Bemoste Grot [Pandora]

[Laracal]

A cave, thank God, a cave! A cave to rest her shivering bones. How foolish she must be to go for a walk on this mountain path! She turned her head to breath warm air on her poor spine. Those poor plants! What if they got frostbitten? 

She skittered about in the cave, parshially to keep warm, but half because she didn't know where to go. Her shadow was everywhere! No! Not today! She growled, a low, almost nonexistant growl. Her claws pitter-pattered on the stoney floor. She calmed her racing heart a bit, she had to be careful, after all. Too much stress and she could find herself dead! 

Only then, did she stop to smell the roses- er, mosses, that is! Their luminescient glow was tantilizing, to say the least.  So very pretty...Her body started to unthaw, so to speak. It was warm here, in the cave, and that warmth was spreading to the tips of her toes.

So many caves. They couldn't possibly be here by chance could they? No, this couldn't be an accident. So whom had carved them put? She let her tail graze the walls. Who else had been here? She quivered at the thought of thousands, no millions, of ancient wolves, whose paths had crossed hers, through the walls of time.

GRAWL! She jumped. Then sighed, just her stomach, reminding her it was without food again. She sniffed the air, tinged with the vulgar aroma of carrion. Looks like I found supper. Her lip curled at the thought, but she knew she'd never pass up a free meal. So few of her hunts were successful, even with her advantage.

It was the decaying body of a mountain goat, yum! If course, it was mostly picked over by other scavengers. She dug in, hungrily, greedily. If mama could see her now...What would she say? What would she think? 

The dim light of the caves masked her shame. Not a proper wolf. Would she ever be? She laid down. It was cold, to lay on the floor. But her legs were weary from travel, and her lungs were straining to gather oxygen from this high mountain air.

Snow was cascading from the sky. So this was one of the famous spring snow storms she'd been hearing about? She smirked, and then realized she'd be stuck here until it was over. Crap!

"Who's there?" Her voice was a raspy, urgent whisper. She'd heard the scrapes of another's claws. She was quite certain she wasn't alone. Or, at least, she crinkled her nose, it didn't smell like she was alone.

[Pandora]

What a fool Pandora thought. The shadows of the cave engulfed her, swallowed her up. She lay there like a distant memory. Something that couldn't be reached, but felt. She stared at this stranger. An odd creature. It looked like a walking shrub. But yet, deep down, there was a wolf buried beneath it all. Ha, the fool was eating the carrion. A pitiful creature in Pandora's eyes. A weakling. The darkness hid her well. The trespasser didn't even know she was here...yet at least. Pandora shivered deep down in her pelt. This blasted storm! Pandora was not used to the snow, nor the cold. Her land was warm, or wet depending on the time of the year. It made her feel vulnerable. That this snow would cause something to snap within her. That its magic might just break her. Stop thinking silly things! What would Papa say if he knew what you thought? She growled bitterly to herself. Time to make myself known. rising up, Pandora proceeded to the new comer. A snarl was on her jowls, a devious look in her eyes. The Kukkien raised her head. It was looking right at her! Pandora wanted some fun. This wolf would be a piece of cake. She sprang forward, landing in front of the stranger, her nails clicking on the stone floor. Her teeth shown ivory, a growl rising from her chest.
What do you want weakling? She snarled. Her tail raised, fur standing on end. Making her look menacing. A force to recon with.

[Laracal]

Weakling? She laughed at the black wolves bluntness. "I suppose I am weak," She spoke somewhat sadly. There was an undertone in her voice even she didn't quite recognize. What could it be? The carrion had left a fowl taste in her mouth that made her want to gag. She almost wished she hadn't ate it. Almost.

"Who are you?" They were stuck here. They may as well make intelligent conversation, right? She didn't want to admit it, but the thought of being trapped here with that creature unnerved her greatly. She was scary, and let's face it; she had murder written all over her face. How easy would it be for her to just snap Laracal in half? 

