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Post by CursedErin on Jun 26, 2014 21:19:58 GMT -5
Quinn sighed softly as she made her way around the forest. The loner wondered what this unseen place held. She lived away from the mountain and had just moved to the area. But she knew if she was to survive, she needed allies, a pack. It wasn't long before she found herself at the border of The Frigid Plague pack. She sniffed curiously at the border as her monster green eyes scanned around for any sign of movement in the forest.
Carefully, the female passed over the border, gulping for a moment, fearful that she might be attacked by multiple wolves. She assumed a defensive stance, ready to run out of the area if she needed to. "Hello..? Is anyone out there..?" she called out softly, almost in a whisper, before she thought that no one could hear it. "Is anyone out here?!" she called out louder this time, still in her defensive stance and ready to run back and away if she needed to.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 26, 2014 21:56:13 GMT -5
"I hear you, I hear you." A muffled voice called out, seemingly from beneath Quinn's feet. The ground in front of her stirred...no, it looked as though it was literally being stirred in a circle by an unknown force, the soft earth loosening and flowing around and around like a liquid. Then, two paws burst from under the waves, and then a spotted white female emerged from the ground. She took a moment to inspect her own pelt, nodding in approval as she saw that not a speck of dirt had clung to her coat.
"I believe I may have mastered this technique." She said it as though any wolf could relate to the accomplishment, before turning back to inspect the newcomer who stood on her border. If it weren't for the spots of orange, Perjury might have guessed that she wasn't from around here. Those colors didn't lie, though. Coat aside, the female was fairly average in terms of build, which meant she was slightly taller than Perjury herself. Despite that, Perjury didn't think there would be any confusion as to who was more subordinate than whom, what with the newcomer looking like she was ready to run a hundred miles in the opposite direction at any given moment. Perhaps her entrance was a bit too...surprising, but she could hardly be blamed for keeping a finely honed edge on her power.
"You can relax; you are not going to be attacked. At least, not unless you give me a good reason." It was more a joke than a threat. She kept the possibility of this wolf feigning timidness to get a surprise attack in the very back of her mind, as it was always wise to be prepared for any situation, but she doubted that anything like that would come to pass. She had sent a powerful message with Drak, and ever since then the border had been peaceful.
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 26, 2014 22:12:24 GMT -5
Quinn felt the earth tremble beneath her. 'Earthquake?! No.. There's a voice.. Something.. Or someone.. Is causing this.. But what?' she thought to herself as she looked around, wondering what would happen. Soon enough the other wolf made her appearance before her, raising herself out of the ground. The defensive she-wolf stared Perjury down for a moment as she spoke and somewhat greeted her, her entrance extravagant, yet a bit frightening as well.
As Perjury finished speaking, the dark brown female raised her head into the air and inhaled sharply. She scented the area for other wolves around. Luckily there were none close enough to even see the two by the border. Quinn smiled a bit with content as she sat herself down and swung her larger than average tail around to the side of her right flank, looking Perjury up and down in silence for a few moments, no words being spoken as if she was waiting on something.
After what seemed like endless minutes, Quinn spoke up, after examining the other she-wolf. "Greetings, and for the record, I wasn't scared of just one wolf, but multiple wolves I can't quite handle on my own accord." she replied, figuring out quickly where Perjury might be poking at after she had spoken. "My name, is Quinn, I had parents from this area, though personally I did not grow up here, they insisted on a safer place away from packs, and.. Powers? If I remember correctly." she said, before indicating to what Perjury had done when she rose out of the ground.
"Anywho, I am new to the area, you yourself seem to be of high importance, if I may take a wild guess.. A beta, or Alpha even, especially with that power.. Of a pack? Perhaps the one that I assume this territory belongs to." she said, before casually looking around the area. Her eyes kept a hint of alertness in them, still on the lookout for any sneak attacks, from either Perjury herself, or even from another wolf that might come from the ground, she had much to learn about the area still.
"Oh, pardon me, I forgot to ask. What is your name miss?" she said, snapping her head back to Perjury, tilting her head to one side and offering a warm smile.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 26, 2014 23:54:44 GMT -5
Perjury couldn't help but note that this was not a wolf of many words. Also notable was her manner of speaking; she didn't seem evil. The alphess knew that looks could be deceiving, but it was equally likely that Quinn was unlucky enough to stumble upon her lands by accident.
