Lone Wolf

[SpiritWalker]

Iatro padded through the long grass, from the top of one rolling hill to the next - he could just about make out the sea from here, the endless ocean that he could never cross.

It was like hell sometimes, trapped on the island, alone forever; but his surroundings kept him company. At least, for the first a hundred years or so.

He longed for freedom, but knew that it would only bring him sorrow, for freedom meant much more than just the ability to roam further, it brought consequences in a form more cruel than pain or hurt - interaction, friendship, the knowledge that one day it would all be over, for them at least, and the knowledge that he would always have to watch them die. Every single one of them, forever dying in his heart.

This was the curse of his kind, it was said that a long time ago the bloodline of Reus used to rule the elements and battle great warriors until all bowed before them.... until they became too strong, stronger than any wolves had ever gone before, a force that could displace even the mightiest and most noble gods. It was said that the goddess of darkness - Aesahaettr despised the bloodline and was envious of their acquired power, so envious that she sought them out, wolf by wolf, infecting them with a deadly, cruel gene.

Each and every one of them would pass down this gene to their children, and their children would be destined to watch everyone around them die and know that only their parents could have prevented it.

Or so the legend says, but such thoughts only poison Iatro's mind, but enough damage had been done throughout years for it not to matter to him anymore. The worst part was that there was still more to live.

The wind rustled at his fur, reminding him of the days he spent as a pup, sprinting along the beaches, soft sand beneath his feet and the sunlight reflecting of his pale green eyes.

Such joys never passed him anymore, the light in his eyes had gone out and every time he looked down at his paws he couldn't help but notice his ribs getting ever darker with decay and debris that even the pure water of the Island's springs could not fade away.

[crystalmoonlight]

Living in the darkness, a familiar sight. Hearing nothing but the wind in the trees, and the sound of the waves.

Or she assumed it was waves. The scent of sea salt was on the air, mind you it could be something else.

There was another scent too, nagging at the back of her mind, perhaps another wolf? Hmm, she would have to look into that.

She had only been hiding here for only a few days, not long enough to want to remove the teleport ability that she had leeched from a passing wolf. Certainly not long enough for comfort.

She stopped. That scent was growing stronger, it was worrying now. The wolf whom it belonged to was coming closer. She would have to do something.

She rounded another corner, her echolocation saving her from crashing into a boulder.


There.

The wolf was so close now, it could probably hear her. She stopped, completely still again, ears pricked for any sound of movement.

There was a slight rustle.

Uh oh...

Had it spotted her?

No? Yes? Oh gods above...

Perhaps he hadn't, maybe her echolocation was lying...? She could just look, but no, that would involve losing the teleportation...

"Show yourself!"

[SpiritWalker]

The depths of the cold air against his muzzle tempted Iatro's scent, the fog was setting in around his feet and the wet dew on the grass tickled his calves.

A whisper of a sound rushed past his pricked ears, beckoning his glance - it was a wolf, she-wolf to be exact. She had called him, called him from a lonely island, an island to which no one but him roamed.

'You're not possible', he thought, although magic was known to exist beyond the Reus bloodline, he doubted that this wolf possessed the power of teleportation, 'You are different... something else lies beneath your skin, a different power.'

Iatro gazed into the fog, straight into the she-wolf, eyeing her up and down, until he came to that something else. Her eyes. They shone like the silver moon, yet held so much more than mere beauty, they held the emptiness of the shadows and the mysteries of sight.

A slight pang of sorrow filled his heart - this wolf could never wake up, she could open her eyes without seeing and close them without darkness; but this emotion did not last for long, for there was a reason this island housed only him, Iatro did not want visitors and he would warn this wolf and be on his way. Strangers were welcome here, as long as they made no attempt to cross his path and become more than their title holds.

"I mean you no harm, stranger," Iatro began, preparing a short speech, "However I do ask of you one favor.... leave me be, it is not worth your time, and you will only suffer."

His words were cruelly perfect. He wanted this wolf to fear him. Or rather, he didn't want this wolf to endear to him.

'The words are spoken now, she will not come asking questions or conversing with someone who has threatened to cause her grief.'

