Spring in His Step

[Olyvar]

The birds were singing to herald the peak of spring. Butterflies fluttered lazily over the flowers that rimmed the edge of the sparkling lake. A cool breeze caressed the glass surface, sending small ripples to glisten and glitter in the warm sun. A jackalope stood beside the water, shielded by a large rock with creeping vines that were reaching toward the moist underside. The lagomorph was well seasoned, he had survived a number of years in the Tiaga. His rack was large and pointed, ready to fend off any attacker that may venture.

Speaking of the devil. A pair of moss green eyes was watching the prey from a few yards away. The grey and white owner of the eyes was coiled and ready to attack his long time foe. That jackalope had been plaguing him for his entire life. The green tendrils on his legs seemed to pulse and gleam in the sun, as the anticipation grew. He was nearing his second year of life...he knew that he was old enough to kill this rabbit thing that was mocking him with those twinkling eyes of his.

Green tipped ears twitched and flickered trying to pinpoint the best line of attack. The young male was eager to sink his teeth in his tormenter. He crept out of the brush, stalking his prey. The long ears of the rodent twitched as he stood up, small nose twitching like mad. Olyvar stopped, a small growl escaping his maw by accident. Instead of running like most prey would do, the jackalope spun around and pointed his antlers at the young wolf. Olyvar sprang forward, but was halted by the tines being thrust so close to his beautiful face.

He growled and snapped at the bones, his hackles raising and his tail lifting to show his displeasure at the defiance. They danced around each other a little, the wolf attempting to parry the thrusts and feint around. The water was to the back of the rodent, giving him protection. "You little bastard!" The hot headed wolf snarled, willing that the morsel would stop moving.

As soon as he thought it he felt a queer sensation overtake him. As if his energy were being drained, like the time he encountered that damned lumen. His growl stopped short in his throat as the shock overtook him. What was happening? He felt a warm tingling in his body that made all the hairs on his form stand on end. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement on the rock he stopped moving, one paw raised up. The vines were....moving? He forgot what he was doing, he felt suddenly very very tired. The vines twitched and he hit the ground hard with his rump.

The jackalope, seeing his chance, darted out of the reach of the wolf he had pestered for so long. The little beast vanished while Olyvar was left baffled and exhausted. He blinked after the rabbit, then turned back to look at the rock in disbelief. The vines were still now. Slowly it dawned on him. He looked at his legs, the patterns had always resembled vines....was this his element? Plants? For a moment he growled. What the hell! He spoke to no one in particular. He had always hoped that his powers would be ground breaking or awesome. He had envisioned being a gravity lupus like his aunt. Or an earth lupus to rip apart the ground and leave destruction in his wake. Hell even WIND would have been better than this!

Plants. He could control plants. What would he do with that? He glared at the vines again. "What can you possibly do for me, dammit to hell...." He paced back a forth, finally regaining his legs. His joints ached a little, but other than that he was getting his energy back. Finally he leaped up on the rock and laid down, perching carefully so he could sulk without toppling into the lake. His tail twitched like an agitated cat as he began to formulate how his power could even hope to make him as awesome as he knew he was.

[Luparia]