"You must be new here if you have such little knowledge of the Power, let alone the packs," Perjury remarked. "Many wolves in this valley have powers of their own. You can acquire one for yourself if you can argue for your right to have one, although wolves of some alliances have a better chance than others. Others, like myself, have held Power since birth. My name is Perjury, and I am the alphess of this pack. We hold claim over the entire southwest quadrant of the forest, and we of the Frigid Plague call ourselves evil." There was much more to say, of course, but for now Perjury stood where she was and waited for a reaction in order to dictate her next move. If Quinn was neutral, she could always recommend the Honovi. If she was good, it would be a small matter to chase her south where the goods could take her into their pack. On the chance that she was evil...it was the most interesting possibility, and potentially the most beneficial.
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 27, 2014 0:02:14 GMT -5
Quinn watched as she saw little subtle hints and flickers of emotion in the alphess of the Frigid Plague. She could tell that Perjury didn't think Quinn was cut out to be in her pack, at least not quite yet, so she would have to think of something to prove herself evil, which couldn't be too hard.
The brown she-wolf moved her tail around, from one flank, to the other, and back again, over and over as she listened to what Perjury had to say about the powers and then about the packs. Quinn even let out a bit of a strange chuckled that seemed off considering what she had said before. "Well, that all comes down to one question, which what actually constitutes Evil. I was told by my parents about another pack around here, they seem.. Quite Evil, but not the good kind of Evil, they are.. Insane? I guess would be the best way to put it." she replied. "I suppose I will leave it up to you for this decision, but all I suppose I can offer you is my word.. Perjury, I am Evil, but I don't think there is a need for certain Evil tendencies unless a good reason constitutes it. If you know what I mean." she added, before silencing herself. Catching something she wanted to talk about, she could talk for hours on end, but if she found a topic boring, she would probably be quiet and say only meager things about said topic. But that was beside the point right now, as she awaited what the alphess would say and dignify.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 27, 2014 0:17:45 GMT -5
Perjury couldn't help but smile at the pleasant surprise. What were the odds, after all? Good and neutral had always outnumbered evil, and Perjury knew from plenty of experience that not all or even most evils were cut out for her pack. She wasn't normally one to think of fate being on her side, but all the pieces had certainly seemed to fall into place to bring Quinn to her doorstep.
"You were lucky to have come here. There is another evil pack, but their minds live in a world outside our reality. The Frigid Plague welcomes rationality; it is one of our most important tenets. If you can promise loyalty, sound judgment, and respect for our alliance with the neutral Honovi, then I can promise you a place in the Frigid Plague and all it has to offer. Our territory is second to none, and no wolf will dare scorn you for your darkness of heart."
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 27, 2014 0:22:24 GMT -5
Quinn once again saw any facial feature movements, noticing anything that Perjury might be doing to give of signs of happiness, fear, anger, frustration. In this case, she seemed a bit ecstatic, glad that Quinn was there. This even made Quinn smile a little bit, she had never had any place accept her really for who she was.
Once more, she listened to what Perjury had to offer, and feeling the need to, she slowly stood herself up and bowed her head slowly to Perjury. "I'd be more than willing to accept these terms and conditions, and lend my aid to Frigid Plague." she said up to the alphess. Her sentence done, she slowly raised her head back up to look at Perjury, wondering what was in store for her in this pack.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 27, 2014 0:54:23 GMT -5
Perjury nodded, secretly appreciative to have had a meeting at the border that didn't need to end with her ripping out someone's tongue. Perhaps things were beginning to swing back in her favor. Hopefully some sort of misfortune wouldn't need to befall the Honovi in order for all of life's mysteries to balance out again, but Perjury wasn't so superstitious to think so.
"Very good," she said, standing. "There is nowhere I need to be for now, so I will lead you to the den area. As you have seen, I am quite proficient at the art of sculpting the earth, so I can have a den dug out for you in short order. I don't know where precisely you can find your packmates at a given moment, but I'm sure you'll meet up with them in due time."
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 27, 2014 0:59:51 GMT -5
Quinn nodded as Perjury spoke, "I would be honored to be led to the densite by you." she said before listening to what else the alphess had to say. At mentioning the other packmates and being unsure if she would find them or not, Quinn couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Oh believe me, I'm sure I'll have met them all in due time, whether they know I have or not is the thing." she replied, smiling warmly at Perjury. "Also I'd be even more pleased if you would treat me with a den, also if there is anything at all that you can tell me about this.. Power was it? I would be appreciative, I want to learn more about this area, after all I don't want to represent you pack and know nothing about what goes on here." she finished, waiting for Perjury to show her the way towards the dens now, and hopefully tell her more about the area.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 28, 2014 22:08:37 GMT -5
(OOC: Although the den area has its own board, I'll just have them move between locations here for the sake of keeping this all in one thread.)