It was a long silence whilst Iatro waited for a response, an acknowledgement of his plans, something for reassurance; something that he began to regret.

'Silence yourself, Iatro, she will leave and you will never have to speak another word, be patient, and no harm will be done.'

[crystalmoonlight]

She stopped dead in her tracks.

"You smell of fear stranger, like a pup that has wandered too far from the den"

"Perhaps leaving you alone would be unwise"

Her tail twitched slightly, ears pricked for sound of his movement. The darkness was unforgiving, endless and cruel. Her only hits to the world around being the scents of the wind and the sounds in the air.

"You are older than your voice suggests I take it"

The wind picks up, she turns her muzzle into the breeze, a slight look of bliss over her face.

"Where are we?"

[SpiritWalker]

The she-wolf edged closer to him, walking with a slight twitch, clearly trying to make out the ground between them. Iatro's heart was racing, he exhaled, moving his front legs away from his rib cage, praying that the blackened bones would add to his horror act.

The wolf made a remark, something about the way he smelt, Iatro's senses were deafened in an attempt to block the wolf out, but something within pulled him closer to her.

"We are in Palekaiko, within the Valley Of Angels." he had given up on restraining himself, maybe with time the wolf may seek more information and discover why she cannot remain with him, that was if she ever decided to stay in the first place, "But I must warn you, strangers are not welcome around here... many of us here cannot leave, for very different reasons than it may first appear."

Iatro looked up at the sun, it was swiftly disappearing upon the horizon, making way for a new symphony of light, and the stars were fast approaching in its' wake.

The wolf would not be moved, the day was slipping away from his grasp and they would both need to seek shelter soon. The chances of another night alone were very slim.

'Perhaps when the sun rises, she will be long tired of my endless riddles.'

"You are right, I am old...so very old," suddenly he knew this longing, he knew this pain and he knew exactly what it was, "And I am begging you to leave."

[crystalmoonlight]

"I do not want to leave"

She smiled slightly, a creepy satanic grin. She pawed the ground ahead of her with caution.

Well, this would surely be an interesting night, perhaps even exciting?

Shade walked closer to the other wolf, lowering her head. Her horns flowing behind her head gracefully.

"So, tell me about yourself!"

The sun began to set, Shade felt its loving warmth over her fur for a few fleeting moments, before it sank entirely. A shiver ran through her thin body, from the tip of her muzzle to her tail.

"First of all, what's your name?"

Be wary Shade, he smells like a curse, he has been brushed by the almighty AEsahaettr, goddess of all chaos. His heart is pure, brittle as the ice in your own hollow soul.

Shade tensed up slightly, revealing a set of sharp ivory teeth. "Be warned stranger, try nothing that will end up harming you"

[SpiritWalker]

The wolf did not take his advice, just smiled grimly and placed herself next to him, the power within her soul was strong and he could sense her muscles tighten as she spoke.

"My name." Iatro began, "Is Iatro, and as for my background, I come from the Reus bloodline."

He raised his paw and gently stroked his ribs, the cool evening air had led them to sting and he could feel the brittleness of their structures - he didn't have much life in him, at least not in this form. This relationship was dangerous, death was approaching and he did not want this wolf there to watch.

"Anything else to add?" he murmured, taking deep breathes and staring into the sky, avoiding direct eye contact with his unwillingly chosen companion, "I do, however have a question to ask of you."

Weariness was setting in, and for a brief moment he attempted to imagine what death would be like. This was his first life, his first chance, but he had already seen too much of this world and he begged for freedom. Death would come as a blessing to him, but only if it came alone.

'Perhaps I am to swift to judge, this wolf may not stay for as long as I fear; in fact there has been nothing to suggest that she won't leave by sunrise.'

Iatro's jaw seized up, praying for mercy to the gods and hoping this wolf doesn't have the ability to read minds, if she knew about this curse she might attempt to flatter him with empathy - something which, even in this old age, he did not need."What is your magic? And why do you confuse me so? I can sense something about you. Something different. Why are you here?"

'Give me an answer, wolf, if you are going to stay here with me then I need to know what I am letting in.'

