``Heirrogant [Open]

[Pocket Kitsune]

The peace of the woods did not last. A wild, chaotic symphony of outflared wings from several songbirds roosted within the still solace of snow kissed branches broke the stillness like the roar of winter's silvered wind's midnight chorus. And flashing after those vibrant wings that swept by like drifts of ash, in colors both mute and extraordinary-ocher, royal blue, blood red, the churning noise of their escape making the air quiver and hum, twisted a reckless crimson shadow. He danced upon stout hind legs, forepaws batting at the air in a vain attempt to catch one of the swift kings and queens of the sky.

Only to fail, causing him to tumble backwards into a deep snowdrift. The fall, while inelegant, did little to harm his pride. No, it was the fact that once more his jaws had come away clean that dealt the most devastating backhand to that whirlwind of boundless energy and ego. Heine huffed, ears flatting to his skull in frustration as he watched the horde of birds wing safely into the pale slate of the skies.

This, then, was Farbe's male heir. A flatteringly haunting image of the ghostly father whose name stalked his dreams as it circled in his minute ears, evoking restless dreams of pale gold eyes that glimmered like aloof fireflies. Always watching him, but coming no closer, leaving him dazed and disoriented upon waking.

His mother, in recent weeks, while attentive to both himself and his siblings alike, had grown reserved and silent. Though he was too young to understand why, he suspected it had something to do with the disappearance of his father--a male whose face he did not even know. And perhaps never would. He yawned then, the thoughts disappearing like cloud drift from his mind. He was far too young to dwell on the complicated emotions of adults.

No, he'd much rather take chase after shadows and suspicious-looking sticks. Which, rising from the pale, marrow-chilling expanse of snow, is precisely what he did next, leaping forward with a series of sharp yaps that echoed off the trunks of trees. Fearless, like his father.

[Sizz]

A U R E X

Aurex had not been in contact with any of his pack’s wolves for a while now. It wasn’t really as much as going into hiding, rather than wanting some time to himself. He had discovered many things since his leaving. This gave him more of a chance to learn about the world, and even come up with his own philosophy. He noticed how still nightlife is, but at the same time lively and filled with danger. He even pretended to be nocturnal once, only to experience what it would be like. It was different than being out in the day in many ways. He worked on his fighting techniques with an elderly mountain lion, which really helped him a lot.

Aurex decided that is had been long enough since his departure and headed back to Farbe; a permanent place that he could call home. He wondered what it would be like, and if anything had changed. He wondered if everyone was still there, and if they could even remember his scent. Who couldn’t remember my scent? If anyone could not remember his scent, they would probably remember in a short moment after coming into contact with him, he was sure of that.

Off he went, heading back into Farbe. It did not look very different. The air smelled great and fresh. The leaves looked different since he last left. This time the leaves were lighter and not as green. More of a light orangeish and redish color. The tall, green grass was covered in a slight layer of dew which made the fur on his paws dampen. For some reason, he did not smell a strong scent of wolves, like he used to. He did not know why, and found it very strange. He couldn’t figure out what the reason could be, except for maybe they got into a huge war and lost… But if that were the case, wouldn’t there be the winning wolves all over Farbe? It did not make very much sense to him, so he decided to venture further into Farbe.

As he vebtured further into Farbe, he could smell a faint scent of a male that he did not know. He was prepared to fight him if he had to. He slowly followed the trail until it got stronger and stronger. Aurex did not know if this new male was a threat or not, he'd been gone for so long. His main instinct was to attack the new wolf to the ground, but then he thought about what Amaya would do. She would probably be all kind and such. I better not upset Amaya...

After about ten minutes, he could finally see a blur moving. The blur seemed to be a pup. Better introduce myself...

"Hey! Little wolf, are you lost? Or should I show you your way out?"

[Pocket Kitsune]

The pup, so intent on his game, had scarcely been paying attention to the subtle shifts of scents. His small snout, as yet naive and unattuned to the shifting whims of Farbe's myriad of scents, could only smell his immediate surroundings. The sharp, sweetly cloying spice of faint decay, as the leaves under foot shattered into auditory pleasing destruction--their crusted sugar releasing a final whisper of autumn scent. The fresh, clean smell of the snowbanks. And the warm, rich scent of trampled and freshly troubled mud trampled underfoot.

So when the breeze suddenly turned with a harsh curtailing of it's previously lazy whorls, only then did he catch Aurex's scent. Of course, he was far too young to connect that scent to such a name. All he understood was a sudden, rich musk of masculinity and earth, rich with a clamoring of foreign lands clinging to his fur. He froze in the midst of his play, his legs splayed at ridiculous angles to the extreme, tail resting stock still against his hind legs, tiny ears pricked and straining for the slightest noise.

He tried holding his breath, muscles trembling with the effort to hear anything beyond the rustle of wind in the trees. When Aurex spoke, the pup jumped slightly, eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. But the moment passed, and the smallest of growls rolled from his throat, low and raspy, causing his entire body to shake with the effort of this fierce display.

In reality, however, he was torn between the urge to flee to the comfort of his mother, or burrow amongst the familiar weight of his siblings, or to hold his ground. The feeling only grew more intense when at last he saw Aurex. Or rather, simply his eyes at first--those same piercing, fierce eyes that haunted his dreams.

"I'm not lost!" he spoke up then, chest puffing up slightly. "This is my home." Emboldened by those words, he took a mincing step forward. "Who are you?" he demanded, curiosity at last winning over.