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[atrb=background,http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/winkatuck/test2-1.png,true][scrolly:h(350),w(220),sy,c()] Luparia was on the move, alone once again. It wasn’t that she minded being alone because in reality she didn’t, and she spent most of her time that way. Occasionally she would seek out Eolande and they would talk about this or that, mainly how different they were from the other siblings. She now had medium sized horns, that pointed straight up with only the straightest edge backwards, but unlike Eolande, her horns glowed a yellow color. It was fine for a while but more and more lately she had become annoyed with the light keeping her up at night, she literally felt like a walking night light! In addition she had tripped a few months back and twisted her paw, but too stubborn to go find a healer or anyone to help she had laid down right where she got hurt, and within a few hours of stewing she had managed to walk on her paw, even run and jump on it. A few more experimental “accidents” had proven that she like Eolande had the ability to heal, although she had not said anything, she didn’t want to be burdened by running around healing everyone, it would interrupt with her naps. As it were she was out and headed toward the lake, she knew that around there just like around the territory there were a few rocks and such that she could sit on, laze around and just in general do nothing. For the most part she was grown about as large as she would get, which would be large than her lupus comrades but still smaller when it came to Ahote’s pups, who she felt like a dwarf around. Still, she looked around like them that Aroh and Syver both respected her, and although for the life of her she could not understand Adraxxia’s nice nature, as she had grown she had left the tri-colored pup alone. Of course the only lupus pup she had gotten along with would by Olyvar, and only because they had similar mindsets when it came to certain things, mainly their self image. She wondered what he had been up to lately, as since he had moved to the male tree, and she remained in the female tree, well it was more difficult to catch up with one another. With a yawn and a covetous look at the largest boulder she could find she jumped onto it and perched for a long moment. Yes, this was indeed her home, and while others may have scoffed at the pack or how and where they lived she couldn’t think of a pack who would take better care of her. She felt no need to fight or hunt, at best her only walking was to find her a comfortable place to spend the days soaking up the sun or moon whichever she deemed necessary. Her tail lagged gently against the boulder, it’s fluffy nature swishing back and forth as she sat there, rather pensive. Soon it might be that a male would want to try and mate with her…although she had no intentions of mating with just anyone, no if anything she would find someone like Ahote, someone strong and powerful, where she would have no worries they would take care of her, entertain her, and keep things interesting. “Yes…a powerful one indeed…” With that she laid down and stretched out the warmth from the rock, her tongue slightly falling out of her maw to the side as she sighed in contentment. “Oh yes, this is worth the walk..” A slight snort of approval to her own comment was given before she wriggled about for a second to scratch her own back before falling to her side and taking a deep breath. It would be a few hours later that she awoke to no sounds around her, and for a long moment after her temporary grogginess that she began to panic, had she gone deaf? What had happened when she fell asleep that had caused this? As she looked up she saw a bird attempting to fly over her, almost land near her close to sleeping form but couldn’t seem to move past the boulder. “What is going on here?” She knew that right before she fell asleep she had wished for utter peace and quiet so she could nap without being disturbed…but this was stupid. “I want to hear what is going on!” She shrieked, and for a moment her mind went blank and whatever was surrounding her fell down around her. She felt it as though physically a bubble had popped and suddenly there was a barrage of birds and other sounds that came to her hearing. She exhaled a long, deep breath as she twitched her ears in different directions and was thankful that there wasn’t anything wrong with her, even though she didn’t fight or hunt, she still needed to be able to hear even if it was to establish if someone was telling her a line of bullshit. She sighed and rolled on to her other side, even though she had been napping she was still tired, her throat ached, and her muscles hurt, and her head was pounding. Shakily she got to her paws and headed down to the water where she could get a much needed drink and think about this some more. She had not come into contact with many of the other pack wolves but it seemed like some of them could heal, no matter what species, so she determined that that was just something that happened to random wolves. But what about this? This bubble-like thing? She did not interact enough with her siblings to know if or when they had manifested any powers like this…Wait! Was that what it was? Was it a second power? Something that had been given to her for some reason? She could already heal so where did this come from, and why? It did not take long for the little hybrid female to only further assume that she was more special than a regular wolf after all, how many regular breed wolves had powers like she had? None that she had met, and so after a long drink at the lake, her tail and head went up even higher than before and she turned around with flourish staring at the horizon in front of her. Who knew what this bubble power could afford her during her life…the only unfortunate thing was she would have to work at it, which would require energy and no doubt tapping into her nap time….With a sigh she began to walk around the lake further thinking about what had happened..[/scrolly]

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[Olyvar]

His brooding did not allow him to sit still for very long. After mere minutes he snarled and leaped down off of the boulder. His pale paws splashed in the shallows of the lake on his landing. He glared at his reflection, wondering more than ever, how the hell plants would benefit him in life. He was mostly carnivore....he hunted on his own....he dug his own dens when away from the tree. All plants did were draw in prey and look pretty. He hated the idea of making things look pretty. With another agitated snarl, he slapped his reflection away with a very deliberate paw.

He stalked out of the water and shook out his creamy pelt before continuing his prowl around the lake side. His mossy green eyes were glazed over with his dark mood. It was his nose that pulled him out of the downward spiral. He paused in mid stride as his olfactories where overwhelmed with the scent of his sister. Well, half sister truly, but that tidbit had yet to be revealed in their soap opera of life. As far as he was concerned, they came out of the same mom, fought for the same teats as pups and strove for each others attentions now and then. Well Luparia was the only one he really paid any mind too. Eloande and Delirium were still around, but he related more toward the loner female that he was making his way toward.

Even though his sister was almost twice his size, he still fluffed himself up to swagger once he got close enough. [n]"Heya Lupy. Been a while. "[/b] He moved to lick her muzzle in greeting. The only sibling he would greet in such a fashion without thinking. His ghostly form seemed dwarfed next to her, but he made a point to present himself as was proper. " I hope you are having a better day than I am." He walked around her in a small circle and pressed his flank against hers briefly before moving away to sit.

He examined her, even though he was not one for picking up on the feelings of others, he could not help but think that something was up with her as well. "What's up?" His green tipped ears were primed and pointed toward her, actually willing to listen to her troubled before spouting off with his own, which was in the near future weather she liked it or not.