Perjury nodded, pointing the way with her muzzle to lead Quinn towards the den area. She considered her question as they were walking. She herself had been born with a power, her mother had a power, and she had never known a life without power. It was difficult to even imagine what it would be like not knowing of it, and that made it tough to explain. For Perjury, it was like having to explain why she had eyes or a tail. It was just part of her.
"I can understand that it must be shocking to be surrounded by magic, having not grown up in a magical land yourself." It would certainly be shocking to go somewhere else and find wolves with no eyes or tails, so Perjury could put herself in Quinn's position that way. "There are signs of the Power everywhere. In the mountain, in the ruins, on the trunk of the Adoette tree. And, of course, in us. Though not all wolves can manipulate the earth, like myself, every wolf born in this valley is touched by the Power. Even you. Though you did not grow up in this valley, the orange on your coat reveals your birthplace." Perjury nodded down at Quinn's hocks and tail tip.
The trees grew higher and higher as they moved deeper into the territory, the young redwoods and mixed oaks near the border giving way to an unbroken sea of mature redwoods, the soil softened by fallen pine needles and green leafy vegetation in the spots where sunbeams broke through the canopy. The namesake of the territory, Sequoia Woods, became breathtakingly clear as they got closer to the den area. It was truly home to Perjury, and it never failed to awe her.
"We're here." The alphess said, pausing her explanation of the Power and coming to a stop at the base of one of the giant trees. It was so large that every member of the Frigid Plague could stand nose-to-tail around it and still not make it halfway around the trunk, and there was a large split in it at the base that formed the entrance of Perjury's own sizable den. "This is where we make our dens. Many are made already, but some have been unclaimed for years and have been mostly filled in by the rains and the passage of time. If you find one of those in location that appeals to you, I can give you a demonstration of my power to renovate it."
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 28, 2014 22:24:47 GMT -5
The newest member to the Frigid Plague pack nodded to Perjury and then quickly began to follow her, staying side by side with her new leader. Quinn seemed to be comofortable in the silence, not minding if either one of the wolves spoke, or if they both stayed quiet, she'd just happily follow along side Perjury and look around the forest for anything interesting. It wasn't long however before Perjury spoke, causing Quinn's head to turn to face her.
Quinn nodded in agreement to Perjury's first statement as she spoke, she opened her maw to speak back, but soon closed it again as she saw Perjury's muscles twitch at her jaw, before she spoke again. Once more, Quinn nodding, looking at her hock and her tail once again, maybe the length of he tail also had something to do with this power. "I'm not much one to go searching for answers.. But I might just explore around one day and see what all this.. Power of yours can do, not your soil power so to speak, but the power you have explained to me by the mountain. I am interested greatly in what this land has to offer." she replied as they neared the den area.
It wasn't long before Quinn would be looking up, staring at what seemed to be never-ending trees before she looked to what was before her, the largest tree Quinn had ever seen and ever would see. "Well. I suppose that must be the power you speak of?" she smiled and giggled lightly as she looked at the oversized tree and imagined what great things it could hold, but also what disasters could happen.
"Very well. Shall we begin a little search then?" she said to Perjury, before smiling and nodding lightly. Soon enough, Quinn started looking for a place to call home. There was a a few dens to pick from, some looked utterly dreadful, and others looked like they could use a bit of work. After awhile of 'home shopping' Quinn settled on a den that wasn't far from Perjury's. "This one looks fine.." she paused and scented inside of it, "It seems like no other wolf has been here in eons." she exaggerated, though the den was indeed vacant. The den had more than enough room to accompany Quinn and two other wolves, as if she intended to have some sort of company, but that was just something Quinn enjoyed was plenty of space to sit down and have a chat. "Any chance at all you might be able to show me what your own personal power can do to such a den? And when you're done, perhaps you could tell me of what all types of powers might be around for a wolf such as myself.. And how to acquire one as well." she added, looking back at Perjury, whom she hoped was still following her.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 29, 2014 13:50:11 GMT -5
Perjury waited patiently while Quinn expected the den area. She considered den selection to be a very important decision. After all, it would be your home for the rest of your life. Taking great cake in making the choice was a promising quality in Perjury's eyes. The alphess nodded in approval when Quinn found what she was looking for, and stepped forward to offer a look at her power. Growing up, this kind of thing required a great deal of focus, but it was now one of her easier tricks. Compared to levitating something or tunneling at speed through the soil, carving out a den was child's play.