[»Ιmαgε]

R H E S A

A butterfly danced before young Rhesa's nose, trying the pup's patience as she staggered into a hunting crouch to watch her prey. It was innocent, her victim, a measly little thing that fluttered this way and that way, performing for vain attention like so many things in Rhesa's world. It spun, twirled and gracefully fluttered about Rhesa, entrancing her. And then in seconds it was gone, leaving nothing but the small memory of her appearance as it moved away on the wind. Rhesa was not to be outdone or left behind on any accord, getting up and quietly following her insect friend like an older wolf following a possible kill. The hunt had begun.

The butterfly moved swiftly through the trees, making no decisive decision in its path. It was moved by the winds, just another life along for the ride. Rhesa's pup legs crept slowly yet loudly after it, her nose trying to catch a possible scent as the insect landed on a leaf, opening and closing it's wings for all to view. Peering in, Rhesa was dumbfounded, watching the specimen with new eyes. It was beautiful up close, a whirl of oranges and blacks, bright leaf-like yellows in parts. Crack. A noise startled the young wolf, her head whipping around and her body following as she braced herself for whatever it was that threatened the peace she had found. Shadows on the edge of the wood paused for a second, before dashing away, fading into white as the dark figure lept through the trees with unmatched skill. Torn from her play date, Rhesa forgot the butterfly, turning instead to tear through the trees after the shadow. It was just barely in sight, plunging onward and away from the young, staggering pup. She had been here before. Flashbacks from dreams previous spun through her mind, and she could remember running through the trees, unable to catch what moved away from her. Now was her chance to find out who it was. Rhesa gulped for oxygen as she bounded forward, supplying her muscles with energy as she moved closer to her goal. Soon enough she would catch this stranger and she would pin him or her down and she would know. . .

Sunlight filtered through the tall ivory coated trees, dappling the young vixen's coat as her legs pounded through the forest, sweeping a cold wind behind her and leaving a pup's eager trail in her wake. A color dark as the surrounding trees, but highlighted in places that gave a distinct hint of her lineage burst through the woods, a soft whine of protest on her lips. Where was she? Seconds ago she had been next to the wolf, closer to finding out its identity. And yet here she was, now slowing her pace as she looked about the forest she now resided in. The trees looked strangely familiar, yet something was off. The wolf was gone, and she had somehow been moved off the trail she had pursued with such ferocity.

"A novice mistake! Surely Äther has been busy, playing with the winds today?"

Rhesa's outrage rung through the trees, who gave no response. They swayed, the only emotions of which they could give. Passive. Unimpressed, Rhesa moved forward, forgetting her paw placement as she crunched over leaves through the trees. She was confused, wondering. Where had he gone? He. At least that she now knew. His scent had been there, and it had run through her nose as she gasped for air, gasped for the ability to catch him. That, however, had failed her. With disappointment breaking her brow, Rhesa paused, watching the leaves before her as they swirled about the soft dew of the forest.

"Hey! Little wolf, are you lost? Or should I show you your way out?"

"I'm not lost! This is my home. Who are you?"

Rhesa's head popped up, her audits pricked to better catch the interaction at hand. He was still here? Or was this a new wolf that she had no connection with? Vaguely, painstakingly the sound of the second wolf clicked. Her brother, Heine. With the sound regonized, Rhesa bounded yet again through the forest, and only yards away she met them. Heine was advancing on the stranger, his chest out and his had high. Just like the Alpha mother had raised him to be... Rhesa let loose a soft growl of protest and mixed anger. The topic of who would obtain the title of heir had always been a sore spot for the young female. She was by far on the smaller side of the four pups, but her determination greatly outmatched their own, or that was her personal opinion. With a swift blink, Rhesa made a swagger out into the clearing, her cross colored eyes staring, unblinkingly at Heine.

That was one thing she had that the others didn't. She was pretty in a way, with her one green eye and her one brown. It pleased her to look into the rivers at night, to be extolled by her apparent beauty. That, that was something no one could take away from her. Ever. The thought only fueled Rhesa's emotions as she stalked from the undergrowth, her fur gently teased by the cold northern winds. The she-wolf turned her head to stare at the stranger now and she caught her breath. Words fell from her mind, unable to comprehend what she now saw. She knew him. It was him. The soft musky scent dripped from him like honey, comforting her as she studied his appearance. For a moment she was certain she was almost looking at an older Heine, but something. . .something was off. For a moment Rhesa said nothing, transfixed by the new wolf's golden optics that danced before her.

"Oh. And you might be...?"

It was all she could manage, all that would allow to be spoken. She glanced away, as was humble custom. Passiveness would be in her company still.

COMMENTS ||

Yeahhh, so this is junk. But hey, it's up now, so I guess the next one will just have to be better. I wanted more flow, but my words were pretty choppy and thinking straight is not working at the moment. Hmm. She's a complex character right now and I wanted this to be a better debut post. Eh, whatever. <33 oh yeah, and how old are they right now? I tried to dodge around that. xD -fail-

[/size]

[Pocket Kitsune]

The silence was near-complete, stolen only by the soft, almost bell-like chime of icicles on lower branches as they swayed and trembled in the foggy vapor of Heine's breath. The crimson-pelted pup took a moment to admire the delicate spirals of ice. For all the severity their name suggested, they were beautiful. Picturesque, in a word--like an image one would find etched in stillness on a greeting card.

But as the shadows lengthened, this crystalline palace of winter's design grew as fierce as it's name boasted. The long, graceful spirals of ice suddenly looking less like clever mobiles hung in blessing over a child's crib and more like bared teeth, ivories flashing in the grim shadows with a primal warning. A gaping mouth threatening to devour and crush.

