ＡＰＰＲＯＡＣＨＥＤ |ｃｏｍｍｅｎｔｓ ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ

[ringo,]

ＰＲＯＬＯＵＧＥ

Death approached the land slowly, and painfully. Each and every wolf knew it was coming, but one pack...one pack, oh, they didn't want to believe it. This pack was an elite pack--the best of the best and known by every wolf. All wolves in the pack; even omegas are respected by other wolf packs. It was just how good that pack was. Part of their reputation was built by 'The Famous Four' as other wolves liked to call them. They were the two lead hunters and two lead fighters, Kenji, Emanuel Abraham, and Cisco...they were the best of the best and to be matched by nobody. In some aspects, even they were better than the alpha. They were the very last wolves to survive the plague--But this story isn't about just them--it's about their pack, and how it refused to stand down to the horrible sickness until the very end. And when it hit the hardest, nobody wanted to admit it. They all fooled themselves thinking it was just some rumor..there was no real sickness. But as the winter approached, more and more animals were now dying--not from just the extreme cold, but a sickness. The prey for the wolves was hard to find, even for Abraham and Cisco to track down.
That was when the alpha started to worry. And that is where our story begins.

_______________________________________________

ｗｅｌｌ ｉ ｈｅａｒｄ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｓｅｃｒｅｔ ｃｈｏｒｄ;
ｔｈａｔ ｄａｖｉｄ ｐｌａｙｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｉｔ ｐｌｅａｓｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｌｏｒｄ．
ｂｕｔ ｙｏｕ ｄｏｎ'ｔ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｃａｒｅ ｆｏｒ ｍｕｓｉｃ， ｄｏ ｙｏｕ？
ｗｅｌｌ ｉｔ ｇｏｅｓ ｌｉｋｅ ｔｈｉｓ， ｔｈｅ ｆｏｕｒｔｈ ｔｈｅ ｆｉｆｔｈ－－
ｔｈｅ ｍｉｎｏｒ ｆａｌｌ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｍａｊｏｒ ｌｉｆｔ．．
ｔｈｅ ｂａｆｆｌｅｄ ｋｉｎｇ ｃｏｍｐｏｓｉｎｇ，
ｈａｌｌｅｌｕｊａｈ

_______________________________________________

[ringo,]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ＯＮＥ

Hope;
Is a thing, with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune,
Without the words--
And never stops,
At all.