She didn't move or speak. Unlike wolves who had been given their abilities by the White Wolves, she did not have a tattoo that glowed when she used her power. Only a single twitch of her ear marked the moment that she began, and the ground surrounding the den appeared to rise, like the earth itself was inhaling. The low roil gave way to a wave that quickly and smoothly carried all of the old soil out of the mouth of the den. Inside, any walls that had buckled righted themselves, the dirt on the floor loosened to provide a soft bed where leaves could be placed, and the structure of the den hardened to be sturdy and smooth. The whole endeavor took less than a minute, and Perjury exhaled lightly as everything came to rest and returned to its natural inert state.
"And there you have it. I obviously favor the power of soil, because it is my own and it has saved my life more than once, but there are many different powers. There is a grouping of caves near the mountains where the White Wolves live. They are immortal beings, and one of them gives powers to evil wolves. Her name is Geist, and I suggest you have your wits about you if you intend on paying her a visit. I have never had cause to meet her myself, but her reputation precedes her. She is not sane and she might play games with you. Dangerous games. Still, if you believe the reward is worth it, it might be a good idea to try your luck."
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 29, 2014 20:17:57 GMT -5
Quinn saw Perjury step forwards towards the den. In respect, and also because she didn't want to risk getting an injury, she stepped back to examine Perjury's power. She could see how easily the wolf moved the earth around her. It was like she wasn't even trying, but every movement was flawless. 'Definitely dangerous in a fight..' she thought to herself as she watched the old soil be exchanged for new soil. Before long it was done and the den was complete. She stepped forward and poked her head in. "Fabulous~" she said to the alphess before turning back to face her.
"So soil is one of the powers.. Happen to know of any others? I think I might want to snag one myself, or do they give them out how they please.. Or in this case, how Geist sees." she asked curiously. "I don't think I'd mind the insanity, I do believe I'd be able to deal with any case of insanity that rears its ugly little head, don't worry about me confronting any wolf." she added, a bit of a sinister smirk curling at the edge of her muzzle. She beckoned the alphess inside of her den, before walking in herself and sitting down.
Once Perjury was inside, if she wanted to join Quinn inside, she would ask more questions. "When you're done with explaining some of the powers, perhaps you could tell me some of the history of White Wolf Mountain? I'm interested in the heritage I lost when my parents decided to selfishly move away." she said, sighing a bit as she awaited Perjury.
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Post by Cascade on Jun 29, 2014 20:49:01 GMT -5
Perjury laid down across from Quinn in her den. There was more than enough room for both of them, and it was quite comfortable. She thought hard at Quinn's question, racking her brain to think of all the powers she had encountered over her lifetime. "Let's see...Soil obviously is a power of earth, but there is also the powers of Stone and Botany for those who wish to control rock and plants, respectively. Wolves of the Honovi historically had power over water. Some could create Ice, others could control the flow of rivers. I have heard of wolves rarely being given the gift of controlling fire, and it would logically follow that there are powers for the element of air."
The alphess crossed her paws, still thinking, "I know there are many others, but any specifics would be pure speculation on my part. Powers are not as common as you may think; a wolf could potentially live their entire life in this valley without ever witnessing one. And again, I have no knowledge of Geist other than what rumors have told me. More wolves come back from her cave alive than not, if that is any comfort to you. That's the most reassuring thing I can say with honesty."
"As for the mountain, its history is perhaps longer than time itself. I can not tell you everything since White Magic and her daughters appeared, but I can tell you the history of the packs. Long ago, before my grandfather was born, there were two packs of each alliance. The goods had the Eternal Snowfall and Storm Skies, the neutrals had the Dancing Shadows and the Fire Bringers, and the evils had the Whispering Darkness and the Dark Avengers. They lived for many years, but you'll notice that only one of those packs remains to this day. When my grandfather was growing up, he had no place in either of the evil packs. Both were run by alphas who were bloodthirsty and even insane. The neutrals had always had the most tenuous hold on the valley. A new pack formed, one disappeared, the remaining two merged, and the Honovi formed separately from all of them. At the same time, there was a great upheaval in all the valley. A great fire, as well as the coming of an unimaginable demon, forced the surviving wolves to flee to the caves. The packlands were abandoned at this time, and when the danger was gone, my grandfather and his small band of loyal followers returned to the valley first and laid claim to the old Honovi lands. These lands."
