A Pin Drop

[maiara]

Maiara lifted her head as Eligius approached with the morning sun, the rays catching on his pale coat. He seemed to glow for a moment, and then in speaking the spell was broken. She listened with rapt attention as he recounted his impressions of his meeting with Ridley,

“If it is war she seeks, she’ll no doubt want aid from those of Lingua. If she doesn’t that will be one of her first mistakes,”

“So we seek the cooperation of Lingua as well then.” Maiara noted contemplatively. As the sun rose, the crosshatched shadows of tree limbs splayed in a tangle on the forest floor, mottling the bodies of the wolves in the copse. Eligius’ posture relaxed, leaning towards nonchalance, and the female wished for once that she could see through his outward projections of collected ease. The developing plot was to her like an expanding thicket, its thorns catching on every thought. How the male could resist its pull from absorbing him she did not know, but she admired his control. “So Sapienta has confirmed that they plan to declare war then?” she inquired pointlessly, looking into his eyes with as deep concentration as though she could see through his pupils into his mind; yet, they remained as much windows into the alpha’s inner contemplations as mirrors, revealing nothing but her own reflection.

As Aivlyn jumped into the conversation, Maiara observed her agitated state. As she spoke, it lessened by degrees which Maiara regarded with curiosity. The golden female glanced momentarily back at Eligius who was pondering the sky. Perhaps, she realized, the alpha male’s ease was less a truthful reflection of his own state, and more a strategy to induce calmness upon the pack. Although she wondered if it was really an intentional strategy, she could visibly see the effect of his stoicism upon Aivlyn, who nearly had control of herself by the time she had finished talking.

”So you were out with some strange wolf?” tentatively she took a step towards Aivlyn, ”You’ve just met her!” she nearly snapped, she was more worried than she was angry. ”She could have killed you!”

“Easy Kaline” Maiara murmured gently, “I’m sure that Aivlyn has an explanation for her actions.” She realized that Kaline’s reaction was more grounded in worry than in anger, but there was no room in the pack for discord as they readied themselves for war. Truly Aivlyn’s talk of strangers unsettled her too, but she chose to withhold her anxiety for the time being, at least until the female had been given a chance to elaborate.

[Aivlyn]

It was an interesting reaction, the female had towards her. Something she was not accustomed to in a very long time. Aivlyn didn't even know her name yet, and her motherly reaction almost caused her to step back. But no, she held her ground, even she could see the female's worry behind her eyes. This was what comprised those words. It wasn't like she was going to try and eat her anyhow. Though, Aivlyn was not one that enjoyed being chastised. There was only one who could do that- and that one was dead. She might allow someone which she knew and understood more to do so, but this wolf, she should not. Her eyes blinked. Simply blinked, at the wolf before her. Then a small smile interrupted her, though she was in full control now and easily held back the budding laughter.

"It is of nothing to fear, she was pretty nice. And little. Nothing that could kill me. Besides.." Aivlyn winked, her smile widening, though her tone came to be dead serious. "'Takes more than one wolf, even the largest, to bring down a wolf like me." A bit of mystery there, it was fun. Perhaps they'd wonder what she'd done? Though Aiv was definitely not keen on letting them know how battle-seasoned she really was, for there was indeed one killer in their midst, and that would be herself. But it was self defense.. And vengeance for those that killed most of her pack mates that she held dearly. There is only one time when one kills. To protect. She'd do that even now- for these wolves that she barely knew. She'd taken the responsibility of this pack and planned to keep it up. "And if I die because of me scouting, then you can laugh at my corpse and dance about it and sing ballads of my foolishness." She grinned.

"Anywho, I didn't find any evil little ones running around with the glee of a downed alpha, nor any little trolls wallowing in the glory of all this.." She absentmindedly pawed the air, referencing the recent tense relations and talk of war, "..madness. Wish I would have though. Would've solved things."

[Eligius]

“Forgive me; my intentions were never to cause anyone to worry over me.” Eligius replied after Kalines muzzle collided gently with his own in a brisk nudge. Her brown coat was very different from his off-white one and the two colors seemed to clash together as complete opposites. Though he supposed that in all honesty it was no different from that of Ridley’s ashen colored fur. Shaking the thoughts from his mind with poor luck, Eligius turned his attention to Aivlyn. She was a towering female in size, especially when compared to Eligius and his smaller frame…though she was kind if not a bit sarcastic at times. Quietly he listened to her speak about a stranger she had come in contact with not too long ago, the news seemed to infect others in their group with worry, but not Eligius.

“It pleases me to know that this stranger wolf is cool and means us no immediate harm.” He spoke quietly with a carefree expression displayed upon his maw as he now lazed about the ground on his back. “As long as that remains the case we have no need to worry, but that is not cause to let your guard down of your surroundings and of others.” The leader continued as his eyes met with Aivlyn’s large body, from upside down she looked terribly funny. “I wish we could merely go about our days like we once did, but that can no longer be the case with tensions as they are now within Vox Populi. So just be careful everyone from now on, alright?” Eligius asked though it was more of a somewhat meager plea though the words were filled with complete sincerity as they fell from his tongue

“So we seek the cooperation of Lingua as well then.”

At the mentioning of Lingua, Eligius rolled himself back onto all fours with the upmost of ease and gave Maiara a playful little toothy grin. “Bingo!” was all he responded with at first though he was quick to add more on the matter soon after a brief pause filled the space between them all. “I don’t expect it to be an easy task, but it is a task we must at least attempt.” He said with a hint of seriousness lingering in his golden eyes, but it quickly dissipated as he continued on.

“So Sapienta has confirmed that they plan to declare war then?”

