Lost Anthony

[Bathsheba]

The winter winds chilled her to the very core. Her hair was newly cut and it did no favors for her. She missed her long thick hair—even if it did used to look like some animal crawled on her head and died. But now, the only thing to warm her was her loving Anthony. She huddled under his pelt. The rich ginger color a sharp contrast from her newly brought-to-life color, a vivid green.

Sheba gave a long sigh. She had started losing weight. Her old figure was returning, but again, she was saddened by the fact that the changes seemed to come at a wrong time. Winter was horrible weather for the fit, shorthaired wolves. And she used to be a bear-like female. Her hairs were a lovely veil and a heavy coat. Her blubbery body was heaven when it was this cold. But now, she was becoming more and more feminine—thanks to the direction of her advisor.

She cursed herself as she continued on. She huddled the pelt of her old mate closer to her body and pressed onwards. She moved against the wind, but then, Anthony got caught in a gust of wind and easily blew off from her back. He soared through the air and was disappeared in the blurry bluster. “Anthony!”

Sheba immediately turned around. Visibility was dismal at best. The winds picked up and stirred the snow. And she gave a whimper before she erupted into a howl.

It was an alerting howl. She was a wolf in need.

[eastern]

Viking was amused at the winds that beat against his stocky frame, trying in vain to push him over. The snow did little to hinder his progress either. The chill got lost in the tangles of his long pelt, never reaching the soft pink skin that it covered. His paws where frozen for the were submerged in the thick white snow, but they were numb past the point of feeling, so that didn't bother him either.

At times like this, he was glad that his massive horns protected his ears. The snow and wind could possibly reach the sensitive hairs on his ears with them in the way.

A dark shadow passed over his head, he looked up, and saw a furry mass. He didn't recognize it, and briefly wondered what the hell it was. He shrugged as it disappeared.

The Sheba's howl broke through the wind. He froze, then realized In a second what he had seen. He almost laughed, but then thought better of it, and rushed to help the Empress. Well, more to she her melt down, then to help.

"What is it?!" He said, faking alarm. As it was noted previously, he was an excellent actor. "Are you hurt, Empress?"

[misty]

Charm ran up to the Ivare Tundra with tail wagging and eyes blazing. The Cael loved the land. No more then that, it was her element. Her home. Well, her sister said that it was not her home because was was a Cael but Charm said otherwise. So she left the water whenever possible and went on to land. Unlike most Cael who where clumsy on land Charm was rather graceful on land and a little clumsy in water. Most Caels thought her odd because of this but Charm did not care, in fact she thought that they where odd.

When she heard Bathsheba's howl she turned around and trotted over to her, wondering what on earth was going on. It took her a while to reach her and when she got there she did not really understand what was going on, the other wolf looked fine. But Charm could tell by how she had let out that howl that something was indeed wrong. Someone did not howl like that for no reason, no something was wrong. The brown cael with a blue stripe going down her back, blue tinted fur, and blue paws walked up to Bathsheba and asked, "miss? Are you okay?"

[forestiaxxforall]

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Her paws pulled through the thick snow that began to layer on the ground. "Winter, its here.." a deep sigh was blown out from her as she looked down the snow on the ground. So much horrible memories winter gave her. Looking back up ears pricked forward to the sound of a howl. It was Sheba. A slight sigh fell from her lips. Anthony again a soft smile pulled at her lips. Soon, her paws led her to the clearing where Sheba, Viking, and a wolf she did not yet know were at her aid.

Sitting down, she didn't really bother, she had no use in this case. Only usable for battle and calming winters weather. She let her tail curl around her hind legs. Keeping them warm against the cold snow that she sat on. Her eyes watching out, before looking up to the gusting winds. A large pelt of fur in the air. yup.. looking back toward the three wolves, watching silently. As well, i was observing viking. Watching how he would go about this. A true soldier would know what to do at this stage.