[Luparia]

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[atrb=background,http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/winkatuck/test2-1.png,true][scrolly:h(350),w(220),sy,c()] For the first time in her life Luparia felt less than perfect, less than superior. She really did not know what to think of herself right now, a part of her wanted to go back to the way she was after she found out she could heal, it was just another facet of how amazing she was. But this, this was something new and odd, and for once she tried to remember the stories Adraxxia and Aroh had talked about when they were younger, that the “Great Spirit” had sometimes gifted wolves with a certain ability or power. The problem with this story was that Luparia had never believed in the Great Spirit, and originally she had thought her healing was like the powers lupus had. Yes, lupus were all different in their powers, and well it was true that she and her other siblings like herself apparently had all come into the power of healing but there was still the question of why this had happened. Was it not enough that she and her siblings were all different, larger than their other littermates, the only ones were dwarfed her and Eo were Ahote’s own pups, and even then she came rather close to Syver and Adraxxia in size. Irritated and grumpy by the turn of events around her she didn’t know what to make of herself. To get on with her life the same way it had been going she could just accept that she was more special, and more gifted than any other wolf she had met and go on with her day…or she could wonder on forever on why she in particular had been gifted with this particular power. Who would use bubbles any way? Little did her younger mind know or have any room for was that her “bubbles” could also fend off attacks, be they other gifts and magic or physical ones. Of course with Luparia’s aspirations it might be a while before she ever found out that handy piece of information. The sound of splashing around the lake gathered her attention and as she turned her ears and eyes towards it she noticed her brother Olyvar. Now Olyvar was an extreme case of odd for Luparia, when they were pups she gravitated toward the male lupus, feeling as though they understood each other, and felt the same way about stuff. She would never abandon her sister Eo, but there were times when she wished she could just push Liri off a cliff. Luparia was used to being the center of attention, and even when she was with Olyvar she felt special, they had come to this very lake as pups and played with each other, even slept in the same den after wards, and it was with Olyvar that Luparia always felt he would accept her no matter what. It didn’t matter that she was so much larger than he was, or that her horns glowed, or that she was speckled. Olyvar was covered in markings of his own, and he stood out like a spotlight wherever he was, although when it snowed one might have a harder time seeing him. She on the other hand thrived during the spring and summer thanks to the shades of green her parentage had given her. Snapping out of her mood, she held her head high, the horns on her head glowing with their usual yellowed color. She worried for a moment she had not taken the time to groom properly, but realized she had done so before her nap and before this little chaotic tidbit of information had thrown her off balance. Olyvar’s smell was welcome to her nose and her tail swished back and forth in delight at seeing him. Since they had grown up, as the pack had demanded, they were segregated and while Luparia probably could have sought him out, she didn’t leave the female area too very much. As it warmed she would travel to the lake, clean herself, nap and then return for eating. In between these little excursions she walked, she kept herself trim and looking as best she could, as she had aged she had become more than her fair share of vain. She groaned outwardly when he called her Lupy….no one would dare call her that but him, and that was because he knew she wouldn’t completely throttle him….anyone else could look forward to her swift attempt at taking their tongue out…the hard way…”Indeed Olly..” She snickered at her own name for him as she tilted her head, “Too many responsibilities keeping you away from our old haunt hmmm?” Some might have thought it was unfair the younger male would be expected to hunt and protect the pack but Ahote’s rules were clear, and any member not willing to keep their weight and pull it, was quickly reprimanded or given the choice to leave. For most it didn’t matter to Luparia, but she knew if Olyvar decided to leave she would feel something….sadness most likely…and that scared her…when had she started to have such feelings for her brother? When he licked her muzzle, a sound of contentment thrilled through her system and she let down her guard enough to rub the side of her face against his in an unheard of sign of affection. As he rubbed his flank against hers she sighed gently and leaned into the barest of embraces before he finally came to sit still beside her. “Truth be told, my day has kind of been turned upside down while I was trying to nap….What has made yours so terrible? Liri hounding at your heels?” Delirium while he was often glued to Eo, had also made a point of looking to his male siblings, even Ahote’s brood for hunting advice and to patrol with, it would seem the little suck up desperately wanted to be a warrior, but she found him rather ditzy. When he asked her what was going on with her she sighed slightly, pointing her own ears forward as she said in a huff…”Well…while I was taking a nap when I woke up….nothing could get around me…apparently a bird or something wanted to get close but it couldn’t..I mean I couldn’t hear anything either..it was like I went deaf…so I shrieked that I wanted to hear what was going on….and it was like this bubble around me went crashing down and then I could hear everything…of course the bird flew away…but apparently I created this bubble type thing….I mean..how stupid is that? Creating bubbles?! How much more could I isolate myself?” Shaking her head slowly at the ground she slumped her shoulders and then shook her tail, “But yeah, so that’s what biting my tail, what about you?” Luparia rarely cared about the needs for others but it would seem since their bonding experience at youths that she had grown to care for Olyvar, and whether she liked it or not it was apparent he cared too, two isolated pups from the same litter who not only were loners but believed they were the best from their litter….the best indeed. [/scrolly]

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[Olyvar]