The mysterious stranger's midnight pelt shown like metal, so much so that she couldn't be anything but Lupus. She shook her head, a little annoyed. Of all the beasts to get stuck with.. 

The snow outside the cave was pretty, but it made the outer caves dreadful. She shot the wolf an awkward glance, "I'm going down there." She nodded towards some tunnels. "It'll be warmer." Deliberately, she didn't invite the Lupin along, but didn't deliberately not invite her either. Like a circus entertainer caught in a balancing act. She mustn't appear hostile, or like a suck-up. 

But which is worse? She questioned herself. Dead and hostile (and she was quite the opposite), or alive on another's mercy? Not that it really mattered. There she went, psyco-analizing, digging deeper than she ought to.

She licked her lips, though they tasted foul. It really was warmer down here, where the piercing arctic winds couldn't reach. Hard to believe it was spring, with how cold it was up here. How strange it was, that someone, somewhere was hot and overheated, whike here she was, freezing her gorgeous tail off.

A smile grazed her lips, but only for a moment. The mountains were eerily beautiful; like a cobweb. But her breaths were shaky and uneven, troubled even. She'd resigned long ago to the fact that her lungs controlled her life worse than a dictator, but that didn't mean she wasn't always hoping for a change. 

Or even just a regular old miracle would be great. Her vision was starting to grow hazy- from what she didn't know. Cold? Hunger? Pure exhaustian?

Ha! It was probably some cruel mixture of them all.

[Pandora]

Taken aback by this wolfs forwardness, Pandora listened to the wolfs frail voice. It was hardly above a whisper. So strange. Who are you?[/b] The wolf asked.
A snarl still on her face, Pandora answered rather rudely.
" My name is Pandora, I am the Mafia Princess.And who may you be?"
Standing her ground, she observed the wolf. Breathing deeply, Pandora could smell fear. The sweet smell of it. Oh how comforting.
I'm going down there, it will be warmer[/b] The wolf just walked right past Pandora. How dare she! This wolf had more spunk then she originally thought. No one treats Pandora that way. They practically bow at her feet. The wolf was right of course. The farther back they went, the warmer they would be. But could Pandora really bunk with a Kukkien? What would her pack say if they saw her? But then, she didn't want to die. She didn't want to freeze. Following the Kukkien, Pandora looked at her with resentment, hatred, even a little respect. That was one thing that she rarely gave out. Pandora trusted no one. Her life was in her own hands. She could only trust herself.
" You may stay here tonight puny one." she growled.
"Your lucky to still be alive." If it wasn't so cold out, wasn't snowing this wolf would be dead already. No mercy given. That was Pandora's way The way of the Mafia. That or enslavement.
Pandora curled up in the back by the Kukkien. Still keeping her distance. She lay there watching the wolf, not daring to fall asleep for fear of death.This wolf very well could be the death of her is she didn't watch it. Who knew what deadly plants it grew, what it was capable of. You never truly knew until it was too late.

[Laracal]

Pandora, huh? The name suited her, she noted. A little bit dark, a little bit evil, but still beautiful. Like the black widow spider. Mafia princess... how odd those words sounded, stringed together like a patchwork blanket. Something brutal like the mafia, with the refined word princess strung along at the end.

She's following me. No doubt because they were hitting it off so unbelievably well. Pandora didn't like being stuck here with her, that much was obvious. She wasn't going to fool herself into thinking it was only the storm, but come what may, she was going to try. Try to make it not the most horrible night she'd ever had.

"My name is Laracal." She glanced sidewardly at the other wolf. She didn't really care who Laracal was. Why was she asking? She stretched her front legs, and then her back, for they were becoming stiff.

"Lucky? Isn't everyone?" Life could be torn away from you in the blink of an eye, just like that. She could die tonight or in three years, either way she wasn't scared. 