[~Seechem~]

Opal opened her icy blue eyes. All she could see was a fuzzy outline of a beach shore. "Uhhhgh... where am I?" Opal stood shakily and gazed around her. All she could think of was Daemon.
Lifting her muzzle she gazed at the newly setting sun. The smell of other animals was still fresh in the air. She padded a step whincing. 'Uh never sleep like that ever again.' she reminded herself.
She lept forward, her stomach growling as she moved through the warm sandy beach.
"Maybe there are other wolves here?" She said to herself between puffs.
Rounding a corner she froze. A valley streched out infront of her, and deep below she could see two wolves sitting side-by-side. 'Oh man.' Opal thought wearly.'I really dont wanna start a fight.' Unsheating her claws, Opal made her way towards them. 'Spell, spell think of a spell.' she thought desperately, but her mind had gone blank.
There was a small area covered by brush and Opal made her way there now. Sliding silently over she settled and watched them. One wolf was small black and leaning slightly to one side, but the other was odd. She hadnt seen this from a distance but his ribs were on the outside of his body. 'Yuck!' Opal thought to herself, sticking her tounge out. The bones were decayed looking and Opal dredded to see what the wolf looked like.
'Ok Opal,' she started, 'time to make a move.' Opal moved from the bushes, makig the leaves rustle loudly, so as not to totally surprise the pair. "H-hello," Opal started nervously. She sat just behind them, "I'm Opal."

[SpiritWalker]

There was a moment of silence between them, the slow breeze was turning into gushes of wind which rippled through his fur like crickets in the grass, Iatro shivered, there was something not quite right. He looked around, a rustle of leaves came with the next band of air, greeting his ears with a wave of panic.

'There is another one. Another wolf; two on one occasion,' he thought, 'Seems like a miracle, or something much more sinister.'
The likelihood that this other wolf was also blind was extremely slim, this newcomer would be able to see his ribs.

Iatro suddenly felt very self-conscious and attempted to conceal the bones - but it was no use, the curse had left his family scarred like this for centuries, this wolf would notice it soon, if not already. He just prayed that they would not come any closer; he may not be able to fend off two wolves without violence, and in his state of mind Iatro would surely lose.

He opened his jaw, about to whisper a word of warning, before the wolf jumped into the open and introduced themself, it was clear she was female, the tone in her voice was pitched high and had not yet matured, despite it being evident that she was at least, 2 years of age?

"I know you are trying to be friendly, Opal," Iatro paused, contemplating his next few words, "And I do not wish to cause any sort of harm towards you... but I am afraid that.."

He looked around to the she-wolf beside him, before looking up at Opal, "I cannot provide company for either of you."

[~Seechem~]

Opal stopped. Her icy gaze fell on the ribbed wolf. "Well," She barked gently, padding forward slowly, "I can provide company for both of you." The little wolfess lifted her head, her blue eyes met the large male, "Please."
They held the gaze for a while, then Opal smiled and looked towards the other wolfess, she hadn't moved since they had met. "I'm Opal," She started padding confidently up to the she-wolf's side. "Uh... can you hear me?" The wolf looked blankly back at her. Opal's ears went back and she wore a nervouse smile. "Ok... so.... you two just meet or what?" Opal settled down her intense gaze met the male's, she wasn't going to let him slip that easy!

[SpiritWalker]

The welcoming eyes of the she-wolf gazed up at him, piercing into his aged soul and forcing him into a catacomb of hope and false pretenses.

His pulse raced, he tried to appear calm but his nerves had begun to fail him. A trickle of sweat ran down from his forehead, moistening a line of fur down his muzzle.

'Calm Iatro, staying with this wolf may become compulsory, or else her suspicions may rise into a tide of curiosity, causing her youthful self to seek you again.'

He watched the wolf re-introduce herself to him, as if to wash away anything that he had said beforehand that may have suggested an awkwardness between them. This made Iatro smirk, 'the naive young she-wolf was too kind for her own good', he thought, 'as had he been a predator, she would already be dead on the floor in a pool of her own blood - motionless, but still with that endearing smile on her lips.'