But for now, Heine quietly noted the slender wonder of the ice, the images of things they caught sometimes growing in size as light from the ice caught and refracted it, and sometimes growing smaller. Nature's natural funhouse mirror. The young pup was growing restless. Still the male before him had not spoken, and the restlessness of youth gnawed at the marrow of his patience with relentless, needle teeth.

He was still baffled as to why Aurex seemed so familiar, in spite of being nothing more than a stranger. He studied that wild butterfly mask of color so like his own. The sudden harsh crack of underbrush, however, swiftly caught his attention, his fragile attention span consumed utterly by that slight noise of foreshadowing. For a moment, he half-expected to see the silhouette of his mother emerge--her pelt as dark and rich as the finest India ink. Shadow birthed from shadow.

But instead, Rhesa emerged from the dusk of underbrush. His ears perked at this, and his small tail, once so firmly tucked into stillness, slowly began to wave in a small measure of delight and relief. Heir and heiress stood near to each other, now. For their mother had raised them both to one day rule these lands--each would have their turn. It was merely a question of whose determination and prowness would seat them at the head of the pack first before the other.

When Rhesa piped up with her own question, it was, unsurprisingly, far less abrupt than his had been. She was, typically, far more sensible than he in these matters. He swung closer to her then, moving until their sides touched, leaning against her in silence. A gesture of both solidarity and uncertainty.

"You sense it too, don't you?" he muttered to her out of the corner of his mouth.





`` Comments;

Muse; Heine
Music: 'Becoming One of the People-'Avatar
Partner(s) in crime: Aurex & Rhesa


I thought your debut post was fine, Image. <33 Much better than mine, that's for sure, but mainly I'm just trying to get a feel for him at the moment. As for their age, they're around 4-5 months right now.

[Sizz]

A U R E X

When the small wolf finally did answer Aurex, for some reason, more wolves started showing up. He wondered who all of these wolves were. He was sure he did not know any of them, so they must have shown up while he was gone. Where did all of these wolves come from!?! Where ever they came from, it seems that Farbe got new members, which he guessed was pretty good... Considering they did not have a whole lot before he had left for a while.

"I am Aurex. It is your pleasure to be in my presense."

What are these people talking about? Sense what?

"He smells like you," Alaric had stated. How could he smell like this young male wolf? Aurex smells like... well, he smells like Aurex! No one else could smell like him; unless maybe he "marked his territory" all over them.

He noticed that the two small, young pups slightly resembled each other, so they must be siblings. But Aurex was pretty sure that it was against Farbe's rules to mate, unless it happened to be the alphas. Could Amaya have cheated on Farbe's past male alpha? Aurex was sure that they could not in any way be his pups. Surely he would have remembered Amaya giving birth... But then again, Aurex seems to forget a lot of things that seem unimortant to him. There was another reason, two wolves could of had an illegal mating, or maybe a pregnant wolf happened to be sorted into Farbe. What ever the case was, it had nothing to do with Aurex -- Even if they happened to be his own.

[»Ιmαgε]

R H E S A

"You sense it too, don't you?"

As the soft traces of winter's harshness reflected from around her, all Rhesa could do was nod her agreement. The wind rushed loudly through the bare trees as she tried to concentrate on the wolf before her. Thinking took moments, longer than it usually did. Why was he so familiar...? His golden eyes shone in the bright sunlight, sparkled as he turned his head. They were enchanting, like a little girl and her baby doll. She felt a small tug to bury her head in his fur, to take a large dose of his scent. He was something to her. Now if only she could put her finger on it.

"So who's this?"

Voice recognition kicked in. Rhesa shifted her gaze from the strange male, her two-toned eyes locking onto her brother's. Alaric. For some reason this brother had been her personal favorite of the two, although most of the time she was too consumed with her thinking to bother making pup play or conversation. She was the quiet, reserved one, the one that planned her moves, watching along with what would seem like subdued interest. Now however was a different time and she subtly, slowly moved forward in a gesture of greeting, dipping her head down. It was a simple action of equality, one of respect for her kin. Taking a swift glance at Heine, Rhesa knew the battle between herself and the brother suited for the title of Alpha was not over yet, no matter the obstacles she faced. She quickly turned her gaze back to Alaric, muttering softy to give her brother an idea of what was going on, although she knew he probably had a pretty good understanding of their predicament already.

"Strange scent. I just got here a few moments ago and found these two," Rhesa motioned towards the older wolf with her snout "chatting up a storm in the middle of our turf. Strange...he seems so familiar..."

The she-wolf's voice trailed off as she got caught up in her thoughts, her mind swirling with the image of this wolf. Who could he be? What was he dong here to begin with? Maybe he wanted to join. Or better yet, maybe the Zielles in the capital had sent him to officially join Farbe. Well. In that case, he could join; not that it was much Rhsea's choice anyways. Amaya would allow him stay even if he was a low, barbaric dog, as long as he knew his rightful place. Hmph. And if he didn't, Rhesa intended on informing him.

"I am Aurex. It is your pleasure to be in my presence."

Rhesa simply blinked in response at first. Her pleasure? Either this wolf didn't know what he was up against or he was just plain idiotic, barging into an already controlled and well-off pack, demanding that they give him some sort of status. By Erde's name, who was he? The scent so close to her own that she had difficulty telling it apart. It was hauntingly uncomfortable to ponder this as she stood, positioned between her brothers, staring this newcomer down. Between her brothers. A stature of power, leadership. Now was her chance. Lead the conversation, show her siblings what she was made of. Rhesa's heart quickened, excited by this chance. Maybe if she could get around this brute she could challenge him. Rough him up a bit, run him off Farbe's rich lands. . .