The snow fell steadily, as Abraham's eyes flickered open. It did not take long for her to immediately become alert, and awake-- always on the lookout for a threat. Licking her lips three times, the large fae yawned and looked back to her sleeping den-mates and best friends, Kenji, Emanuel and Cisco. Turning her body, so she was facing them she shook her pelt, ridding the snow that had gathered on top of her back; also letting her muscles stretch out as well. Glancing around, she walked quietly over to Kenji, nudging his shoulder flicking Cisco in the nose with her tail at the same time. She was always the first awake, therefor she had always woken up her three friends, in order to do their morning run around the territory. Abraham grinned slightly, as Kenji's eyes cracked open, and she turned to Emanuel and nipped his ear lightly.
Emanuel was immediately alert, his eyes wide and his breathing heavy as he was startled from the un-expected interruption from Abraham. He had been having a bad dream--something that occured often for him ever since these..rumors of the plague have been going around. Noticing Abraham frown at his unusual but not-so-unusual awakening, he gave her a sympathetic look and a lick on the snout, assuring his friend everything was okay. Releasing a sigh, Emanuel turned to his three friends and yawned, scratching the back of his ear before breaking the somewhat awkward silence created by his awkward awakening, "We should get moving...Faolen and Kataleyah will probably need us at dawn so if we want to get a run in we should do it now--and before the snow really blows in." Nodding, he looked at the others for approval before Emmanuel set out of the large den, followed by Kenji, Cisco and Abraham. It didn't take long before the four wolves were side-by-side, as always, slowing down and picking up each other's pace without saying a word.
Kenji watched the others, looking far to the left as he was the last on the right side, wondering why everyone was so quiet. Kenji was naturally good with reading body language, and figured now would be a good time to use his ability. As he studied his friends carefully, he followed the pace of the three, slightly behind their gate as his attention was more focused on trying to see why they were acting so odd. Maybe it was him--sure, the others seemed a bit nervous..maybe even edgy but usually it was him starting the conversations..maybe he should start one now.
The four were now at a running pace, almost half way around the boarder of the territory. It had been about 10 minutes since Kenji had thought of starting a conversation--he never did, and instead it was Cisco "There's almost no prey right now..I've been trying to sniff some out for the hunt Faolen had told Abraham and I to lead later today and there is nothing." The other three wolves exchanged odd looked to eachother--this was quite odd for Cisco..firstly, because of his lack of liking to speak and secondly because he wasn't usually this negative. Swishing her tail, Abraham hit Cisco in the back of the rump and tilted her head. "I'm sure there's something we can find..." she stopped, looking with a worried expression at Cisco. She was no Kenji--no mind reader but she could tell Cisco was worried..allot more than usual, at least. Then, continuing her sentence she said, "What's wrong, Cisco...We can work the problem with the prey out later with the alphas but really..what's wrong?". Sighing, Cisco just shook his head and ran a bit ahead of the other three, who were caught off guard and didn't pick up their speed to match his until a few seconds later.
The rest of the way back to the pack was silent--awkwardly silent, at that. As the four wolves trotted into camp, and up to the alphas den they were met by an apparent earlier-than-usual pack meeting that had started while they had been gone. As they entered the alpha's den, all the chatter stopped. Emanuel was the first to approach the alpha, while the other three veered off to the side, and sat down.
"Faolen..what's happened? We were out for our run and we weren't acknowledged of this meeting..is something wrong?" Emanuel couldn't help but notice Kataleyah--the alpha fae was not in her usual spot, next to Faolen..in fact, she was no where to be seen at all. The alpha gave Emanuel a stern look, and a slight nod, giving him the sense as if he wanted to tell the whole pack as one. Nodding, and bowing his head in submission-- something Emanuel rarely did, the large black wolf slinked over to his four other friends. Abraham and Cisco were surrounded by the hunters of the pack, all asking how they were going to find food, and chattering amongst themselves about other issues that involved hunting. Abraham like always, was keeping her cool..but Cisco still seemed to be on edge. He looked nervous, and as Emanuel approached Kenji he nudged his friend toward Cisco. "What do you think is his problem?" he questioned to Kenji. Giving a slight shrug of his shoulders, Kenji shook his head with closed eyes. "I don't know what anyone's problem is anymore-- hes probably worried about this sickness going around..." Kenji opened his eyes, his golden iris' brighter than usual, he snapped his head down to look at Emanuel. At first his eyes were sharp, and in-human like, though quickly his pupils widened and her returned to his normal self. Emanuel gave his friend and odd look, but decided to shrug it off. He heard the room silence, as the alpha gave everyone a stern look, telling them to stop the chatter; he was going to talk now.
