, she wouldn't let it get the last laugh. A madman, or mad woman, as she held the infamous grin of mischief, and trouble as she held to the shores, glaring at the sky above in challenge. How fun, Norsamu thought, and how exciting will it be, when treasure washes from this.

She wasn't alone wandering, but many had beat her to what arrived. The rest of the group, some who she met, but many who she has. Their eyes all drew to one picture, a monster of familiarity, but teeth she does not wish to meet under. It thrashed and wailed, and chomped the airs, but no one got close, and one one did anything to it, yet. Her eyes blazing, looked at Ford in wonder to what he would do, for she only had one desire; fight it. Foolish, and death-seeking, but Norsamu wishes for the trouble. How fun, it would be, she thought.

"Nay, should nab it. A mighty dinner, aye?" When one spoke up to help, she motioned her own idea in. Help a monster? Nay! What a foolish idea! It's a treasure the storms have given them, a feast from neptune's table. Shouldn't let it go to waste. A temptation hung from her gaze, as she thought regardless, to grab a chunk of out it, a trophy for the day.

It was almost as though it was a sign. The titan knew that he had disregarded much of what his father had demanded that he do. He had seen the flaws in the plan that had been formed, and so he had filled the holes with what he knew would work. But, this was something that he would have never anticipated in his life. The body of the great white shark thrashed against the shallows, inching its way slowly back to the waters where it belonged. Ford felt his limbs stiffen and latch him into his place. For all of his confidence in his own abilities, he could force himself to approach the dangerous sea creature.
 
Before he realized it, a large number of the pack had formed behind him and they all seemed to be waiting. It was the quiet voice of the dark Elixir that pulled him from his trance. She asked if they were going to help it. The pirate spoke next, saying that it would have made for a great meal. The warhound did not know how to respond to their suggestions. The shark was the predator of the sea, and somehow it had been washed ashore on their beach. There were greater things at work, he thought to himself.
 
“You’re likely to lose your life if you attempt to assist getting that beast back in the depths,” he finally replied in a smoky voice. The titan turned around and latched his mismatched gaze with Elixir, offering her a small nod. It was as though he agreed with her but could not find a way to facilitate the returning of the massive creature to the water. “They’re savage creatures with teeth like daggers. It would just as soon cut clean through you.” Much like his father had been, Ford realized with a clenched jaw.
 
Drawing his crown upward, Ford moved to get closer to the shark. His eyes were latched onto the beast’s dark gaze. It was only when he drew close enough to see the color that he realized just how much of his father lived in the monster from the depths. He did not need this; he didn’t need the watchful gaze of Skellige Cairn on his hide, not in the body of a shark that had washed ashore.
 
“Do you want to save it or eat it?” the titan inquired in a level tone, turning back to face his gathered group.

Embry settled his oceanic gaze steadily upon the creature, his tail swaying in thoughtful, calm motions as he contemplated the depth invested within this scene. He could only assume, despite his longing to discard the notion, that this was something of a Delphic omen. His features shifted minutely to convey these inner-transpirings to that of the titan before him, though he denied any verbal exchange.

He glanced at Elixir as she spoke, and his heart seemed to sink at her words. What a beautiful soul she has. He wished that there was some way to support this proposition. For the warrior he was, he thoroughly execrated brutality - especially that without foundation. Yet, Ford's words were enough to challenge such commiseration. For the first time, Embry felt a stronger sense of unity with his packmates. This was, after all, their first call for true pack-cooperation. Standing on that shore - gathered as ones of the Rift - they were a force to be reckoned with. 

Embry tensed as his leader drew closer to the aquatic beast, inching forward almost as if in protest. There was a connection, he knew, that placed higher values on the pawns at play here. This would be a matter of how to find checkmate. He was relieved when Ford turned back to address the group, appreciative of his careful diplomacy. He genuinely took all ideas into consideration, and that is what made him dangerous. 

"You know how the saying goes here in the Teekon," Embry proferred, nodding towards the expanse of rippling waves beyond the shore. "Eat or be eaten." He looked at the surrounding wolves and tried to read the thoughts of his packmates, though there was a steadfast intonation in his resonant lilt.  

"The near sea is just as much ours to tend as the sand we walk upon," He pointed out. "We cannot afford to let this threat live as a tyrant of our waters. He will always remain a looming peril to our pack - even more so when you take into consideration the Gauntlet challenge or the Drop. I won't stand to see one of you hurt because we tried to ignore the laws of the wild." 

To eat, or not to eat? That seemed to be the question at hand. Saucy glanced around at her pack mates as they voiced their various opinions. Personally, she was under the impression that a shark was a shark, however majestic it was it was still a blood thirsty monster fish that would eat them if given the chance. She didn’t have much connection to this sort of creature, but she could tell some of the others opinion’s differed. Elixir wanted to save it, Norsamu and Embry wanted to eat it. She didn’t want to make Elixir upset or anything, but Saucy was team eat.

The thunder boomed again, causing her pearly white fur to prickle atop her spine. A stream of lightning over the ocean caught her eye and she glanced away from everything for a brief moment to just admire the storm in all its intensity. It was a graceless war, and the shark was just an unfortunate casualty- unfortunate only for himself. For them, he had enough meat to feed everyone, and so Saucy looked back to the group to give her input. I think we should eat him, she didn’t find the need to say much more, Embry had embodied enough of her sentiment, save for, I’m hungry.

watching, the massive creature thrashed still.

its jaws snapped the air still.

its bloodlust grows still.

before long, ford's voice breaks the silence of his pack.
they all watch as the creature on their beach struggles to live. elixir, sweet elixir-- asks, in her delicate voice, if the creature can be saved. ford's words come from a place of what she can only recall to be familiarity. the tempest continues her rage as amatsu ponders what to do. embry and saucy had already made up their minds about the fate of the sea-wolf. amatsu couldn't help but wonder if eating this creature was even possible. this great denizen of the depths, among their land: it almost seemed like a blessing.

although, the points made were valid. if they were to set this animal free it will know no mercy to them. it knows no sympathy. it will not be grateful for being saved; if they were to cross its path the wolves would fall victim to its massive teeth. how would they kill it? attacking it head-on was clearly not an option. not whilst the creature was thrashing and snapping the way it was. would they just leave it to die on the beaches, coming back once the water in its gills had evaporated? that seemed like the most plausible solution to the deity. amatsu looked to her stormborn leader, walking a little closer. ,,we should probably eat it. no matter how fascinating this animal is, it is a danger to us so long as it stalks the waters.'' amatsu's voice breaks through the crashing thunder above. ,,it is also a lot of meat. it will keep us well-fed.'' her statement finished, with a slight whimper in her voice.
she didn't really want to see te animal dead, but it's what has to be done.

Elixir felt as though they didn't see the shark through her point of view, but that's exactly why every wolf differs. An opinion from each was given after Ford had advised them of the dangers it could pose. Embry and Norsamu were up to kill it and eat it, which was fine if it wasn't so majestic and the warrior of the ocean. Her eyes fell, they were full of guilt and sorrow for the creature that stood before them crashing around on the land. No words could even describe the way She would feel if even one bite of that shark was taken, by her. 

Eventually her gaze landed on Ford, it seemed like something was bothering him but she would keep that in mind and put it in her pocket for a later conversation. A small sigh climbed her throat and fell out. I still don't believe we should eat it. It's a precious gift of life that needs helping, but if I am out voted which is very likely by the sounds of it, I'll aid in killing the precious soul. she said and gave a nod to her pack mates. If she couldn't save it it would surely die a slow death and she would much rather see it die fast by them than slowly by the suffocation it would surely have by not being in the ocean.