Re: The Desert Woods

**HiddenFaith** Tue Oct 23, 2012 5:57 pm

Khora padded onto the rocks, head hung low with shame. Then a grin crossed her face as she realized something. Death had already set in. She gazed at the looming black with with cold gold eyes, humour glinting for a moment, but it was dark humour. The death of a relationship, for they could never go back. Not to the way it had been. Their relationship is forever changed. Even Echo and her's was forever changed. "Death coming in many a form it would seem." She darkly laughed.

**Lunar** Tue Oct 23, 2012 6:46 pm

The deep blue of the night sky caught Lunar's attention. She couldn't seem to stop looking at it. No matter where she moved her eyes, they always landed on the sky once more. The chilly breeze that signaled fall wasn't too far away hit Lunar like a slap in the face, but it felt amazing compared the the unnatural heat of this desert place. "Experience life? How am I suppose to experience life? Haven't I experienced enough? Am I suppose to go pick fights with other packs or something," she asked herself in a hushed whisper. "I've been away on my own from the pack before. I can take care of myself. I saw a lot... What else do I need to do?" Her glossy black fur stuck out against the sand.

Daboss Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:32 pm

(Family. Real flesh-and-blood family. Having an older brother. Being an aunt. There's lots of things!)

Asku ended his break, and continued jogging down the trail, looking every which way.

Echo Dreamer Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:51 am

"Oh, I'm sorry," Echo started, "My name is Echo. I don't believe I caught your names either. Mind if I ask what your names are?"

**HiddenFaith** Wed Oct 24, 2012 4:39 am

Khora curled up on the rock, waiting for her apprentices to return so she could apologize. But just as she was about to drift off into sleep, a voice stirred her. "Khora...?" Erebus asked, his deep voice filling her mind. She raised her head, looking at him with confusion, shock and anger almost. "Erebus!" She growled, jumping up. "Whoa! What's with the anger!?" Erebus sharply asked, fear prickling his pelt. "I know what you did... Well I've been told. Erebus is it true?" She became desperate for an answer, almost on the verge of tears once more. "Khora..." He whispered, drawing closer. She should have told him to keep his distance. But she allowed him to press his wounded muzzle against hers. "I would never do anything like that..." He licked her ears, staring into her pained golden eyes. "I promise you." The words came out, and sounded... right. Khora gasped muttering and apology and relaxed, letting herself return the gesture and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she was lying on the stone, and Erebus had never been there... "Just a dream..." She muttered.

**Lunar** Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:04 pm

Lunar's ears perked up as she stood, having made up her mind. Quickly, she started padding back toward the GoldenBloods territory...

Daboss Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:10 pm

"Nice to meet you properly Echo! My name is Crescent Blue Moon, just call me Crescent though." he began.
"And mine is Moon Shine, but just call me Shine. Second name rather than first so that we don't think you're calling us both or literally THE MOON." she finished. "...Because both of those would be odd." Shine mumbled.

Echo Dreamer Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:13 pm

Echo laughed again. "Well it's nice to meet you, Crecent and Shine." he replied with a smile. "Hey Shine, do you think you would be able to keep up if we bumped up the pace a bit?" Echo asked.

**Lunar** Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:44 pm

Lunar held her head high, on guard sense she was alone. She listened closely for any sign of a possible threat.

**HiddenFaith** Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:57 am

Erebus slunk out of the sands, careful not to alarm Khora. She'd be extra careful with him now, he knew that. With as much care as the injured wolf he was should, he padded or limped rather back to the den.

Daboss Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:58 pm

Asku thought he could see little blobs that might be wolves off in the distance. Was that the blue of his children's pelts? What was that bright blob of a might-be wolf with them? Had they accidentally trespassed on another pack's territory? Were they OK? He started to run a bit faster, worry gnawing at him.

Crescent smiled too. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad.
"Sure! I can try! Go on ahead!" she barked happily. Her and her brother started a kind of gallop-ing pace that efficiently got them farther quicker with less energy.
(Derp.)

Echo Dreamer Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:09 pm

Echo went to galloping pace as well. He looked forward and thought he saw somethinor someone in the distance. They were running at them, and definitely wasn't Lunar. "Hey guys, might that be your dad?" he said indicating the wolf running at them.

Daboss Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:17 pm

Crescent gave the crooked grin his father sometimes did. "Yeah, that's him!" he had long ago abandoned the hare. "Shame I left that bunny behind. Now I'll show up empty-pawed."
Shine blinked, and looked up. "Eh? That blob is daddy?"

Asku smiled calmly as he got closer. His children appeared to be fine. Still their own, beautiful selves! He howled happily in greeting, still quite a while away.

Echo Dreamer Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:35 pm

Echo smiled and howled back in greating, letting show for the first time why he was named Echo. His howl seemed to reverberate for what seemed like forever. He, Cresent, and Shine finally reached the two pups' father. Echo sat down and allowed the others to talk to each other.

Daboss Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:00 pm

(Technically they're young adults Wink

Asku's an old man, in a way.)

Asku licked his children's noses happily when he was close enough. "Nice to see you! So, where's that desert hare?" he teased.

