black trees

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Ink black paws stood firm upon the hard earth. Paper white threads that lined their ways up his knuckle bones quivered as they were flexed, extending two blackened sets of chipped claws into the impressionable loam. Arkane grasped at the dirt under his feet, simultaneously getting a feel for the land as well as practicing his muscles in quiet anticipation. A formidable line of thick, gnarled tree trunks loomed before him like sentinels at a gate. Arkane merely met them with a cold, steely pair of sea green eyes as thoughts meticulously circulated through his head. Behind those barriers dwelled a pack, one that boasted a reputation that held some interest to the black and white male. The final call on this claim would be his to make though. 

Conviction filled the male's movements as his body sprang to life. Two thick haunches pulled themselves further back as his forelegs straightened into a rigid stance. Arkane's breast expanded with the sudden influx of air that filled his lungs and then deflated as it was all loosed in a silence-splitting howl. His head stayed aloft at its normal erect perch, however, the remainder of his form relaxed into a laidback sitting position. Aquatic eyes shifted slowly around as he awaited the arrival of another out of the treeline.

[Cascade]

Arkane's voice echoed off the trees. Their thick, hard trunks reverberated the sound back and forth until it seemed like the whole forest lit up with his howl. It was unthinkable that it wouldn't be heard, but as the sound faded away into silence without a response, it seemed that somehow he had called out into nothing but a vast emptiness. Until the Earth itself called back.

Like a thunderclap buried deep underground, the sound shook the earth. A few needles fell down from the branches, but the trees themselves stood still, too mighty to waver even slightly. Another boom thundered out, this one far closer to the surface, and it seemed that an earthquake was about to hit until the ground about ten yards in front of Arkane collapsed in on itself then, like water, crashed against itself and shot up into the air in a great wave. Dust filled the air as the wave came down, obscuring the area until it had fallen silent once again. Moments later, the dust cloud fell to the ground as though each speck had suddenly been overtaken by gravity. In the center of it all, in the spot where the ground collapsed, a wolf now stood. She was a short female, someone who could easily fail to convey any threat if it weren't for the way she carried herself, and how she stood confidently in the epicenter of the earth's upheaval. Her fur was nearly all white, save for her black hind legs and the spots on her back in various shades of red, yellow, and orange. Yellow eyes stood out against her white fur, and even more against the lush greens of the forest that stood at her back.

She said nothing, just looking at Arkane with a certain understanding of his reasons for being there. Her identity, though she didn't speak it, would be clear to anyone with knowledge of the Valley, for she the only one alive who could bend the soil to her whim.

[Deleted]

Patience was not the strongest of traits possessed by the male. Only a short while had passed, and he quickly found himself growing bored of the wait. No figure had yet to emerge out of the trees. As the ground began to rumble beneath his feet though, a slim suspicion slipped into his mind that he was in for a slightly more dramatic entrance. The vibrating strengthened and it was clear he did not have much longer to wait. In a more courteous manner than cautious one, Arkane fluidly rose and took a few steps back as he scanned the area with mild interest. 

The earth split and spit out a mostly white female - mostly white save for the odd spots of colors that speckled her back and a pair of vibrant gilded eyes that he met with his own ocean greens. Her entrance, while different he had to admit, had served the purpose of solidifying Arkane's resolve. Small whisperings of wolves with power and the mountains they dwelled in had reached his attentive ears, and he had found himself instantly intrigued. Now here had had before him a living, breathing, ground-controlling example of the stories he had once been skeptical of, but no more. 

The male gave an almost imperceptible nod toward the girl - his version of acknowledgement - and cleared his throat softly before beginning to speak. "Perjury." More of a statement, less of a question. A mild hint of an accent touched at his words, rough and guttural admist his otherwise seamless baritone voice. "Arkane." A gesture toward himself. "If your pack is in need of members, I am a willing candidate." Arkane did not feel the need to express what value he could possess as a potential pack member, he would let her figure that as she would.

[Cascade]

The alphess nodded her head, returning his acknowledgment. Before she spoke, she took a moment to appraise the male who stood before her. It was clear from his trim and cut figure that he took care of himself, and the air of confidence that surrounded him did not escape her notice. The fact that he was apparently a wolf of few words was also a welcome change. The last time she accepted a chatterbox into her pack, she ended up having to rip out his tongue. Cathartic though it was, it was not an experience she wished to repeat.

"Because you know my name, I trust that you know about the Frigid Plague. We have inhabited this forest for generations with minimal conflict, and our alliance with the Honovi pack runs deep in blood and in promise. Our kind of evil is one of dignity; one that it is not ruled by pointless bloodthirst. As a member of this pack, your loyalty will be absolute. Nothing less is acceptable. In return, I will never wage unnecessary war, or use you as a tool to further my personal gains. Every decision I make is for the benefit of the Frigid Plague."

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The slightest hint of a satisfied smirk flashed across the man's features before dispersing into the emotionless plaster that was his typical expression. There was no denying the raw definition thriving beneath the male's white and black coating. He was a strong, able-bodied individual, not to mention intelligent to boot with a heavy grasp of leadership and pack dynamics. He had once been a ruler in his own rights. Those days were gone for now though, it was better to leave information such as that out of the picture. 

"I do." Arkane rumbled simply, not the kind to beat around the figurative bush, or the real one matter of fact. "I understand." He murmured again, his tones deep and surly. He knew what would be expected of him and all that pack membership entailed. There was, though, the entertainment of an idea being toyed with in the depths of the wily male's mind. A hint of it passed with Arkane's next few words. "What of ranks?" He had his pride, bottom-feeder was not his place. If he had to start there, so be it, but he would not be there long.

[Cascade]

"You will start as a subordinate, as you might expect," Perjury explained, "Although I welcome you to demonstrate your will and initiative to move up in rank. Currently, neither beta nor gamma positions are occupied. I have high expectations for these positions. Others are vying for them, so there is no room to put forth a half-hearted effort. For now, though, you should take a day to relax and aquaint yourself with your new home. It is no use aspiring to leadership in a pack whose dens you have not yet slept in or even seen. There will be plenty of time to put your best foot forward once you have gotten yourself settled in."

A small rumble made its way through the ground. This one sounded more like...a message, though its meaning or its destination was not made clear. Perjury glanced down briefly at the ground, never not thankful for her ability to harness its mysteries. "Do you have any other questions?" She asked, returning her gaze to Arkane.

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The male's bushy, two-toned tail swept behind his haunches; a subconscious movement of anticipation for the lad. Perjury's words were nothing new, but neither did they do much to bash the quiet confidence of the formidable canine. He was a creature of many talents, and even more ambitions. The competition just drove him further, faster, and harder; it made the pursuit even more worth his efforts. 

"Will do." The brute vocalized simply, not wishing to spend more time discussing when his time could be much better spent showing. Again the earth grumbled beneath their feet, and Arkane assumed for a moment the alphess was going to make her ground-splitting exit. Yet the dirt remained firmly intact beneath their paws. It seemed the girl was waiting to see if he had anything else to add. Arkane had no questions he could not find the answers to himself, so he stood and once again slightly inclined his head to his new leader before making his way into the Frigid Plague territory.