Once again, she was envisioning moves too large for her small size. Snapping back to reality, Rhesa moved over her options, considering the pros and cons to what she said. That was one trait, one quality that gave her a step above her siblings. She knew what to say, to persuade, to make a wolf decline their ideas and accept her own. Persuasive, yet passive in her aggressiveness. One might call her a queen of passive-aggressiveness, even at an age as young as her own. Then again, maybe that wasn't such a good thing. Rhesa let loose a slight yet alarming snarl, her front right paw drifting forward in a menacing stance.

"Wait, hold up there. Who are you? Let's get that established first before we start handing out the 'pleasure of being in each others grace'..."

Rhesa withdrew her paw to stand firmly between her brother's broad shoulders, even though her frame held none of their sheer strength. Yet. That would only take training. Work and hard work. Determination. She held it all, now all she had to do was play it. After a moment of hesitation Rhesa spoke again, her tone softer, more kindly to the stranger, as if trying to reassure herself that he was not a threat. Three to one was not favorable odds, even for a full grown wolf against three young and inexperienced pups. Motioning first to her left and then to her right, Rhesa introduced the brigade.

"I'll take the initiative then. My call is Rhesa, second female heir to Farbe. This is Alaric, second male heir to Farbe and on my right, first male heir to Farbe, Heine."

Her words were proud, respective. Whoever this stranger was, maybe they would grow to respect each other, despite the obvious clashes in personality. Maybe even with the strange similarities that even Rhesa herself could not explain. Four unacquainted wolves, just trying to find themselves in Dachau. What a story they would all be able to tell one day.

COMMENTS ||

So sorry this took so long! Between the holiday season and school homework it's been a little crazy. Very sorry. I promise the next one will be much quicker to be made! <3 Finally kinda connecting with this character... I decided I was unable to play a strictly passive character. Sooo, Rhesa will certainly have different qualities.

[Sizz]

A U R E X

Heir? How can these small wolves be heirs? This did not make any since with Aurex. He thought something was off with them. Could they be lying? What would be the point of that, though...? Things must have really changed since Aurex's absense. He did not know any of these people! Maybe Amaya got a new mate while I was gone... Oh well, I found lost of pretty wolves worth my time who were interested!

Aurex sighed from being bored. He wanted to leave, but he figured he better stay here to avoid any further problems. He did not want to get in any unwanted fights... Well, he did, but he wanted to walk around Farbe and check things out first. Maybe he should wander off into another territory to stop playing twenty questions. Hmm... but NOT Kalte! No one really knows why, but Aurex had a strange hatred towards Kalte.

Aurex turned his head over to Alaric. He had never seen such odd colors mixed into one coat. This male was like a light brown with splotches of tans and beige all over his body. His ears are red and his legs are black, and so is his face. Alaric kind of reminded him of Amaya in a way. A small way... Although, he wondered why his ears were red. I wonder what kind of idiots could of had such a 'colorful' pup. My coat is perfect! Nice and red! Aurex couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. He turned his head so Alaric didn't think that Aurex was staring a bit too much!

Aurex turned his head towards Rhesa. "I believe we already went through this... I am Aurex, the strongest male you will ever come across!" Aurex rolled his eyes, still trying to look somewhat interested in their conversation. "How are you heirs...? Did Amaya die, find a new mate... illegal pups, or new alphas?" Aurex's face looked very serious as he was saying this. He wanted to know, but he didn't really care... He was only trying to skip the basic questions and end the conversation.

[]

[Pocket Kitsune]

The sudden emergence from the brush of yet another uniformly small body brooked, this time, less surprise and a more subtle twinge of annoyance. Pale, marbled eyes the color of warmest chestnut or acorns dulled by winter's kiss rolled then--the barest hint of motion, subtle in their scorn. And yet, vanished--his eyes having completed their slight, circular motion. Alaric. His brother was a boisterous sort--full of his own self-importance. His cunning was less a thing of praise and more a source of annoyance to Heine in it's constant heckling. A wolf who plotted so frequently was, more often than not, either a very foolish or a very dead wolf.


The bitterness that coated his tongue and caked against the ridges of the back of his throat was almost heavy in it's metallic weight. Both Rhesea and Alaric had made their dislike of him quite clear--though in such subtle ways that it slid like shadows and whispers beneath the firm, ever watchful gaze of their mother. They always managed to reign in their barbed and slighting tongues in her presence. A useful gift indeed. At first, their indifference had stung and baffled the young pup. But as the months passed and the wisdom of age caught up with him, he learned to shrug it off with the same chill-shouldered indifference.

Fortune of his birth had taught him that it did not matter whether you were liked or not, as long as you held some inkling of power or influence. But he pushed aside such thoughts, focusing instead on the flow of conversation that threatened to slip like black currents past him.

"He smells like you." At this, Heine openly scoffed, tilting his head towards his brother with a patient expression.

"He smells familiar," he corrected shortly. "But he has the smell of a foreigner on him, as well." He fell silent again as the cadence of Aurex's voice once more swelled like some brazen toll of distant church bells upon a hill, just as the haze misty of dawn began to color the clouds.