Faolen frowned slightly, his eyes stern but any wolf could tell he was extremely worried. And the reason for his grief was what everyone was wondering about. The brute stared at the hard rock ground, his pupils dilated as if he was in a trance. He was caught off guard by the omega of the pack rushing up to him, knocking down some wolves on the way, his breathing heavy. "Alpha, Alpha! N-Nitro and I-- we found Kataleyah's body burried in the snow...she's dead!" The small wolf, Nitro-- Fin's fellow omega an partner in crime walk slowly up beside his friend, tail tucked and his ears laid back. There were gasps among the wolves standing around the three as they figure out what was hanging out of Nitros mouth. A gun. Fin nudged Nitro, causing him to drop the gun before trning back up to the alpha. "We found this as well...we don't know why it was there but..." He trailed off, looking up with curiosity to his alpha.
Faolen had been about to open his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by a voice from the crowd. Ivy, one of the most elite hunters of the pack--with the exception of Abraham and Cisco. "What, so we have this damn sickness, this freezing cold and hunters?" Faolen's ears shot back against his head, and he let out a quick snarl "Ivy! Shut your trap before you get it shut for you...You will not curse in my presence and do not speak of the rumors as if they are true!" Everyone in the pack hushed, and the two omegas had managed to slink away, creating room for the daring and slightly stupid hunter to approach her angry alpha. Her stance, Unlike most wolves would have in this situation, was as if she was of higher rank than the alpha. Her ears shoved forward, eyes looking straight into his and she was standing tall. "You think the plague isn't real, o great alpha? You think the reason we don't have any prey, and we're loosing pack members is all a coincidence?? Well you're wrong! Everyone thinks you're such a great alpha but you have never faced reality in your life..you don't want to, because you're too afraid of what will happen if you do--" her speech was cut off, by a swipe to the face from an un-expected Abraham standing defensively between the two wolves.
Abraham was breathing hard, as she stared a cold stare down to the huntress. She then turned her gaze back toward Faolen, "Clear the den..." she said, quietly. Nodding, Faolen looked up to his pack, who stood in clear and utter shock, still staring at the scene as they reluctantly walked away.
"Cisco, Kenji, Ivy, Emanuel--stay." Abraham ordered. As the small group of wolves gathered, Cisco sat beside Abraham, Faolen on her right and Kenji and Emanuel across from them. Ivy was sitting in the middle, her aggressive stance turned into the lowest of low submissive pose. Tail tucked, ears back, and her body was low. She winced, as Abraham ducked her head down low, and snarled in her ear. "Get up," Abraham said, as she sat up fully herself. Slowly, Ivy rose so she was sitting upward, but not straight--she didn't want to be completely vulnerable to another one of Abraham's blows.
Abraham was a good leader, but a fighter? A hunter? She was the best of the best. She was better than the alpha, and better than Cisco at hunting--not by much, but she was. And she matched Kenji and Emanuel at fighting. She seemed to be the most feared and respected of 'the famous four' leading wolves, despite being the only female. These reasons were the reasons that Ivy was so scared of being struck by Abraham. Her leader [being a hunter] was un-predictable, and she was a risk taker. And Abraham would do anything to get wolves in line that she felt needed it.
Despite her opposing thoughts , Ivy let out a quick snarl, and though nothing happened she quickly regretted it. As she struggled to look up at her three leaders, she felt the cold eyes of Kenji and Emanuel's...not so cold eyes staring in back of her. Her gaze met Cisco's, who was standing up tall, towering over Abraham, herself and Faolen. He was definitely the largest of all the wolves in the pack..the most intimidating, and stand-offish as well. Taking a deep breathe, she quickly pulled her face back, lifting a paw up as Cisco's voice seemed to shake her body, and their surrondings. "What the hell was that?!" he growled, baring his teeth for a moment. Ivy whimpered, before hearing the light footsteps of Emanuel come up and sit next to Cisco, so it was now only Kenji in the back of her.
Looking at the two next to each other, she pondered for a moment; their ranks really should be switched around. Cisco was so big--and Hunters needed to be agile and quick. Emanuel was so small...fighters needed to be strong and stealthy. But, despite these facts each of them were good at both fighting as well as hunting. Letting the stupid thoughts drain out from her mind, she swiveled her ears forward for a minute, as she heard Emanuel say something to Cisco.
Emanuel leaned in, nudging Cisco lightly on the shoulder as he did "C'mon, Cisco...She was being stupid and I don't think she's wrong about the whole plague thing...her heart was in the right place..." he trailed off, flicking his gaze upward to Cisco, to the side to look at Ivy and back to Cisco. Hearing Cisco sigh made Emanuel grin, as he knew Cisco was going to let her off the hook. Abraham probably wouldn't be so happy afterward, but with Emanuel having a slight liking for Ivy, he thought it'd be worth it.
Cisco released a sigh, glancing from Abraham, to Faolen, to Kenji, to Emanuel--then to Ivy. Letting a short growl escape from his throat once again, he closed his eyes and inhaled for a moment. "Get out..." he said, opening his eyes, looking with a cold stare down at Ivy. He watched as she slinked off, tail between her legs and looking pathetic.