“At this point it is best to assume they have without a doubt declared war on us, I’d prefer we prepare for the worst instead of not being prepared at all. As I said earlier, grief can do terrible things to a person and at this point Ridley believes someone within Animos Regum killed her father, and if I know anything about that ashen colored female…it’s that she plans on getting revenge…if not for her father for her pack.”

[Aivlyn]

(Disclaimer- I'm going to start quoting speech from other posts like I used to, since it makes it way easier to show what Aiv is replying to. XD)

"It pleases me to know that this stranger wolf is cool and means us no immediate harm. I wish we could merely go about our days like we once did, but that can no longer be the case with tensions as they are now within Vox Populi. So just be careful everyone from now on, alright?"

"'Course." Aivln let loose a quiet word of agreement. This language was a bit more odd to her, so she missed the 'of' this time around. It was only seconds until she realized this slip, but she ignored it, figuring it really didn't matter anyhow. As the conversation continued on, her eyes wandered from wolf to wolf, never really setting on one or another in particular. She was, as it was normal for her, absorbed not only in this conversation but the additional and unspoken one in her own head. She was nervous, nervous for a war. In fact, as the idea crept closer, she found her anxiety trying to bubble up. It heated like boiling water, she could feel her own fur get warmer and adrenaline run through her veins. She was experienced with war and fights, yes, but the horrors of it still played back freshly in her mind. Though, this was when she took a deep breath and shook her entire coat. This wasn't the conduct with which she should- or would, carry herself. She needed to keep herself composed. In an attempt to think more positive, she reasoned that at least the leader of the conflicting side wasn't as bloodthirsty and mad as the last.

It'd been a tragic incident, one that she suffered herself due to what that leader had done. A wolf had lost his partner, and went insane as a result. He was not strong of mind. And when he was denied a new guardian, he turned on all that taught him, and the pack of Welden-Arget. He corrupted many other powerful and strong wolves, building his side in the shadows, and then they struck. And terror was the result. Aivlyn herself had lost many in this conflict, and even now she had no doubts that it still went on. In the recesses of her mind, she knew she would need to return some day, that running was not the answer. But she couldn't now, the place she sought for a short time of peace ended up in it's own war, and now she had responsibility here as she had there. It was a thorn in her side, especially due to the fact that she could not leave only made her want to help Welden-Arget more.

"Bingo! I don’t expect it to be an easy task, but it is a task we must at least attempt.”

This snapped Aivlyn from her deep thoughts, she even jumped a bit at the sudden and snappy word that came from the alpha's jaws. She looked at him, and a half-smile appeared, something between amusement and confusion. He was strange and somewhat alien to her. She didn't quite understand it. In fact, many of these wolves were alien to her. She didn't understand them that well, just yet. Anywho, now she was annoyed that she missed some of the conversation, and she fought to be more attentive.

“So Sapienta has confirmed that they plan to declare war then?”
“At this point it is best to assume they have without a doubt declared war on us, I’d prefer we prepare for the worst instead of not being prepared at all. As I said earlier, grief can do terrible things to a person and at this point Ridley believes someone within Animos Regum killed her father, and if I know anything about that ashen colored female…it’s that she plans on getting revenge…if not for her father for her pack.”

"...Barzul." She muttered under her breath. It meant 'curse' in another language- It wasn't even her first, it was actually a third. Her eyes looked up and surveyed those around her- none of them really looked like killers. It was strange- the only thing that suggested this pack to be the culprit was the alpha's corpse in their lands. Nothing else. "It's unfortunate. Grief was what caused the war at my birth pack, and now here.. " She mumbled. Whether someone heard her or not is her choice. "And if she gets the others to side with her.. We're done for. So we're going to need to somehow prevent that, while possibly avoiding their attacks.. Though I'm not sure if war has the same fundamentals here then it did where I'm from. Would she be one to launch attacks against us?"

[Destra]

Kaline’s bristled fur calmed only slightly with Mairia’s words although her mind raced with evil thoughts, ’Easy? She expects me to calm down? This wolf who’s barely been here more than a moon is running around with loners at a time like this and she tells me easy?’ the silent rant continued on in her mind while her eyes betrayed nothing. It was as though no one considered the fact that a wolf can lie. That loner may have seemed sweet as honeysuckle blooms, but she could have very easily been the one to cause all of the continuing insanity that had infected Vox Populi.

"'Takes more than one wolf, even the largest, to bring down a wolf like me."

Instead of a demeanor of awe, Aivlyn’s word invoked anger; it was as though she was playing with Kaline’s mind. Make her feel as though she were in the wrong. The battle between the two fae’s had dimmed down into a hum in the background though and Kaline felt it were better to leave it be than to continue on with her insistent carping. Instead, she settled her self between Eligius and Mairia, laying her head on her paws and letting her tired eyes droop. War was never her strong poing nor did she light up at the thought of struggling to win Lingua over to their own side. She had just begun to drift to a brighter place when Eligius’s exclamation snapped her back to the present and reawoke her trembling mind.

She had barely picked up Aivlyn’s word under her breath when the fae continued on,

” Would she be one to launch attacks against us?"

the words worried her , for Kaline herself didn’t know the answer. ”Honestly, I have no idea.” She raised her head, bright brown eyes unfocused and bleary, ”I suppose she will be, in the state Ridley sounds to be in, she would be more focused with a blunt attack than careful planning.” Kaline’s theory was one that sounded logical, but it still hung in the air with uncertainty. It was only a vague hint of possible truth, but it made the fur along her spine flit upwards in distress. If Ridley was going to attack, what would become of them? Would they be ready? What was Eligius planning to do?