"I am Aurex. It is your pleasure to be in my presence." At this, the first heir of Farbe tensed, his burrow beginning to furrow in a mixture of obvious displeasure and a sense of incredulity. Just who was this intruder, to speak so boldly? On foreign soils, no less? Introducing himself with all the privilege of someone with royal blood.

That did not sit well at all with the little heir. "I respectfully disagree," he countered, his lip curling in a slight sneer. "It is rather your pleasure to be in ours."

It was then that Rhesa spoke once more, and this time, he had a greater difficulty in holding his sudden flare of displeasure in check as she meted out introductions.

"Which means his name should've been spoken second," he muttered lowly, beneath his breath. But once he felt his sibling tensing beside him, growing bolder with the shelter of both his and Alaric's small shadows, he too, lowered his head, giving the strange male the predatory stare that all of their kin possessed.

When Aurex boasted of his strength, Heine scoffed, a rude snort escaping his snout.

"Don't count on it," he returned calmly. "After all, you are currently outnumbered three to--" but his own boastful words trailed off at the sudden furious barrage of questions.

"No, our mother isn't dead. How dare you!" he spat suddenly, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "She is very much alive. And if she were here, I'm sure she'd chase your sorry self right off our lands. You--" But here he paused. The name clicked into place.

"Aurex," he breathed. "So you're...him. You're our father."

[Sizz]

A U R E X

"Don't count on it," said the small pip. "After all, you are currently outnumbered three to--"[/b]

"No, our mother isn't dead. How dare you!"

Aurex tilted his head over at the young pup. He did not expect him to get so offensive, but then again, he was only a few months old or so. Aurex was somewhat glad that Amaya was still alive, but it only confused him even more. That didn’t explain why there where still young pups here. Wait a second… Did he say MOTHER? So it is true… She had some fun with other males while I was gone… Aurex was certain that these pups need to die. He did not want these foul things around his presence.

"She is very much alive. And if she were here, I'm sure she'd chase your sorry self right off our lands. You--"

Why does he keep cutting himself off? Does he NOT know how to finish a sentence? He probably takes after who ever the father is… Actually, Aurex recalled Amaya having a strange smell on her a couple of times. Could she have gone to another territory? That’s pretty much murder right there. Aurex wouldn’t stand for it… Unless maybe it was to betray the other territory, but that’s a different story.

"Aurex. So you're...him. You're our father."

Aurex quickly turned his head, with eyes wide open. He could not believe what had come out of this young male’s mouth. What is this young male trying to do? Who does he think he is? This male must be kidding… How could Aurex have this many pups? Surely he would remember Amaya having puppies. He tends to forget a lot of the small, unimportant things, but surely he would be able to remember his own sons and daughters being born. This must be a joke. Amaya probably said that so she wouldn’t get in trouble with the other Farbe members. She probably snuck off somewhere and did illegal things. Aurex couldn’t figure out who the father could be. He saw the ‘Amayaness’ in the small pups, but he could not put a face to the father. Must be from a different territory… Well, I guess I could kill Amaya, and if the father is from a different territory… and these pups. I have reason…

“Well, little wolf, I think you have your facts wrong,” Aurex said with a snarl. ”I am CERTAINLY not your father. You look nothing like me! Where is Amaya? Tell me now!”

Aurex turned around and took a couple meters back. He would find Amaya and get to the bottom of this. He sat down next to a nearby tree, and glared at all of the young wolves. [/size]

[»Ιmαgε]

R H E S A

"Which means his name should've been spoken second,"

It was Heine, right there to try and give his input on what she was doing. Rhesa would have none of it. She was done being treated like second best, like she was worse off than her so-talented sister. That would be the first thing to change when she found that little devious she-wolf. Make herself first female heir to Farbe and set her sister back in line. For a moment Rhesa squinted through the trees, her eyes searching for the ever wandering figure of her female kin. Maybe she was out, running about. An easier target for a challenge in rank. It would be unsuspected, unnoticed by Amaya until she had won the fight. Flawless.

"I believe we already went through this... I am Aurex, the strongest male you will ever come across!"

"I bet he can never shut up, too,"

At first sounds Rhesa's brain only translated the imperative ending to Aurex's words, the part where he called himself stronger, better, more deserving of their land than themselves. The female shook her head angrily, barely catching the proceeding roll of his eyes, a sheer sign of boredom, of ignorance to the wolves in front of him. Hey! If he wants a challenge to his strength, I'm pretty sure we could give him a run for his land, or his mind, wherever he happened to leave that. . . At Alaric's blow to Aurex, Rhesa swiftly nodded her response, a snicker playing on her lips.

"How are you heirs...? Did Amaya die, find a new mate... illegal pups, or new alphas?"

The fool spoke again. Rhesa took careful note of his change in facial expression, the way he asked to find certainty that they were indeed related. Or was there more here? She quickly skimmed his face, his bodily features, looking for something more. Something that would give her a hint of where he was, psychologically.

"No, our mother isn't dead. How dare you! She is very much alive. And if she were here, I'm sure she'd chase your sorry self right off our lands. You--"

Rhesa snapped back into the action that was happening, her eyes narrowing and a smart snarl supporting her brother's fierce words. Together, the three of them were a formidable, inseparable group. But when rivalries began to entertain them and twisted their minds into how to sabotage the others, that was when they were at their weakest, still just a litter of small, vulnerable wolf pups.

"Aurex. So you're...him. You're our father."