[ringo,]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ＴＷＯ

Yellow;
Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you..
And all the things you do.
Yea, they were all
Yellow.

As the five wolves sat, watching Ivy as she walked a shameful walk down the path, to her den they started to switch spots, so they were now sitting across from one and other--in a circle. Abraham was across from Faolen, Faolen next to Cisco, Cisco next to Abraham, Abraham next to Emanuel, Emanuel next to Kenji and Kenji next to Faolen. Quickly, Kenji started to converse, turning his attention to Faolen. "Alpha..tell us please..what happened? What happened to Kataleyah here, and why is everyone acting so oddly..and why won't you admit that this sickness..it's real...?" The four wolves eyes were now all directed toward the alpha, waiting for an answer--fake or not. Kenji would be able to sense if he was lying, anyhow...a mind reader, and human-wolf-lie-detector a womanizer and one of the greatest fighters there ever was all mixed together in one. Kenji was one wolf..an extraordinary wolf at that.
Faolen let out a great sigh, closing his eyes and inhaling the chill winter air into his nostrils. Releasing the air quietly, he turned his head to the four wolves all awaiting an answer before him. "When I woke up, Kataleyah wasn't here..neither were out pups. I immediately went to you four's den, as soon as I realized they weren't even in our territory. I had been hoping you hadn't had left for the run but you had. So I called a pack meeting wondering if anyone saw Kataleyah..then you arrived, as well as the omegas and Ivy had the outburst..I never had time to even talk. But what happened doesn't matter..Kataleyah is dead, and we need to find the pups..at least see if they are alive. I'm going to call another pack meeting when things are settled down, and I was hoping one of you could talk to Ivy for me. I need to go search for Hollis, Iki and Isa before I send anyone else out." Nodding, the four wolves exchanged looks, before Emanuel stepped into the center of the circle "I'll talk to Ivy.." he said, looking over the Alpha's shoulder over to her den, about 50 feet away. With that, Emanuel passed by Faolen, picking up a slow trot toward Ivy's den. Faolen watched Emanuel for a moment, before turning back to Abraham, Kenji and Cisco who were just starting to clear out of the den.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emanuel caught sight of Ivy, who was lingering near the bushes, walking slowly toward the direction of her den. Picking his pace up slightly, he reached her in about a minute, and slowed when he got about ten feet away. "Ivy," he addressed, quietly being sure not to startle her. As he watched Ivy stop, and look back, he sat down quietly and looked at her, his green eyes looking over her. She looked slightly nervous, although she seemed to be less scared than she had been in the alpha's den. Of course, that was understandable. As he looked passed her somewhat fearful expression, he took a closer look at her. She was quite a beautiful fae, and he never really got a chance to really get to know her, although he had always thought she was pretty.

[AninaAna]

This is good, your style of writing is quite impressive, I could picture the scene quite well, though I had to re-read some of it a couple of times, you can blame that on my failure to remember names properly, you had perfect spelling and grammar as far as I could tell, and the story line has flowed quite smoothly, though I had trouble with the names, I was finding that I quite quickly could tell which wolf was which, through your descriptions of the scenes, all in all, this is quite good!

Admittedly, not my favorite style of writing, but I think, if I was somebody who truly enjoyed your style, then I would give this a four out of five! Well done!

(I just realized, having just re-read that, I wrote 'quite' quite a lot! Lol

[ringo,]

Thanks so much for the feedback, and I'm glad you think my grammar is good..I've been writing most of this on my i pod, and it's been hard--I've had to proof read EVERYTHING over and over again because of spellcheck and all that :*

I also try to describe the scene well, so I'm happy you were able to picture the scene c: my fifth grade teacher always told me that's important when reading a story

And hehe, I do that too allot whenever I find a new word I like I start using it over and over again..I did it once on a project and I said consequently like a billion times

[AninaAna]

lol, makes me wonder how you managed to use consequently so much, but heh, i guess you must've managed it lol

i know i wrote another story.... somewhere, i cant quite remember where i put it, but it was one of the comments i got, that started to get me to pay more attention to detail in my own and everyone elses writing....