"You might think that surprising, considering that the Honovi are our strongest allies. The alliance formed in spite of, and in many ways because of, my grandfather's claim on the land. His mate, Kiowa, had a close sisterly bond with the Honovi alphess, Acka, and it was through their bond that the claim was forgiven. My grandfather had the power of soil, just as I have, and he worked together with the water-wielding Honovi wolves to create an oasis on their new territory in the heathlands to solidify the pact of peace. That was two generations ago, and we have held the alliance ever since. There are no hard feelings on the part of the Honovi, their new land in the bluffs is desirable in its own way, and it suits their character. In fact, their alphess is my cousin, Treason. She grew up with me in these lands, and left to stake her claim to her birthright when she realized her true heart was not an evil one. In many ways, history has repeated itself. I feel as though she and I are this generation's Kiowa and Acka, so I live true to their memories."
It was almost tiring talking at such length, but a long history deserved a long explanation. There were countless details that she had left out for the sake of brevity, but it was all true. The Frigid Plague had come a long way from a huddled group of wolves sharing their dream in a dark cave, and Perjury intended to keep moving forward.
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Post by CursedErin on Jun 30, 2014 1:09:44 GMT -5
Quinn seemed to get more and more intrigued by the second as her alphess spoke and told her what she wanted to know. The dark brown wolf was laying down comfortably before Perjury as she spoke, a look of interest upon her face. The powers, the endless power.. She thought it was extraordinary and she wanted one. What to get though? Or was it random? She wasn't sure if Perjury could answer this question, as she had gotten her power by a birth rite, and not from the wolf known as Geist. There were more questions, but Quinn, for some reason, thought she would not find her answers from Perjury, at least not for those questions, but there was always other stuff that could, and more than likely would be asked.
Next was the history of the mountain, the stories of the packs, and the stories of how Frigid Plague and Honovi came to be. This aroused more questions, 'How was Eternal Snowfall made, or how was Dark Donoma made? Or did I miss it in the confusion of answers? Sure Eternal Snowfall was at the beginning.. But I crave for more information, more answers to feed my mind.. More interaction, what all information can I seep out of Perjury? I want more.. I need more.. I need to know!' she thought to herself, practically shouting at herself in her mind. Quinn was a bit obsessed with knowledge and at this point it was starting to show on her facial expression, a few ticks being shown and what not, but she was too nervous to bombard Perjury with a load of questions.
Her vibrant green eyes darted all around Perjury, scanning her for any sign of movements, no matter how subtle they were. The piercing eyes were a bit ominous and to a certain extent creepy. Perhaps this is why she was considered an Evil wolf, her tendencies may seem good, but everything she asks has a greater meaning, all unfolding in the end in another manner, an evil manner, although that was far form being revealed. All information she gathered was used to fuel her mind, if she went for awhile without gathering any she even went into a bit of a withdrawal state and might shut herself out from the world. Information was basically a secondary weapon to her, and a secondary source of living as well, she could only go so long without any new information, thankfully it didn't need to be an abundance of information, it could be something as simple as a name and it would keep her from sinking into madness.
The sheer thought of what she was thinking of caused her to space out in the real world, leaving a few minutes of silence between Perjury and Quinn. Quinn had processed everything the alphess had said, but didn't respond to it for the few moments. After awhile, she seemed to snap back to reality, her eyes blinking curiously before they looked around and focused on Perjury. "Oop, sorry, went into a bit of a.. Err.. Processing mode, I guess you could say." she giggled a bit and tilted her head happily. "If there is anything else you need to tell, or even ask me Perjury, don't hesitate, I love picking other wolves minds, and it's even better when there is so much to pick." she added, smiling happily at the alphess.
Quinn awaited anything from the female opposite of her. The brown female's left ear stayed close to her head, almost laying against her head at the moment, while her other ear stayed up and attentive to Perjury, listening for even the slightest sounds from the alphess. Her eyes remained locked with Perjury's for the moment, waiting to see if anything would be said, or if any other movements would happen to come from Frigid Plague's alpha.
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