Aurex. The name conjured up images of a large male, who ran away from Rhesa in her wildest dreams. He was something of a fantasy, a long-lost king who had run away from his duties. Or better yet, one that Amaya had raised her pups to revere as a true father. None of the descriptions she had raised her own or been taught as a young wolf fit to the strange and foreign wolf in front of her though. He was not a mystery, something to behold. He was not majestic or fatherly in any way Rhesa could have imagined. He was simply another wolf, another soul that drifted along, no meaning or relationship tied to Rhesa besides the fact that their blood was partially connected.

That was all he was. Genetics. He had no parental feeling for them, no instinct to make sure they were okay, that they were safe, protected. This was not a father. Rhesa shook her head back and forth, her mind buzzing and becoming more and more confused the longer she thought about the bondage she held to the wolf before her. Compared to the brothers beside her, Rhesa could admit that Aurex was nothing to her. If he ran away and was killed the next morning she would feel. . .nothing. If either one of her brothers were struck in injury she would at least have inward feelings of some sort of longing, some missing for her closely related kin. It scared her, frightened her a little. Her real father. Standing before her, open to talking. Or at least as open as he'd probably ever be to her. And she felt nothing but darkness. The same shadows that had covered Aurex when Rhesa did not know him in flesh were carpeting him now, making him just an ordinary Dachauian, an ordinary wolf just out in the world.

“Well, little wolf, I think you have your facts wrong, I am CERTAINLY not your father. You look nothing like me! Where is Amaya? Tell me now!”

Rhesa stepped forward as the male once again asserted his authority, or whatever it was that he thought he had. At this point, Rhesa's blood was up, flowing rapidly through her veins, rushing, telling her to enforce her ownership to her title of heir. Of course she was an heir! Rhesa sharply growled a loud tone of rebuke, matching the ferocity in Alaric's snarl. If he stepped one more paw out of line, Rhesa knew she might have a hard time holding herself back from an on front attack. It was too much, this wolf's customary personality of being in command, so much that it vaguely reminded her of Heine, his boasting, prevalent attitude that she was so used to dealing with.

"Illegal pups, would not be alphas-to-be. You're almost as stupid as Heine over there."

With another vocal blow to both Aurex and Heine's intelligence, Rhesa could not control herself from openly smiling her approval of Alaric's clever word choice today. It was amusing, and it only pumped her ego up more as she assessed the situation. Should she now run and fetch Amaya as Aurex had requested? As much as she resented the idea of taking orders from an outsider, Rhesa knew she would need the Alpha support from Amaya to get Aurex to believe their story in full. There were even parts she was unsure about. Parts she wanted to know just as desperately as Aurex himself...

"He smells like you,"

It was forceful. It was telling Heine that he was in the wrong. It was Alaric, once again surging up against his brother's sure-footed authority. Rhesa said nothing now, her green and chocolate mixed eyes drifting along the outline of Aurex's larger proportioned body, watching him as he slumped to the ground beneath a large, leafy tree. It was winter in Dachau and yet only light snowfall covered the ground. All the leaves were still present on the trees, fluttering in the winds as Äther played with their still vibrant colors.

"If you can't connect the dots, keep that trap shut and let Rheasa speak. You'd think you could give some respect to a female, but no, alpha Heine, always needing power. Always insecure. You know, I couldn't see any female wanting you if our sister dies."

With Alaric on a roll, his tongue speaking freely, the vivacious attitudes were unleashed. Rhesa stepped back, watched the interaction. It was volatile, this relationship between her brothers. And it was almost ensured to end deadly unless one of the males left the territory later in life. Alaric spoke with such unprecedented aggravation, his shoulders bunched, an intruding, challenging stance. For a moment she was unsure of where she stood, confused by the change in dominance. Heine would not take well to this usurping of his rank and Rhesa knew she had to interfere, as much as she wanted Alaric to teach her stubborn brother a lesson. It wasn't exactly good timing either, considering how much Aurex would be able to pick up about their strained relationship just by watching their body language. Thankfully Rhesa had already taken to mind that Aurex wasn't the smartest wolf; maybe that was were Heine's brutish stance had come from...

"Should we all cheer for you, Heine? Or would you prefer to make the announcement in front of the whole pack first?"

"That won't be necessary, Alaric."

However much I agree. . . Rhesa made the mental comment, her gaze shifting between the bristling brothers, her own pelt rippling with uncertainty. She had two options. Run off and alert Amaya to this strange wolf in the territory or command Heine to do it. The latter seemed much more appealing. With a soft voice to quiet the distrust and brash air that was starting up and to not alarm Aurex about their plan, Rhesa moved further between her kin, telling them of her idea.

"We need someone to fetch Amaya for Aurex anyways. Heine, that would be lovely if you could do complete that task. I know your the fastest runner of us all here."

With a bit her vocal guidance, Rhesa looked directly at Heine, her eyes looking him over for a moment before watching Aurex for signs of hearing their one-sided discussion. It was a pretty submissive move to get Amaya involved at Aurex's direction, but Rhesa could always back up her thoughts with the fact that they would have gotten Amaya sooner or later. That or their mother would have been wondering where her pups had run off too, and with a drifting scent that was probably familiar to her on Farbe's grounds. That would not have looked good on any of their accounts trying to take on a well-experienced wolf without an elder's guidance.

"Thank you."

Rhesa dipped her head at Heine in a look of obedience when behind it all, it was nothing more than a cover up for her real intentions. Heine would know this, Rhesa knew well enough. Her flattery of his speed was simply her giving him a reason that he could not refuse without looking like a bickering pup. That left Alaric and Rhesa to watch the intruder while Heine would run to the Alpha, their mother like a frightened pup. Yet another flawless move.