His pale tail waggled pleasantly at her greeting. He was not one to get crazy excited like Liri, but he could show his emotions well enough. He gave a slight smirk at his nickname. He enjoyed giving nicknames to others, it was mostly to peck. However, Lupy was the only one that he really liked calling him Olly, others called him it now and then, but it was not met with the same grace. And he did not name her out of spite, like he did some siblings and milk mates that lurked in the Tiaga. He got cozy in his seated position as she continued to speak. His mossy green eyes rolled at the mention of responsibility, "Puh...yeah, 'Hote has me running around a lot. But I still don't have my rank as Hauld. We are basically two.....we should be ranked." Since he was little he was pushing to prove himself in every way he could, to impress Ahote and eventually get to be a Skoll. The young wolf had a mind to out rank even Ahote's kids, just because he could. The deep seeded competition and jealousy he felt for the yagi siblings was not well hidden. Hunting was not a strong point, but he was learning the borders like the back of his paws. Soon he would be practice fighting too.

The ambitious youngster looked back at his sister. Remembering that she had some troubled behind her shining eyes. Though the comment about Liri made him scoff a bit. "That was part of it. But I just told him that there was a rabbit hiding in the home tree and he had to find it and catch it. That should keep him busy most of the day. " If there was anything his brother was good for, it was for Olyvar to practice pranks on. Finally she became forth coming about what was bothering her. He tilted his head in mild confusion as she explained things.

The whole idea of a bubble around her was odd, he knew of a metaphorical bubble, but this seemed ludicrous. "Wait. You couldn't hear and the bird couldn't get you? Was it like you were under water or something?" His clever mind tried to riddle things out. She seemed a little down trodden at the concept of doing that...."Wait...I bet that would come in handy next time Liri is bothering you. Just sit in your bubble and pretend to listen to him blather on about stuff." He gave her a sly smile, trying to make her feel better. Though he was not sure if he was doing a good job or not. For being as self-centered as he was, offering condolences did not come easily to his skill set.

When she allowed the segue for his business he gladly took the reins, "You think making bubbles is stupid? I think I discovered my power. I made some vines wiggle at that stupid jackalope." Yes, it was the very same rodent he had been hunting since he was a pup. His own private nemesis. "How can making things grow help be in fights? I NEED to have a power to help me stand a chance against Syver and Aroh." He ground his teeth together a little. The fact that two lumen had managed to make a fool of him in the past made his pride sore. He was grossly aware that he feel short in the strength and endurance department. But to fall short in wit and defense as well made it sting. He needed something to help his climb up the ladder, and he did not think that making flowers grow was part of that. He never really liked flowers to begin with.

He scratched at the grown in agitation before looking back at his sister. Even she was larger than him, most likely stronger that him too. He knew that she would be on his side in a fight, but the fact that he might not even be able to go toe to toe with her was making itself even more apparent each day. "I guess we both have powers that kind of suck right now...huh?" He knew that all powers needed practicing, but he was reluctant to practice playing in the dirt....he had better stuff to do. He gave a huffing sigh, "What should we do?"

[Luparia]

