Snowforest Taiga pathogen

one by one, wasting illness took the residents of the taiga by storm; despite the efforts of the natives and the hunters hailing from the west, disease spread like wildfire among the hooved beasts of the wilds. they wilted and fell in great numbers, like meadows of dying flowers. death and rot hung heavy in the air.

today, no passing hunter could fail to notice the stench of death in the air; even winter's frost could not entirely halt the festering of what seemed to be a field of corpses. the occasional feeble wail or flutter of movement revealed fading traces of life among the dead — but these were fewer and farther by the hour. the snowy flatland had become a graveyard within a matter of days.

chronic wasting disease has become prolific among the deer, elk, and moose of snowforest taiga.

”in infected animals, cwd starts with a single abnormal protein called a prion, which causes lesions or holes in the animal’s brain, making the cerebellum and cortex resemble a sponge. the lesions cause tremors, chronic weight loss, and confused behavior, such as walking in circles or stumbling.”

tagging the alphas of involved packs for continuity: @Lane @Issorartuyok @Kukutux @Aiolos

written by the listener

Within hours of the conclusion of the inter-pack festivities held in the Sunset Valley, reports began rolling in of a resurgence of the Zombie Deer Disease. It was the ultimate irony. Lane's stomach was still full from feasting in celebration of the eradication this disease. And now, two days later, as she stood surveying the immense destruction, it was all she could do not to vomit. 

Lane loosed an emotional howl, voice rising, falling, and breaking as she wrestled with her profound disappointment. She called for @Issorartuyok, @Kukutux, @Aiolos, and even @Mahler, if he could hear. Others would likely show up too, given the emotionality in her voice. Changes were on the horizon for all the Taiga wolves, and no doubt many would be curious.

The man did not hesitate when he heard the voice of his fellow leader sound across the lands. The beat of his heart was stricken with worry. He hoped that Lane was alright, that Veteran was also safe and unharmed. Issorartuyok did not know what he would do if the young boy was injured, or if his mother had been impacted by something just as terrible. This was the reason his pace was so swift. This was his justification for arriving where Lane stood in heaving breaths.

Lane, are you well? Did something happen?

The northerner approached her with a prodding nose, unable to determine if she suffered from injury or if something else had happened to her.

The stench of illness was in the air.

Issorartuyok scanned her figure and then turned his attention to the prey animals. There were dead bodies that had been left behind to decay. The man’s heart seized, and he stood stiff against the chilly winter winds. The Alpha did not know what to do.

The concern in Issorartuyok's voice triggered tears of frustration to pool in Lane's eyes. She did not answer him with words; instead she silently nodded at the scene before them. 

Once Issorartuyok had taken in the scene fully, Lane rasped out, "What are we going to do? This is more than we can--" Her words caught in her throat, which was raw with emotion. They had already given their very best effort at eradicating the disease. There seemed to be only one other option. 

"The pack can't stay here," Lane stated finally. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep tears from falling.

mahler had been roaming for heda once more when lane's call rose upon the air. it was thick with anguish. the graf, chuffing to @Wylla, descended beneath the stone archway of the bypass and loped into the taiga. he kept himself paced, arriving as soon as he was able.
as he traveled, mahler began to see downed bodies, more and more, growing in number as he crossed into the taiga. the air was choked with rot and sickness. 
a man he did not know stood with lane. he had heard the songs of duskfire and knew his brother was no more.
it was with polite worry that the gargoyle approached. "lane," he said gruffly, inclining his head toward the unknown male.
and then his lavender eyes swept to the carnage, the devastation of life that stretched much too far across the taiga. he had not heard lane's words, and when he eventually looked back at the pair it was with a drawn expression. there were tears standing in her eyes, he noticed. mahler looked away, not wanting her to feel observed by one not of her pack. "the river vich runs from the valley into the taiga; this sickness does not seem to have crossed over." 
the yet was implied, mahler supposed, but it was something.

death.

and more death.

the duck's face was stricken as she arrived not far behind the rivenwood hunter. they had feasted and laughed. the stories still glowed within her.

instinctively she moved toward the side of lane, ears tipped back in sympathy and a shared agitation. "we gave much work to this land," kukutux said, thinking of the many caches dotting the taiga, the piles of hides. "i will give more."

her jadestone eyes moved to mahler and then lighted briefly upon issoratuyok. while she would not speak over the men, kukutux felt that the final word must belong to the mouth of duskfire.

He had struck out, following after Lane. The celebrations and feasting were over. His belly was still full with meat, his head afloat with fresh, vivid memories. He too, wanted to see if the disease within the herds had improved or worsened. Unfortunately, the answer was the latter.

He smelled the death before he saw it. Rot and death hung heavy in the air, stinging his nose and eyes even more fiercely than the first time. Lane's strangled, emotional cry sent him running to catch up with her. Jolting to a halt, he all but ignored the other wolves gathered. Glacial eyes instead trained on the endless sea of dead, bloated bodies. "This...this is too much. What can we do?" He asked quietly, voice thick with shock.

Skippable unless addressed!

Wylla followed more out of a sense of duty than concern. She was not remotely sad to hear of Wintersbane's passing, nor did she care one whit for the nearby pack. She knew zero of their number, and these days, could not bring herself to care much about anything or anyone than her family. In fact, she had always been that way, but Sagtannet really nailed home that others were not worth her time. But Mahler was worried and wanted to go, so she trailed after him with no small measure of reluctance.