"I'm not afraid to die." Here, in the dim light of the caverns, she felt that she could confess that little tidbit of information to this sour wolf. It was nice to let go. Out in the daylight, she'd never tell. It was taboo; everyone feared dying, right? She blinked slowly at Pandora, trying to figure out her head. What went on in there? She wondered, but came up blank, her face gave nothing away. 

There had never been a snowstorm as long as Laracal had lived, at least, not where she'd come from. It had snowed a bit, yes, but not like this. 

"I wonder what the stars would look like, if it wasn't snowing I mean." Some wolves said that the stars were the souls of the dead. That you turned into a star once you die. Now, wouldn't that just be sad? To have nothing to do but stare at the living every day. To always see what you can't ever, ever have.

She turned around and breathed on her plants again. If these ones die, I swear... She'd had a plant die on her when she was younger. It was a rose. It had been so frustrating and depressing. She swore she'd never carry another rose again. And she hasn't, yet.

[Pandora]

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[atrb=background,http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh562/Torniquelle/toppan.png] Death. How could this wolf not be afraid to die? What was her history? Laracal, what a strange name. What could it mean? It had no meaning to Pandora. This wolf was here to survive. Just the same as Pandora. This wolf meant nothing to her. Not afraid to die? Its the end. The end of living, of knowing of seeing this world. Its the end for eternity. How can you not fear it? Small talk. Not her thing. Actually talking was not Pandora's thing. She just wanted to be left alone. Why did Laracal have to wander in here? Pandora was seeking quiet. That’s why she was not it pack territory. She needed a break for her family, the whole Mafia. How could she seek quiet if she was followed, harassed by others. Too tired to do anything about the other. Pandora was starting to drift off into dream land. No! Pandora glared at Laracal. She was a puzzle to her. As well as she was to her. Two strangers trying to survive in this cruel world. " Why are you traveling in this storm?" Why even bother trying to talk to this wolf? Maybe Pandora was lonely. Always closed up, keeping others away. Why? To protect herself of course. She has seen many terrors in her young life. Vigorous battle training, learning how to fight, to kill. Seeing killings, and always being on top. Getting what ever her heart desired. She was taught to her merciless. A killing machine. Why was she here trying to talk? It made no sense. She laid on the cave floor. These thoughts racing through her mind. The coolness of the stone felt cold, it made her shiver even more. Would this blasted storm ever end?

[Laracal]

"Well, I'm going to die soon anyway," She explained awkwardly, "I'm like a plant...I don't live long." If it wasn't for the storm, they'd never have spoken to each other. Why would they? It's not like Pandora was a sweet little creature covored in rainbows and glitter. 

Her eyes got all starry as she gazed deeper into the cave. What mysteries might it hold? Besides bats, she meant. She was sure they were down there. Maybe there was an underground lake or some early writings of wolf. She mused on what it would be like to know the written language. She licked her lips, wishing she had knowlege.

"Huh?" She looked up from her daydream. "Oh, I guess I just wanted to see the mountains." She'd never seen them before, after all. But boy, did she ever pick the wrong day to take a stroll in the mountains. The worst day in fact. That was just her luck, she thought, not entirely bothered by the fact. 

After all, this storm was a beautiful destruction. It was a symphony meant only for the eyes, save for the cruel howling of the wind. She started nibbling at her icicle encrusted toes, removing the slow melting chunks of ice. A painstakingly slow process. 

"What about you?" She asked, carefully, politely. It was a personal question, but after all Pandora had askec it of her, so why not? She wondered (a frequent passtime of hers) what would make someone like her. She seemed young. Could she already have a tragic past? What haunted her at night? She wanted to know, really know, about the demons in her heart, keeping her up at night. The demons that made it so easy for her to kill someone with no mercy. To become a butcher.

[Pandora]

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[atrb=background,http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh562/Torniquelle/toppan.png] I guess she has accepted her fate. How nice that must be.To know. Pandora thought. Unlike the Kukkien, she didn't accept death. She had no idea what was in her future. Does anyone? The storm,was like a cloud settling onto the earth. A death angel blanketing the world. What about you?