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[atrb=background,http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/winkatuck/test2-1.png,true][scrolly:h(350),w(220),sy,c()] There was something about being around Olly that made Luparia very happy. Although they definitely looked different…and the more she thought about it the more it came to the surface that perhaps that did not share the same blood…completely. She knew that they shared the same mother, Avalon for they drank from her stomach and no one had ever told her otherwise. However, Olly looked like Pyke..and if Pyke were his father, after all he had been around during the younger times to take care of them…why did she and Eo, and Morgan look different? Pyke couldn’t have given them horns, and neither could Avalon, neither of them had them. Luparia’s nose scrunched up in thought for a long moment as she contemplated the idea that while they were related in some facet, they were too different to have the same exact parents. She also knew that while they were playful enough with each other, their nicknames were more terms of endearment, and although she would not rip him to shreds for calling her that, she knew that neither one of them had much love for the rest of their litter mates and their antics. It only furthered her opinion that there was nothing wrong with her, for Olly acted the same way to a degree. At his comment to being ranked, Luparia nodded slowly. It really didn’t matter to her, she would join the general female population, now being old enough to mate if she so chose to. But for Olly and the other male members of their litter it was important that they take their place within the pack. “I know that with the new members we have had an increase in hunters, so I assume Ahote will be seeing who he can trust as soldiers next….but I’m sure if you practice your fighting you will get a warrior rank..” She had no interest in fighting personally..she knew some of the other younger females, even Ahote’s own daughter were having trouble with the limitations, but Luparia was just as happy to be taken care and counted among the many in this strong and capable pack. She couldn’t help the small, sly smile that crept over her face when he told her what he had done to get rid of Liri, unfortunately for the over-ambitious and extremely annoying youngster, he was also too gullible for his own good. His energy was often annoying and Luparia was more than thankful the females and males lived in different trees, as much as she cared for Olly, better he than her to have to deal with him. When he asked her if it was like she was under water she thought about that for a long moment…”I suppose you could say that…you know how when you stick your head under and it drowns everything else out…or at least muffles it to such a degree it’s like that? Well this is like that but it completely drowns everything out, like complete silence…and it apparently it was a physical bubble, only clear because it kept the bird out….like a barrier or something, but it was all around me..” She was still unclear of just how the mechanics of anything worked because, well simply put she was just a beginner, for all she knew she could have had a wish granted, she hadn’t tried since it had happened to do it again…Soon though Olly made the perfect comment and before she could stop herself she began to snicker wildly. She had not thought of using this…’bubble power’ against her own siblings but she had to admit if it would give her peace around some of the other more annoying members of the pack then why shouldn’t she use it, and even be glad to have it? “Plants?” Now this was interesting, Luparia sat back and tried to think of what he could do with plants….So many things came to mind for the devious little manipulating female that she had to stop herself as he vented about having a power that would help him against the two male Yagi pups who had shared their mother. Luparia had not interacted with Syver since they were pups and he was more den bound…and she and their sister Adraxxia did not get along at all. But Aroh..Well Aroh had been sweet to her, and in her own weird way maybe she was fond of him…perhaps too fond, she was not even sure yet. Although beyond passing each other in the territory she had little to do with him, much like other pack members. “Olly…I’m not sure plants are a bad thing…you said you moved vines? You could use the vines or plants to strangle the stupid jackalope.” Her eyes took on a rather devious look…” and and! I know you want to be the best warrior, but what if you could make poisonous plants grow or blossom around your enemies…they could breathe in or touch the plant and be weakened before you! It could even help you hunt…you could attract the prey with lush looking plants..and when they get close enough make the plants wrap around them as you race in to kill them…it would make it so you’d hardly ever need a hunting partner!” For Luparia that was a big advantage, if Olly could become adept at his power, he could become a very powerful wolf, one who would need little help from any other member to take care of himself, and while Luparia felt the same way now Olly had a way to make it happen. Now her own power, as she came to think about it, was more a defensive power….she had no idea she could use the forcefields to defend other beings or things..for right now she just saw it shielding and isolating herself, which worked for her, because in her own right it would keep her away from others and others away from her. She stood in that moment, and shook herself off, “I’m not sure they are bad powers…I think we just need to make them work for us and what we want them to do…so how about we practice on each other? You need the practice to do intricate things with plants, and I need practice on just how to make these bubbles or things come and go by my wishing…so why don’t we use each other..?” Her eyes glistened with mischief as she stared at her brother, wagging her tail enticingly. [/scrolly]

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[Olyvar]

Why had he and his sister not spent this much time together since they were weaned? He liked her more than most the males he had to hang out with. However with all the new duties as being an adult he never really had time to socialize with the pack, aside confronting strangers and rallying aid when needed. He wanted to beat his yagi milk mates, to show that being a lupus did not make him lesser than a yagi. He had brains, they had strength, surely he could best them in something, he had been hunting for that skill since he was being pushed off his mother's teat by them. Like his father, he held grudges and took slights personally, real or imagined. This deep seeded competition and thirst for victory did not extend to Luparia. Yes, he disliked that she was larger and had manifested powers before him, but she was really the only one he could talk to, on the rare occasions he needed a confidant.

His ears twitched when she mentioned the new members. He had not really paid attention to new members. Maybe he should attempt to be more active in socializing, it might help his climb through the ranks. "Well...Ahote is aware of what I do....Surely he has noticed what I have been doing." In his eyes he was the center of the universe, next to Ahote. He admired the yagi male and envied his sons. Ahote had raised him when Pyke and Avalon abandoned them. Ahote taught him to fight. He idolized Ahote...however he was unsure if Ahote even cared for him now that he thought hard on it. He doubted himself rarely, and his brow furrowed. "He has noticed hasn't he?" He growled a little at himself, insecurities were small, but bothersome like a flea or tick right where he can't scratch.

His insecurities were forgotten when his comment finally registered with her. He smirked proudly, twitching his tail with renewed confidence. He lowered to his belly to lie upon the cool ground, glancing up at her. Her insight into his power gave him pause, then a flood of ideas. "Hey your right! This might not be too terrible." He stretched out and rolled onto his back, becoming equally as mischievous as her in his train of thoughts. "Thorny vines could be awesome. Rip into enemies, tear up prey. OH or the poisonous vines that mess with our skin! Ah haha!" His laugh was a devious cackle, yes this would not be too bad after all if he could just figure out which plants were what...then figure out how to plant them....should he carry seeds? So many questions as he looked up fondly at his sister.