Especially when the scent of death and sickness grew thick in the air. Wylla wrinkled her nose and scooted closer to Mahler. He better hope that coming out here wouldn't expose them both to whatever this was. When their allies loomed near, Wylla gave them little more than a passing glance and a grim tautness across her muzzle. She just wanted to go home. This affliction was absent in Rivenwood, as far as she knew. It wasn't their problem.

She was surprised when Kukutux arrived; it seemed awfully far from home for her. Wylla, being a homebody and antisocial to boot, was not aware of Moonglow's extended stay in the taiga. She peered at the moonwoman with a soft smile, more than she had bothered to offer Lane, Issorartuyok or the juvenile with them. Kukutux was as close to a friend as Wylla had ever had, and they hardly knew one another. She had saved Mahler. That created a strong bond as far as she was concerned.

Aiolos can be skipped around too!

Something had occurred. Something which should have been expected, had their ignorance and pride not been so. Though two packs were close and two others not far, the wolves were not enough to halt the disease in its tracks.

The deer fell, the many of them and though the wolves were fat and full, they had gorged and they could not reserve their food for the rest of winter. The deers died for faster then they could eat them.

We can move to the coast, He pauses, turning to Kukutux and then sweeping the others. Or one of the great lakes back over the mountains. He had been near the one in the plains and knew of another in the great bear wilderness. Even Moonglow's former home held one quite large. If the herds die off, if needed... The sickness will not effect the fish, sea lion or walrus...

Going to toss in a vague little closing reply and perhaps we can wrap this one up. If anyone else wants to throw something in, I don’t see that being an issue. <3 ^^

Their village could not remain in the glacier.

Issorartuyok nodded his head to Lane, understanding reached his features. Their people would starve if they attempted to remain in the territory. There could be no new families born within a group of people who had not been able to feed, to stay strong.

We will be alright, Lane. We will gather the village and will find a good home.

The others who had gathered could deliberate how the sickness would impact their people. It was not his place to muse with their neighbors or to help them make their decisions. The northerner knew that his duty was to Duskfire and in preparing their journey away from the glacier. 

Until then, Issorartuyok would need to return to the glacier and begin the preparations for such things. The man nudged softly against Lane’s shoulder – a show of support – and then turned his frame for their village land. The work had only begun.

Lane squeezed her eyes shut, blinking until he tears had dissolved. Issorartuyok spoke to reassure her, and she nodded slowly. The pack was strong, with the addition of the Tatkrets. They would find a way to pull through. 

Kukutux offered to continue the work that Moonglow had already done, and Lane's heart swelled. The tears might have welled again, but Lane bit the inside of her lip hard enough to taste blood. 

"No, Kukutux. Thank you, but no. Moonglow had already gone above and beyond. It's time for you to think of yourselves." Lane was sure that Kukutux and her wolves were eager to return home, and she would not be the one to keep them here, fighting a lost cause. 

"Duskfire Glacier will find a way through this, and if we cannot, then we will leave." From Issorartuyok's words, this plan seemed to be in line with his thinking.  "..We may need to lean on Rivenwood for a time, if we would be welcomed..?" Lane asked tentatively, looking to Mahler and the woman who arrived with him. Mahler had mentioned that the disease had not reached the valley, and so Rivenwood's hunting grounds would be their nearest option for food, once their caches ran low. It could be a workable, short-term solution, if Rivenwood was willing to share.

last for me!

it was a trying and somber time. mahler glanced to wylla, who remained aloof and silent. his eyes also rested on kukutux, who offered more of her efforts. issorartuyok spoke comfortingly, and the graf nodded to lane. "of course," he murmured, not knowing that rivenwood itself would be tested by its own threat in the days to come.
it seemed as though duskfire might depart.
"i vould like to remain in touch vith you, vhatever the glacier decides," he said softly. "if you call, i vill answer."
if there was nothing else to share, he would offer both duskfire leaders a nod and depart with his mate, speaking along the way of what could be done.

kuku out!

"duskfire has its own power," kukutux whispered. she would lean forward to press lane with a gentle embrace, and then glanced to her sun man. 

moonglow meant to return the following year for winter hunting. it would not be the same without the glacierwolves, but her understanding was clear. they must make a path away from this sickness.

when she turned away with aiolos, kukutux would pause and whisper words of prayer over the taiga, hoping to settle the angered spirits who had seen fit to bring the malaise.

Wylla barely listened to anything said. She glanced at each of the gathered wolves in turn, but her look was distant, like she was somewhere else inside her head. She maintained that none of this had anything to do with Rivenwood, and it was not her realm anyway. Mahler led. She did not, and was only here with him as mate.

It seemed to her that no decisions were made that day, but when Mahler turned to leave, Wylla followed with little more than a parting look and grim set to her lips. As long as they did not bring the prey sickness to Rivenwood, she supposed they would do as they liked, and Mahler was a bleeding heart, so he would let them.

The words of the other leaders went a long way to quell Lane's emotional turmoil, replacing despair with gratitude. In the coming days, hope would also blossom as well, as Issorartuyok and his scouts explored the wilds and their reports came rolling in. 

"Thank you, Mahler," Lane gave her heartfelt appreciation with a nod. She accepted Kukutux's quick embrace, pressing her muzzle into her friend's ruff before she released. She took one last look over her shoulder at what remained of the herd, sighed, and departed from the taiga with Issorartuyok. There were plans that needed to be made. 

Going to archive this for us, since I think most have exited.