COMMENTS ||

Sorry it's so long. I got on a roll with Rhesa and I was having a hard time giving her input without summarizing. Snow days tend to to that to me....

[Pocket Kitsune]

For all of Alaric's jeering slights, he was mistaken quite unfortunately on one matter. Heine was an exemplar of intelligence, even for his slight years. And it was this intelligence that held him in check--that bid his boiling blood that sang within his veins a disturbing lullaby indeed--a howling cacophony of carnage and violence, and the seductive siren's sweet whisper of violence into his young ears. For though there would have been, at that moment, nothing sweeter to him than to spring forward and seize his insolent younger sibling by his sneering visage and dash him bloody into the earth--shaking him like a scrap of leaf until he was too bruised to venture another word more, he knew well enough how dire the consequences were.

For one, such a display would only show this male before them how very fragile of an alliance the three siblings held among themselves--as delicate and temporary as dew on a spider's web. And that would be a grave mistake. And for another, he would only earn himself a sharp scolding from his mother. Neither of those scenarios partially appealed to him at this moment, and so he merely gritted his teeth against the insults and held his tongue.

But the rage simmered bright behind those chestnut eyes, and he found that no force of will would hold his maw shut for very much longer. "The only stupid one here is you, dear brother," he spat. "For quarreling in front of a perfect stranger to our home like the petulant, petty idiot you are. If you shut up first, then I will." He burned to say more--to hurt Alaric with his words just as much--but no.

There would be time for revenge later. What was required now was a brief moment of unity among the three children, so that this--Aurex. The father who had never been anything more than a ghost stitched vaguely to a name in their lives--would not realize how very strained Farbe relations had become in his absence. Yet leave it to Alaric to not let the matter rest--his own insecurities were the problem here, not Heine's.

"Precisely," he sneered before he could stop him. "alpha. Something you'll never be." He savored the words as they passed from his lips--knowing very well that if nothing else, that would be a stinging enough blow to force Alaric into silence. Whereas his brother's nettling were like the quick and barbed bite of a sweat bee--irritating more than truly painful--Heine himself always drove the pointed arrowheads of his remarks straight into the heart of the ego and insecurity of his opponent.

A cunning warrior attacked both the body and the heart--left them reeling and gasping from the frontal shock of it all. Even if, in truth--he didn't truly harbor any strong feelings of hatred for Alaric. Quite the opposite in fact, although he would never lower himself into admitting it. Words again, this time from Rhesa.

His eyes narrowed at the compliment, and he scoffed quietly beneath his breath. He knew it was an empty one, and so he wasted no time in preening in the attention. "No. Let Alaric fetch her," he said airily. "Unless, of course," he continued blandly, "you can't do it." He gave a careless shrug then, as if it didn't matter to him one way or the other.

"Or did you both forget you can simply howl and she'll come running?" He would not be mocked or manipulated by either of them. Not today.

[Panda]

E C H O

The world is so pretty in the wintertime. The cold snow is like a blanket, cold but inviting over the tops of the mountains and the hills. The trees hang heavy with the frozen water and spiral down to the ground, reaching towards me like clear talons of the sky. They point and whisper to me as I pass by. Noble child. Your home welcomes you. We are pleased to see you. We hope to be under your rule one day, fair child. They all whisper words of delight and encouragement and I love to listen. My walk through the woods was one of peace and quiet. Of course I had left the den with my siblings, but unfortunately I have not seen them since then. They were probably chasing fantasies of their own. It didn't really matter, though. All I really need is the wind at my side and I feel right at home.

The sun hung in the sky lazily with the afternoon, casting it's beautiful rays through the frozen crystals, causing the light to dance on the snow with all of its different fantastic colors. The cheery golds and greens that danced on the snow made me giggle, a small pleasing sound that left my short muzzle. My paws touched the small patterns that the refracted light made, tracing them into the fresh powder. The colors were quick and fleeting but beautiful nonetheless. Only for a moment did I pause to take in the other sounds of the forest. The flutter of wings of birds disturbed from their nest. They took to the sky and flew fairly close to the ground, their flight short lived. Whatever had startled them, they were confident that they had escaped it and perched in a tree nearby. My short ears perked up at them and my attention was stolen from the chromatic beams of light and turned to the path that the birds had taken to get to their new perch. I rose my nose to the air and sniffed, trying to pick up a scent but all I received was the crisp winter air, the decaying foliage that was littered all around me, and the scent of my mother. But her scent was everywhere. These lands were hers after all. My nose could only pick up a short range of varying smells, but I am sure as I grow and develop that my senses will as well.

After my momentary distraction I ventured further into the woods, observing the different crystals that hung undisturbed from their trees. The reflected hues on the surface of the snow danced around like nymphs, not having a care in the world. They danced and sang to me a winter melody that was filled with grace and melody. At least they were in my head. That's what I love about the world. It can be whatever you want it to be when you put a little bit of imagination into it. I stepped carefully around the dancing nymphs, being sure not to interrupt their winter merrymaking. I even started to partake in this joy, my paws tiptoeing daintily with my body swaying one way then another. Just then my ears pricked to a new noise. It sounded like talking. My tail picked up with a fierce and friendly wag as I raced towards the noises. It was several voices, that I can tell. Simply thinking that it was my mother and my siblings, I discarded the scents that suddenly flooded in through my senses and raced towards the noise. My head tipped up and a miniature howl left my jowls as an introduction. "Hey! Hey guys! I wanna show--" I stopped short and came to a sloppy halt as I stumbled upon the conversation, one with a male wolf that was much larger than any of us. An adult wolf. Suddenly, I became wary of the situation. My ears pinned back to my head as I moved towards my siblings who had already gathered.