The gears in his mind were turning, as she stood he pawed playfully at her chin. "Do you think that your little bubble can disguise scent? Might make hunting easier on both of us....I set the greens, you bubble us up and we can wait upwind or downwind. Then BAM!" He liked the idea of working with her to achieve greatness. He knew she would not be allowed a high rank, but he would always hold her high for her accomplishments with him.

As she began to postulate the idea of them training together, his mossy green eyes lit up. He flipped back over and nipped under her chin in excitement this time, " That would be a great idea! Can't have Syv and Arr seeing what I can do before I master it. And I like you more than most the others in the pack anyway. We don't see each other much any more, this can be a perfect excuse for us to do that. " Sure their ideas might fall short. He was oblivious to her feelings of the yagi male. He suspected Ahote might disagree with him training with a female, but as long as he kept her safe while doing it, they should not get in trouble. He smirked in approval of this idea and stood tall now. "When should we start?"

[Luparia]

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[atrb=background,http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/winkatuck/test2-1.png,true][scrolly:h(350),w(220),sy,c()] She eyed her brother almost with a jealous air to her, here he was with the perfect power for himself as far as she was concerned. Olly, as she had seen could be devious and even manipulative as well as being mostly out for himself. With the power the manipulate plants he would soon need no one, he would surpass most other wolves, all it would take would be practice, and more practice. Luparia wondered why exactly she was having these feelings of jealousy, but she knew her green pelt matched how she was feeling right this second. Knowing that she had never been a fighter in particular she had to sum up her feelings in the only way she knew how. Olly’s newfound skill would provide him power, and while she had no desire to fight, her superiority complex did allow for a healthy dose of wanting this thing called power. She simply did not feel the need to draw blood to get it, if she was around a powerful enough male, or could call upon her breeding she would then have proof that she was truly superior. It was just a matter of finding out if she had the breeding to truly be superior. Her thoughts were getting away from her and becoming quite manic so she tried to reel them in and pay attention to what Olly was saying. “I’m sure Ahote has noticed, maybe you could mention to him that it may be time to have a meeting, to introduce new members, and lay out some ranks..” Looking at him for a long moment, she continued, “It would show him that you are thinking of the pack first, and then your own ambitions, while still showing him you are ambitious..Apparently Aroh and Syver haven’t done it, so it will also get his attention focused on you.” Who said females had nothing to do with pack politics…? If nothing else Luparia would attempt to be right at Olly’s side, as close to power as she could be, now truth be told Aroh was more than likely closer to the ultimate power, being the oldest son he would most likely inherit the pack, but Luparia was still trying to sort out that situation, as far as her mind knew right now this was perfect. Her tongue fell to kind of hang out of her mouth in a slightly playful stupid gesture, one she would only make in his presence, usually if she had to pant or got hot she made sure to do it in a way she would still looked dignified but right now they were talking about making bubbles and playing with plants, what was going to be dignified about any of this? A part of her mind rebelled, she was no one’s punching bag, but assuredly Olly would never hurt her, or maime her? Would he ruin her composure and clean pelt, more than positively but he’d been doing that since puphood. When he rolled onto his back and looked up at her with a devious cackle and that glint in his eye, she was happy. Not only with the fact that he had to look up to her but that he found her ideas as fascinating as she did. She didn’t think of the thorny vine idea but nodded enthusiastically, “I didn’t think of the thorny vines but that would be a brutal way to take down prey or an opponent.. But you’re right this might not be too bad, especially for you.” She was not quite sure how he would get certain plants…the variety was rather limited in the taiga but she knew there was thorny brush and she was sure there had to be some berries or plant life here that was poisonous after all, those kind of plants were everywhere in any environment. When he pawed at her chin she leaned down and nipped at his paws playfully, the small whines and yips coming from her would give away just how playful she was being. As he spoke to her about what her own power were capable of she thought about it, could it mask scent? Though he called it a “little bubble” which seemed slightly patronizing she had to stop and think about how things might work. Obviously the bird could not hear her, but it could see her, perhaps it could not have smelled her all things considered it was rather close. So perhaps in addition to shielding noise, and as such, it could also shield their smell, but she was at best unsure. “Perhaps…I mean I don’t think the bird would have tried to get so close if she could smell or hear me…maybe she thought I was dead but had no scent so it wasn’t dangerous..?” She had to agree though it would make hunting a lot easier and it would give them both a more secure way to practice…although what would they hunt…she knew the rules when it came to females hunting and unless Olly was going to keep a big secret they couldn’t possibly tell anyone or let anyone see them…which she had to say, “You know…we can’t hunt anything big…you know I’d get in big trouble if anyone found out…so if you wanted to do that we would have to seriously be secretive..not that I’m against that..” She said with a small mischievous smile. When she saw his excitement and received a nip to her chin she playfully bowed down and came forward to try to nip at his underside. “I would be very happy to help you practice…I’m not sure how I made the stupid bubble but I bet I could try and you can tell me if you smell me, or can hear me, and vice versa…I think it will be a long process but if we can manage it, it will be well worth it.” In the next moment he was standing in front of her, looking all the part of a serious adult, and so she stood up and straightened her posture, and shook her head slightly, the glowing horns moving from side to side. “I say it would probably be best to work in the evenings and nights, prey will be more easy to surprise, at least for you…since I have these stupid glowing horns, and we will be less likely to be seen by others since only a few wolves patrol during the evenings..” Yes it was logical and reasonable to her, they needed to avoid others…but then another idea popped in her head…”We could always leave the territory to do it…Ahote says all females should have an escort, so no one would think twice if you were my escort out of the territory and we would have an even less chance of running into the pack members….and it would give you a chance to look at plant life outside of the Taiga…” Yes the ideas were spinning wildly in her head as she continued, “We could agree on a time to go and meet in the forest, and then head out of the territory for a day or so to practice, that way it doesn’t look too suspicious..” [/scrolly]