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ooc; sorry for the bad post D=

[Bathsheba]

It would seem that Sheba got more than she bargained for with that single, pleading howl. Her torn voice stopped abruptly when the first scent of another hit her nose. And, to her surprise, Viking arrived first. Perhaps she cried wolf too often for the rest of her more loyal crew to come to her. Or, perhaps Viking was just closer.

But then, from the bushes emerged a stranger cam as well. Both Viking and the stranger asked Sheba if she was alright. The Empress looked distrustfully at the Cael, but in the end a small glance in Viking’s direction to coax her grief into words.

She lowered her head, how lovely and fine it looked. Her rusty colored eyes were deep, but bright in color. Bathsheba bit her lip nervously before her gaze lifted up and met the two wolves in sincere sadness of loss.

“My… Anthony. He kept me warm and the wind blew and scared him away…”

Her pupils were small in the sunshine, but became dilated as she lost grip of herself. Short and fast, but deep breaths started quickly. Bathsheba lowered her head and could only feel herself slipping away into that icy prison that she had only just begun to know enough to call home.

Her eyes stared past the two wolves, and saw, in the background a monster. It had Anthony in its long jaws. His skin hung limply from between dagger teeth. And it flew on long fins, much like the winged fish with something between fins and wings. It had the body of a unicorn, as if to mock Sheba with a prey’s body. And the horns of a stag. The creature made off with her Anthony, tail streaming behind like a lovely wisp. This was how she saw the wind.

Personified into a monster in Bathsheba’s eyes, the wind carried Anthony further and further until his pelt hung in a small shrubby, crooked tree. Easy to retrieve, but out of sight. However, Anthony stank of Bathsheba and of death. He wouldn’t be hard to find. And Sheba could have easily found him.

If she didn’t totter in a rocking chair at the edge of a cliff, looking down upon the abyss of insanity…

[eastern]

It was at this time that Viking took in the new appearance of Sheba. Whatever snotty remark he had been thinking, died away in his mind, and his jaw slacken, though didn't fall open.

He moved his head to the side in inch, bringing his mind to present. Well, she was still fat, well maybe just chubby. What brought this change upon? Viking wondered. She still seems mentally unsound, not a fit ruler. Viking glance back at the retreating shadow that was Anthony.

Viking looked back at the Empress, and almost felt guilty at how far she had fallen into despair, while he had been judging her. Almost felt guilty, almost.

"It's okay Sheba." He said soothingly, his voice strong and warm, hopefully calling her pack from the edge. "We'll get him back. We won't let the nasty wind take him away." His voice hardened at the last sentence, giving the effect that he was outraged at the taking of Anthony.

He turned his eyes toward the Cael, and eyed her coldly. "Don't do anything that you'd regret." He told her, his voice savage. "I'm going to leave you here with the Empress, and if one hair on her body is misplaced, I'll tear your throat out." Viking didn't know this Cael, and was worried about leaving her with the Empress in this state. Even though he planned to take her pack form her later, he still had the instinct to protect his leader. Besides, she's mine to harm.

Viking turned and saw his commander, and the relief must have shown on his face. He caught her eyes, and nodded his head to the Empress, trying to convey the message to watch her.

He ran toward the place were he had last seen Anthony disappear. Just out of sight, was where Viking found him, tangled in a bush. He almost laughed out loud. He gathered the stale tasting fur in his mouth, and shook his head in annoyance. All this trouble over this stupid thing. He made his way back over to the Empress.

[misty]

Charm frowned at what she said. She was upset because of this Anthony guy. From the sound of it he was her mate and she thought that he left because of the wind. It was sad, how much this affected her. Him leaving caused her that much pain.... Charm did not like seeing others in pain. It seemed painful in its self, knowing that someone was hurting after doing nothing wrong and there was nothing that you could do about it, nothing that would really set things right and make it all better. But at times you could help, at times you could set things right, you just had to try.

At Viking's words she snapped her head around to face him. She met his gaze evenly and barked in her sing-song voice, "I was not planning to." She then turned back to Sheba and gazed at her for a moment, wondering what to do.