"I believe you have already introduced me to yourself, Opal," Iatro spoke softly to the youth, "You ought to be more careful around those that are not of your creed - there are dangerous beasts upon this island."

She had much to learn, but Iatro could not help himself feel pity for the youngling, she had seemed like the truthful type - and in his youth (decades ago now) he would have perhaps had taken a fancy to her and that beautiful, unscathed coat.

"However-" he continued, "I have made a decision to at least spend the night with your company; it is already late and it would only cause fatigue to wait much longer to find shelter."

[crystalmoonlight]

The silence was growing between the wolves, the silence that could speak a thousand words, if only it was listened to. Shade's senses had gone slightly into overdrive, the sudden appearance of another wolf had startled her.

'Stupid, I need to concentrate'

This new wolf, Opal perhaps? Was acting in such a strange way! What logic was there in approaching two unknown wolves and presenting yourself as an easy target?

Shade's muzzle twitched slightly, showing off her teeth with a wicked grin, the sunlight was just catching on those deadly incisors, she could feel the warmth reflecting to her long grey horns that flowed down her body.

'Mutant, always a mutant. Lesser being, you don't even deserve to live!'

Her thoughts were vicious, those same words puncturing her steady breathing like a dagger to the chest. Her powers probed the other she wolf, enjoying the feeling of such possibilities, such power lurking under that fur.

"Opal, what power do you have? Seems oddly, exaggerated for one so trusting as yourself "

She turned her blind eyes in the wolf's direction, still smiling that deadly smile, that spoke Do not come near me or I will rip your throat out.

A ray of sunlight caught on her fur, sending a cascading wave of colour down her spine and legs, a spectrum of colours. The warmth was gratefully accepted by the small she wolf, Shade huddled closer to the floor, trying to conserve energy. The sunset cast orange and gold light into her eyes, making them seem so alive when they were so dead.

"Perhaps we should find cover, it is getting rather cold and I do not wish to be chilled" Her voice was icy quiet, she was suggesting an alliance, for now at least.

Every fibre in her body was screaming to stop, to take the power of these wolves and kill them, something was not right, they were too powerful, far too powerful for a little mutant like herself to handle.

Shade shivered again, the quakes flowing through her body. The air was growing colder and colder, the scent of salt growing in her muzzle. The crashing of waves thundered in her ears, which flattened against her head.

It was growing louder and louder, rumbling so loudly, overloading her entire being, she crouched against the floor, trying to stifle all that terrible noise.

"MAKE IT STOP!"

[~Seechem~]

Opal's ears pricked at the distressed tone of the female's voice and her powers instinctively kicked in. The star on her forehead started to glow blue, glowing a different colour for each spell. The waves slowed and Opal stood now struggling against the force of the sea.

Her eyes were screwed up with the effort, but after a couple of seconds the waves slowed and settled. Panting Opal turned back to the two wolves. "My abilities are various depending on what I need. I can manipulate water the best, as well as growing plants and healing injuries. It is difficult as I did not receive much tuition."

Opal whipped her brow, the sweat on her forehead was settling into her soft fur, and making her hot and bothered. "Now shouldn't we find some shelter from the harsh breeze, and in the morning the sweltering sunlight?" Opal just wanted to sleep after the effort of relaxing the waves. Her mind couldn't concentrate or settle. "You ask me what my powers are but what are your?" She asked directing it mainly to the odd male. "Well?"

[SpiritWalker]

Iatro observed the two she-wolves and their meaningless banter - they seemed awfully passive-aggressive, especially the dark one, with her sarcastic tone that was almost mocking their very presence.

It was this he did not like - the torturous sensation of contemplation, he could feel the judging stares of both wolves, with their pounding hearts and full bodies that seemed so far from the obliterated mess that greeted him as he looked down to his blood-stained paw. What a mess he was. His arrogance exceeded him.

'I've given up now; let these wolves be friends - I shall lead them on to rest and surely they will be gone before the sun rises. But first, the question.'

"Opal," Iatro began, his throat blocked by the knowledge of his lies, "I have no 'power'. I have a mind that far precedes my body - I have fallen through the bars of adolescence earlier than I intended, and that is all. I am just a wolf. No more."