[/b] The Kukkien asked.
Pandora stared for some time. Not at the wolf, but into her memories, hidden by a veil.
Why do you want to know?
She thought some more. Guessing it was only proper to reply she started.
I guess.... She thought some more. We were way beyond proper. Nothing about this seemed right to Pandora. It was foreign. Something she was not used too.

An ache was in her chest. Her heart? I came here to find some peace. I needed to get away from my home pack. A break from family. Just for a few days. Pandora stared back in shock. She couldn't believe she just said that! How dare Pandora share her thoughts and feelings. It showed weakness, it showed fear. Putting up a wall, Pandora turned her head away. Deep in her thoughts, trying to figure out what the heck was going on with her.



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[Laracal]

Laracal was, needless to say, shocked. She never expected the other wolf to give her an answer, especially not one that raw and real. It seemed just a little out of character for her. But she nodded in agreement. "That's part of the reason I left my parent's pack. I needed a break. A long one." Mostly from her brother, but also from her parents treating her like a pyramid of cards. Like she'd snap in half if they breathed on her.

"I was feeling smothered."She smiled. She was free at last. But that's not to say she didn't miss them, She loved her parents very much, abdolutely adored them in fact. She just didn't love living with them.

Her head began to pound with an unexpected, innexplicable headache. It was odd, because no one was talking too loudly. She winced a little at the pain that shot through her skull. Maybe it was a sign, that she should go to sleep. 

She waited what she assumed a civil amount of time. "I'm going to sleep a bit. So if your still here when I wake up I guess I'll see you later."

Sleep came easily for her. It was the exhaustion. She closed her eyes and entered a mysterious land. There was gold fruit, but it wasn't fruit; it was rats. And there was many other wolves, some lurking in the shadows, others walking around openly and talking. They were all neon-colored and smiled at her like she was a hero. "Laracal the Great" they called her. She dreamt that she went for a walk to get a drink, and came back replaced with a better version of herself. She gaped at them. How dare they? Fickle as the Roman's they were! Wasn't she enough? Good enough? The earth began to shake, softly at first, but gradually getting worsw until it was a violent quiver. Then the earth opened up its giant mouth, baring its teeth at her, and swallowed her whole. Falling, falling, falling. Was there no end? It just kept going, on and on, like she was suspended in time or something of the like. As she was falling, there was nothing but darkness. She was surrounded. "I've come to take your place." She heard it evil chuckle and booming voice. "Shadow?" She called. No. Her shadow couldn't have her life! It was hers!

[Pandora]

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[atrb=background,http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh562/Torniquelle/toppan.png] What did she care about how this kukkien felt? Pandora looked away, staring at the cave wall. Perhaps they both had parent problems. Pandora’s parents love her of course. She was their only daughter. She was born to kill, that’s all she knew. Its what she was taught from the very beginning. She just wondered what else was out there. What she didn't know, she wished to. To become stronger mentally. One reason she came out on these little adventures. To see. Pandora watched the Kukkien fall to sleep. How nice it would be to fall asleep. Her mind wouldn't let her. She was trained for this, staying up for days. Prepare for battle, like a warrior. Her eyes glazed over. Finally turning away from the wall, she watched the snow. It drifted down softer now. Not as rough, not as intense. Things would be fine in the morning. This would just be a distant memory. Pandora had a waking dream, a day dream in other words. It was a nightmare. A beast slithered on the ground. Gaining on Pandora. She tried to run, to hide. But this is something you can't hide from. Death. It was coming for her. Its fangs dripped blood, hungry for her soul. It was inches from her! Its jaws snapped, grabbing its hold on her. She felt the pain, the deep sharp stabbing pain. She was startled back to full conciseness . Her breathing labored, her heart hammering in her chest. No, you mustn't go back to sleep. It haunts you even there Pandora She scolded herself. Determined to stay up, she continued to watch the magical snow fall from the skies.