Then she sat down beside her. She let out a sigh then quietly barked, "Don't worry, Anthony will be back. The wind moves and travels but always come back, and like the wind he will come back to you. The wind can not stay in one place to long, and it can not keep what it took to long. Soon the wind will come back to you, but not as a harsh force but as a kind breeze, returning what it has kept from you." She then started to sing, hitting wonderful notes that only a Cael could. It was a wordless song yet it was soothing and kind, meant to make the sad wolf who she had only just met feel better.

[Bathsheba]

Viking, for once, seemed not to look at Sheba with disgust. Maybe the treatment that Sabire had given her—more like a harsh bootcamp to femininity. She had never really known her Soldier to do anything like a favor for her without her forcing him to do it and so, it came as a pleasant surprise. She nodded her head briskly before watching him leave with anxious and half-crazed eyes.

Bathsheba’s body was rocking back and forth, and she was sobbing quietly to herself all the while. All her stories, she wasted them on wolves who didn’t care and her silence, she wasted it on wolves who did. Such was her way and such will always be her way. The gentle Cael who hovered over her quietly, with concern in her eyes, seemed friendly enough. But then, the Alphess moved her chubby body a few paces away before she sat down, head down, heart-wrenched in the gaze of the wind.

“You know… I think Anthony’s sick.” She looked up to the sky, as if the wind could hear her and bring Anthony back out of pity. Of course, it did not. Bathsheba then turned her eyes to the Cael. It was the first time that Sheba seemed to be in a sane state of mind in a long while, but those sad-and-angry eyes said otherwise because they didn’t match the soothing and motherly tone Sheba had.

“He hasn’t been talking to me… as much. And he doesn’t move, unless I carry him. So, the wind made off with him! What’s a girl to do?” And Sheba bowed her heavy head. She smiled then. “But, like you said, he’ll be back. Viking will get him.” She seemed calmed. Especially by the Cael’s sweet song.

A smile played upon her face and one could see her fangs. For a Yagi, she had relatively small fangs because of all the years she wore them down from scavenging and chewing bones. When one lived in a cave, ashamed of the way she looked, then one learned to eat every piece of the carcass. She let her smile disappear and it was replaced by a alert expression as she saw Viking arrive with her Anthony.

“Anthony!” And she ran to him, immediately bouncing around Viking. She was a lot more energetic now that she had somewhat slimmed down. She then slowed to a walk. Bathsheba smiled again, “He’s mine, all mine.” And she took Anthony from Viking and, instead of putting him on her back as she usually did, she kept him in her jaws to prevent him from flying away again.

“Where did Anthony run off to, Viking?”

[eastern]

Viking felt smile tugging at his lips. He let Sheba have Anthony and looked over toward the Cael. "Thank you." He said gruffly. "For stay with her, sorry for my harsh words earlier. I'm sure you can understand." Viking said.

He turned back to the Empress and considered her question. He had never really gotten used to her talking as if Anthony was still alive. It was...morbid, especially since she carries around his pelt. Viking suppressed a shudder, and offered a calming smile. "He, was uh, He ended up finding a dead bush. He just wanted something to gnaw on!" He chuckled like Anthony had done something silly, though Viking was extremely unsure, and wondered if Anthony would ever do such a thing if he really was alive.

"You better watch him better, for next time he could get lost. The visibility out here is really bad." Viking said glancing around, at the gray surroundings.

[forestiaxxforall]

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[atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/b9j5er.jpg] Head turned watching as Viking retrieved the pelt, a bit too quickly. Narrowing her eyes for a moment, her ears went back for a second. Something.. isn't right.. thinking softly in her head before standing to her feet, and beginning to walk toward Sheba, viking, and the unknown wolf. Teal eyes darting to the unknown wolf, then viking, before gently with a smile falling upon Sheba. Stopping softly in front of the Empress her head lowered to the ground with a bow. Greetings Sheba lyrics spoke before raising her head once again, and remained sitting. All thoughts and words of the other two out of my head, my attention only focusing on Sheba. Did Anthony run away again? lyrics questioned curiously, a soft greeting smile on her lips, before showing a worried expression toward the Empress.