"Uhhh... I had to leave it behind. And Shine managed to get herself into trouble with a spider of some sort. We're looking for "Lunar""
Asku raised a brow. "Lunar? Did I never tell you the story... Of a family separated by a single human?
Shine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, dad. Only a million times a day since our birth. Wait. Wasn't one of the wolves in that story named Lunar Eclipse...? Is that story..." Crescent cut her off.
"Hey! Aren't you tired of holding yo leg up like that? Let's get going already!"

Echo Dreamer Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:51 pm

"Wait," Echo started, "you know Lunar? How do you know Lunar?" he aske genuinely curious.

Daboss Sat Oct 27, 2012 9:51 pm

Asku stayed silent as he thought for a moment. Had the time come to tell? No. He would avoid it for as long as he could. He would protect his sisters from the truth... His failure... "Oh, it's a long story. I was in the Golden Blood pack a long time ago... She was just a little pup. Only a few moons old." He said quickly. Maybe he was just being stupid. Trying to feel better about not being able to keep his family safe.
Shine wondered why her father hadn't said anything else. "Hey, you never actually told us what happened to the family after the last day." she said, now curious.
Crescent nodded. "Yeah, I'd kinda like to know..."
"Maybe another time. For now, we need to get Shine to a healer. Is Khora still the healer, or has someone taken over for her?"

Echo Dreamer Sat Oct 27, 2012 9:58 pm

"Actually," Echo started, "Khora is however is also unfit to heal right now. I can not heal for I will start my training tomorrow. That is why I am taking them to Lunar. I have seen her work and I have to say, she is very good."

**HiddenFaith** Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:03 pm

Khora got up, realizing that they weren't coming back. If they were they would have by now. She blinked, fighting down the waterfall of emotions that was boiling up inside her. Turning, she began to pad over the sand dunes, and spotted the group of wolves just on the horizon. Fear prickled her pelt, Echo was with three unknown wolves. He could be in trouble! Without hesitating, she took off down the sand and made her way quickly towards them. Her life as a desert wolf didn't leave her, she knew what to look for when on the sand, how to keep her footing, how to make her strides even longer. In minute she'd joined them, rushing in front of Echo, snarling with fangs bared defensively.

Echo Dreamer Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:08 pm

Echo was surprised at Khora's sudden appearance. "Khora, what are you doing?!?" he asked surprised. He stepped in front of his new aquaintences.

**HiddenFaith** Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:19 pm

Khora looked at him, and then blinked. "Oh, oh!" She immediately turned to them, ears pulled back in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! I saw you from afar, and I couldn't tell if you were friendly or not. I assumed you weren't, you know for safety sake. Three against one isn't very equal odds you know." She explained. Her eyes trailed onto Asku and she frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry, but have we met before? You look... very familiar..." Tilting her head to the side she squinted at him, trying to place his face.

Echo Dreamer Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:21 pm

Echo sighed relaxing.

Daboss Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:35 pm

Asku smiled. "We have met! I came to the Golden Bloods quite a while ago, with my brother and sister. You were still the healer back then. I hear Lunar has become a healer herself... The art of healing others is a very respectable skill. My parents used to tell me stories of how the healing properties of certain parts of nature started with a wolf who wouldn't eat meat. One day he was severely injured by his fellow pack members who thought him odd, and thought he was in touch with evil magic of some sort, and planning to take over the pack. They left him, thinking he would die of his injuries, but he survived thanks to puking up some plants he had eaten earlier at the sight of his wounds. He managed to drag himself to a group of the plants, having figured out that was what had helped him. He chewed them up, and applied them. And he lived, and he left, and he started a family. And he taught his pups this new art. And his pups taught their pups, and their pups taught their pups, and on and on through the generations. You see, my father believed he was descended from one of the first healer's daughters named Marigold. He was a rather skilled healer, and even taught us some of his tricks so that we could maybe save ourselves one day. Also, Marigold was named for her orange pelt. Sadly, I got my pelt from my mother's side... Her family was full of blacks, and whites, and grays."
"Daddy, you're such a good storyteller! Do you REALLY think we're descendants of the first healer??" she asked, easily distracted as usual.
"No, I know so! My father was only ever wrong once in his life. And that mistake got him into lots of trouble... Which is why we're not with him." he said calmly.
"How do you know your father wasn't making it up? No way a wolf could survive that! Healing was probably found from lifetimes of research, and that's just a tall tale. Besides, it's also very possible that you just made that up to distract us from our questions." he said grumpily. "Let's get going, we've wasted to much time. Who knows if those hairs are poisonous." he started walking, his sister falling silently into line behind him. She looked rather surprised at her brother's words. He NEVER talked to daddy like that. NEVER IN HIS LIFE!

**HiddenFaith** Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:38 pm

Khora blinked, talking with Asku would be fun. History was something they needed desperately within the next month. "I can take a look at that right now if you want? At least so I know what we'll need back at the den." Khora offered, smiling down at the young she-wolf.

Daboss Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:52 pm

Shine stopped walking, and turned around. "That would be great!"
"Thank you, Khora." Askuwheteau said quietly. He was pretty shocked to. Of course what his son had said about distracting them was true, but... He hadn't even realized he was doing it.

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