Who was this wolf? Was he threatening my brothers and sisters? An intruder upon the land of our mother? My emotions were very mixed and confusing. On one hand, I wanted to demand who this wolf was and his purpose of being in our home. The other part of me wanted to cower behind Heine and let him take care of the situation. Scenting the air, I started to decipher the strange male's scent. It was odd, a mixture of a stranger and her brother. That couldn't be right! Maybe my nose is wrong. "Wh-What's going on?" My voice came out much whimpier than I had intended it to be, and I knew that I must correct it. My brother would definitely have my hide if I continued to show fear in front of this stranger. I mustered up whatever courage I had, though any sort of joy had left my being behind with the dancing colorful nymphs of the forest. "I mean...Who are YOU?" I motioned to the older male with my head and narrowed my eyes with suspicion. Still I wanted to cower and find my mother, to be comforted.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

E C H O

ohohsee\\ I'm going to redo her personality to submissive and imaginative. She's more fun that way. ^^

[Sizz]

A U R E X

The small pups were talking to each other, but Aurex did not really pay attention to what they were saying. All he got out of it was something about Amaya. He didn’t care about Amaya. To Aurex, all Amaya is, is another female. Aurex’s view on females is that their main duty is to have pups. These small pups are claiming Amaya to be their mother, also saying that Aurex is their father. He still did not believe them about being their father, but could understand them saying Amaya is their mother.

Off in the distance, Aurex could hear a faint noise. He was not 100% sure who, or what, it could be. No one around him seemed to notice. Aurex firmly sat up and tilted his head up in the air taking small deep breaths to see if he could figure it out. After about thirty seconds he came to the conclusion that, once again, it was an unfamiliar wolf. The scent was that of a female, so he did not really think much about it; more then likely another one of the pups coming over here to check things out.

Footsteps kept getting louder and louder until he could finally see a small pup coming over to the group.

"Hey! Hey guys! I wanna show--" the young wolf said excitingly, but for some reason she cut her self off. "Wh-What's going on? I mean...Who are YOU?"

These pups were really starting to annoy Aurex. All that they seemed to do was ask the same questions over and over again! Who are you? Aurex. Who are you? Aurex! Who are you? AUREX!!!!!! They can’t leave me alone!

The new female pup looked similar to the others, so she is probably their sister than. She was also different looking, much like her sibling. The female pup had what appeared to be two different colors on both sides of her body. Who ever the parents were, Aurex thought that they should be done having litters. But then again, no one can have such a handsome coat like mine…

”The next time someone asks me who I am, “ Aurex snapped as he turned his head towards the female pup, ”I don’t care if you are Amaya’s, I will pin them down to the ground and tear their limbs off. I am the great Aurex, the one and only.”

[Pocket Kitsune]

Heine made no move to do as his sister had bidden. After he had spoken his refusal, the weight of his rebuttal hung heavy in the air between the three siblings, gilding the scene yet further with an air of tension. He fixed a stare upon Alaric then, the brilliant fawn of their depths holding within them a silent challenge. Rhesa's plan had backfired--for if Alaric were to echo Heine's defiance with a refusal of his own, then he would be the disappointment in her eyes. Her favorite cast, however minor, from her esteem. But when neither of them traded sly, calculating looks, nor spoke up with further cutting remarks, he gave his head a short shake, a snort escaping him.


Though he was not naive enough to believe that this was a victory. It was only a temporary ceasefire before their bickering would, inevitably, start anew. The sudden crack of underbrush caught his attention once again, strident to his young ears in the sudden silence that had fallen among the trio. But the moment his suspicious formed, they were immediately dispelled by the eager, rushed lyrics of a familiar voice indeed. Heine's tail began to sway slowly from side to side, his ears rising now in anticipation. He hadn't long to wait, before Echo emerged, that by now familiar passionate glint in her eyes that sharpened her tone as well.

It was no secret that he doted upon this sister, and the two were frequently together, the company of the other often more desirable than the scheming and resentful natures of their other two kin.

"Echo!" he greeted, his tail now wagging freely and without shame. But the rich light of discovery faded from those brilliant eyes of the young female, and a hollow, subtle echo of regret sounded within in own heart. For he thought them beautiful when they gave off such warmth and light. The look on her face now mirrored what had once been on their own faces-- a mixture between curiosity and confusion.

"An outsider," Heine growled. "He claims to be Aurex, our father. But--" he had scarcely finished his sentence before Aurex cut in smoothly with words of his own. Even Heine cringed inwardly at the arrogance that adorned those baritone statements. But Aurex had made a grave mistake. His eyes darkened then, the tides of a more wantonly reckless emotion gripping him tight within the seduction of their rage. His head lowered then, lips twitching slightly for a moment before roiling back from his teeth, exposing the needle-like nature of his youth.

Or the evidence of such. A snarl ripped from the depths of his throat, and he took a step forward.

"You will not speak to my sister like that again," he raged. "She has done nothing to you! And you won't lay one single, dirty paw on her! Or any of them."

Even he was slightly taken aback by his sudden display of ferocity. "That a grown wolf would stoop to threatening children is appalling enough, but to speak to your own like that is more so! Watch yourself, Aurex." This last he spat as if the name coated his tongue with a displeasing taste. "You're out of your league."