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[Olyvar]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][atrb=background,http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/Eldarwen5/Wonder%20Why/Gifts/Olyvar1Mid.png] He stood there for a long while, listening and taking in everything she was saying. Ahote WOULD notice...even if Olyvar had to make him. Perhaps he should have more of a presence around the higher-ups, like the Skolls and such. The idea made the gears in his head turn. He was brought back to the conversation at the mention of large game, he personally thought the idea of limiting female's hunting abilities could, in the long term, be bad for the pack. However, he would never voice his opinion on that matter, he liked having the females rely on him. However when a female was bigger and stronger than him, why shouldn't they hunt large game if they were capable? He gave his sister a sly glance, "I won't tell if you won't....plus we can hunt outside the lands an no one will care what we catch." He sat his rear on the ground, tail wagging again at all the possibilities. "I think we can make this work. No one will ask if I am escorting you places. We can say that we are searching for our parents, or recruiting new members. Hell we don't even have to lie, we can just omit other little details for what we do in between finding wolves." He kind of just brushed off the comment about their parents. He still resented them a little for leaving without a word. He was a big boy though, he didn't need mommy and daddy to take care of him....odds are he would end up taking care of their mother. She seemed to be focusing more on what they would train in, how they would train, while he was focusing on where and how to get there. The immediate details would obviously be his part, at least in his mind. They were quite the pair, he liked it. He suspected he might have to have a few words with any male that tried to make her his. "I think evening would be best....I mean the changing light might trick the eyes so they don't notice your horns, or my pelt. We both kind of stand out." He gave her a smile and stood once more, shaking out his pelt. The plan seemed very well set, he wanted to start at this second, however he figured they should prepare a little, eat a good bit, rest up all that fun stuff so if they had trouble hunting, they would not have to worry too much. "I think we should leave tomorrow night, or the day after, so we can get practice early. The quicker we get going the better we will get right?" The gleam in his mossy green eyes was almost ravenous as the ideas that came pouring through. It seemed that his previous though may have been mislead...she did have a plan for the whole thing, he would just make sure it got executed properly to their benefit.

Table by Eldarwen · Image

[Luparia]