Iatro paused for effect, building up his façade, making it out like every word he spoke was true, and that the only reason for his stammer was simply that he was ashamed. Ashamed. Ashamed for being right, for falling in line with everyone else.

"I was merely intimidated by your great powers, so I confided in these words of false wisdom to try and earn praise. But I do not wish to pretend anymore - I will show you both shelter, where we will rest."

And for the first time in his life he was truly repulsed with his bitter lies, and however intended they were he could not believe himself when he told them. He just hoped they could, like so many before them, forget.

He slowly got up from his stance, blood rushing to his feet as he rose, making his vision blur with fascinated swirls of crystal blues and greens, "Come," he spoke, padding softly away from the coast, towards the heart of the valley.

'After all, I am skilled in the art of deceiving, my plan should work - I've had many years of practice.'

[crystalmoonlight]

A quiver of power ran through her body, the breath of Iatro dancing through every fibre of her being. Cold at first, touching her muzzle like the first drop of rain, on a day where even the sky screams with tension. Warmer and warmer it ran, coursing down her spine, right to the tip of her tail where it became a burning flame, hotter than the fires of destruction.

Power. So much power! Shade gave a little yip of excitement, her lips peeled back in a wide grin.

"Yes, we must find shelter, it must be getting dark?" Shade made it a question, tilting her head slightly to one side, almost in a sign of innocence, however her smile was all but young. Once more she tested the ground ahead of her, emitting echolocation waves that painted the landscape in her mind. A rock here, a hole there, all minute peaks in the soundwaves that gave away so much yet so little of the world around her.

As the final rays of sunlight filtered through the darkening sky, they fell upon the she-wolf's fur once more, casting the rainbow of colours across it. Her once dark fur was suddenly alight with colour, displaying all the elegant contours of her small frame. The light, just hitting in her eyes seemed to bring them to life, a circle of gold around where would be a pupil appeared for just a moment, then faded back into nothingness.

Such a display of light was warning enough that she was not all she seemed, that a deep, ever changing power lurked beneath flesh and bone.

[SpiritWalker]

Curious as he was, Iatro did not question the she-wolf's pretentious coat and mysterious eyes that appeared to be a muse for her onlookers, tempting them into the dark abyss that most probably lay beneath her - although Iatro had wondered whether this was a double bluff; the concept of her having some brilliant power may only be skin-deep, but he was not one to question façades.

Something about Shade puzzled him. It was something that he had not even realised yet, but knew already. It wasn't her coat or her eyes that caused him to speculate. It was something else.

He could sense it from the moment they met, and he had been dying to ask, but refrained from doing so, in fear of it sparking some unneeded aggression that would make it even harder for him to set her off on her way after the pleasantries had worn off and the sun had risen.

Iatro hadn't thought like this about the other wolf - his question earlier merely confirmed her pointlessness in his mind, and provided sure footing for himself by pretending that his priorities did not lie with Shade, or her background. Which, in fact, as you can probably guess from his thoughts, is false.

And so his act was growing, shaping itself into the perfect mould. He had hoped that it would sustain them over the night, but only time could surely tell whether that could be true.

However, all will be revealed in due course, for now, Iatro had to lead them on - he had only just realised that, while he had been deep in his own thoughts, he had failed to move more than an inch towards the shelter. He shook his fur and proceeded, wading through the long grass, slowly increasing the size of his steps as he strode towards the mouth of the valley.

"Here," Iatro coughed, his voice breaking mid sentence, "I know of shelter within the valley, it is not far from here- just beyond the curve in the river, it should take us no more than nine minutes to reach it, if we keep at a quick pace."

After completing his speech Iatro turned his head to the other wolves, who were, unfortunately, still behind him, before recoiling back to face the valley once more, surely placing his right paw onto the descending rocks in front of him.

Eventually he reached the bottom of the slope, his paw slightly scuffed from a piece of flint he had the luck of stepping upon. Prior to checking up on his paw, Iatro shot a glance up the bank as to register the current position of his party.

'Now, this should be amusing. I haven't spent a day with others for a significantly lengthy period of time, but I doubt it is any more of a blessing than I recall.'