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[atrb=background,http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/winkatuck/test2-1.png,true][scrolly:h(350),w(220),sy,c()] Inside, a small part of Luparia groaned, she was not a good hunter. She never had to be considering where she was raised, the males hunted for her and all she had to do was walk around and look pretty. With the plan and she Olly were concocting, she would be doing a lot more walking, training, and hunting, for a moment she had to wonder if all this new exercise was going to ruin her sleek feminine figure. However, she had seen other females in the pack who were muscled and yet still attractive, there was another female, Diamanta, she avoided other members of the pack, well females specifically and she was very attractive in her coloring and even with her muscular body. She had smelled Ahote on her, so obviously their alpha favored the female intensely, and that was what Luparia hoped to gain, the attention of a high ranking male who would take care of her and make sure she had everything she needed. A soft wrinkle of her nose would let Olly know what she thought of hunting. “I won’t tell but you better bring me something excellent to eat..” She said, only half way joking. She nodded her head to the idea of omitting things along the way if anyone questioned them. With the coming of spring and more food available she doubted very much that they’d be missed. The advantage Olly had to gain from this was much more than she, but it was for the love of her brother who was so much like her that she would put herself through the ringer for him. She would not lie and say they were searching for their parents, because anyone who knew he would know it was a lie. She also wasn’t the kind of female who would go off looking for new members, and she couldn’t say she was out patrolling. But Olly could say he was escorting her and hunting for her on her explorations out of the territory, call it a brother’s love. With a smirk she told him what she was thinking, “The best story is most likely closest to the truth, it would look better if you are accompanying my outside of the territory and providing me with food and protection on the journey. People will be less likely to think anything more of me, and any less of you. Plus we can keep the same story and not have to worry about who we told what.” She nodded in agreement to the idea of traveling in the evening, it was just safer all around, although they did both stand out and she nodded her head to let him know she was aggreable. Traveling during the day could be more perilous in that they could run into their own pack mates as well as other wolves, night time cut down on the traffic they would see. It would also make it easier to sneak up on prey, during the day most herds that grazed were on the alert for predators. It would also make sense to avoid when other predators would be hunting, although she had heard stories dragons and other such nightmarish predators hunted whenever they were hungry, she was pretty sure that she and Olly were smart enough to avoid getting themselves into any trouble they could not get their way out of. “If I didn’t have these stupid horns that glowed we might get by a little easier…and in the snow you are great at hiding…it’s the exact opposite with me..” In many ways they were paired perfectly, and she knew it and recognized it. She went to stand by his side, and she sat down, to make up for the difference in height, and brushed her head along his shoulder, a soft sound escaping her muzzle. “I would say the day after tomorrow is ideal, it will give us plenty of time to rest from any excursions, let us be seen around by the pack members, reassurance don’t you know. It will also give us a chance to hunt small game around the territory to keep ourselves full. The day we leave we can each take something from the prey cache to keep ourselves full as we ease out. We both normally walk and prowl the territory at night so I don’t think it will draw too much attention as he head out.” Her heart was pounding with the idea of actually leaving, spending time with Olly, without Liri…and although she was sad about leaving Eo for any amount of time, her sister had taken a weird fascination with their alpha and Luparia for some reason simply did not share it. She pushed her upper body down, the gentle sound of the lake lapping filled her ears and she yawned, her larger teeth snapping shut as she looked at him. “I think now would be a prime time for a nap…would you like to join me? Just in case that thing happens again?” Not that she would admit to being afraid…no it was better to try to engage Olly’s curiosity than to admit her own power had scared her. As she lay on her side the light made her pelt look lighter, more like the shades of green he had within his own pelt, but her eyes stayed on him for a long moment and she smiled, it looked kind of odd as they lay there, but before long her eyes went over the water of the lake and she was yet again reminded of the night they had snuck out and tumbled into the water in the winter time and drudged back into her den where they had fallen asleep snuggled up against each other, and her heart for the first time since she was a puppy warmed immensely. A low growl of contentment rose up as she stretched out her toes and legs in an effort to get comfortable, her bushy tail curled around the backside of herself as she closed her eyes, she hoped Olly would stay but she understood if he had other things to do. If he left he wouldn’t see the disappointment, but if he stayed he was sure to witness her joy. [] [/scrolly]

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[Olyvar]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][atrb=background,http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/Eldarwen5/Wonder%20Why/Gifts/Olyvar1Mid.png] His comments seemed to me mirrored by her responses well enough that he did have to speak much for a while. Though he was already on the trip in his mind, fighting off things with heavily armored poison vines of awesomeness as his sister shielded them from projectiles and enemies. He was over ambitious in the least, however it was at least allowing him motivation to get off his pristine white arse and go kick some tail outside of the packlands. He realized that Luparia probably didn't have the hunting experience he did, so he was more than willing to treat her with tasty things he caught her. As long as it kept her happy and willing to be there with him he was willing. His tail was thumping once more against the dirt as he mentally pumped himself up for the excursion. Finally he could not hold his tongue anymore, "Let's leave tomorrow night! I'll get you a rabbit once we find a good practice place. I'm pretty sure there is still half a deer carcass near the home trees for us to eat on before we set out." He was on his feet almost cantering an excited circle around his sister. He was not as energetic as Liri, but he still had that pup-like reserve of hyper now and then. It took him a while to realize that she had also suggested a day, he stopped in front of her, weighing her choice with his, "Hmm.....I suppose the day AFTER tomorrow could work too." He gave a mock pout, but it gave him even more time to prepare as well so he as not against that either. He began to pull himself back in, allowing his little act of silly to disappear like the ripples on the water. He gazed over the lake, possibilities flooding his mind. He smirked at his sister, chewing his thoughts and her words at the same time "Yeah...no point in lying. I doubt they will care too much if we are missing right now, I think i heard Ahote is having more pups soon." He was not sure how he felt about that, not that he really had a say in the matter. In his eyes, it was more competition to fight off to become Skoll, at least he had the head start this time. He looked down at her as she lowered herself to the ground. He licked his sister's cheek and moved a few steps ahead of her to examine the perimeter. "Nap sounds awesome." He took a few more paces around, sniffing and checking to make sure no predators or unwanted wolves were near by. Once he was satisfied he came back to her and plopped down next to her, resting his head on her midsection so he could remain alert for a while. His tail twitched and settled in a slight semi circle around her. Their pelts complimented each other nicely as they mingled together in the warm sun. It was not long before the ambitious wolf was slipping off into a light slumber with images of grandeur dancing through his mind. ((That is an awesome mental image, automatic sleep camo!))

Table by Eldarwen · Image