This is Run! A Uni RP, and TLT is TheLoneTiel, Uni is A Cloud Uni (the person who started the RP), Morgan is me, and Tasia is Tasia. We have spent months on this RP, and I decided to copy-paste it so it's altogether. There are spelling errors, we aren't perfect, but I decided not to change it (well, not much) from it's original form. ((A/N: ...)) is me, but ((OOC: ...)) or ((...)) is a note from the person writing the post. I have removed most of these, but some are important for understanding the story. Sorry for any and all confusion, and off we go!
Disclaimer: I am not on TNT. I own no part of Neopets, except for my accounts.
ALSO: This is the version that I have edited for small mistakes in grammar and spelling. Just a note.
TLT:
VeryVain stomps nervously. He raises his head, and sniffs the wind cautiously. Yes, they were coming. There was no stopping them. He turns and runs toward the forest, his nostrils flared in terror, with adrenaline pumping through his veins causing him to run faster than ever. Memories of snapping jaws, blood, and terrified whinnies fill his head. His wings flap uselessly. A feather falls out, and floats gently down, until being stampeded by the frantic back hooves of VeryVain. A hoof gets caught in a small hole. The momentum carries him over his immobile foot. He is flung on the ground, the white of his eyes visible in his terror. He lies there, panting heavily, his eyes searching the horizon for shapes of his enemies. Nothing appears.
As his heart slows, and his breathing becomes less labored, he hears snickering. It slowly gets louder, and louder. VeryVain looks up. He sees dark shapes on the hill, but they are distinctly equine. He struggles a bit, and finally pulls his hoof free. He gets wobbly to his feet. Once upright, he lowers his head. He flicks his wings in annoyance. Another small feather floats down. His wings, ears, tail, and head drooped, he walks slowly away to the forest, to get some quiet. He had smelled only a very faint scent of Lupe, yet it had sent him into a frenzy. He had made a fool of himself in front of Unis he didn't even know. Very wanders to the drinking pool. He looks at his reflection, then stomps his front hoof in the pond, disturbing the water. He walks around the water nervously. He tries a few mouthfuls of grass, but can't eat. He could still smell a very faint scent of Lupe. It took all his strength not to go into a frenzy as before. Tired, he lay near the water, staring absent mindedly across the pond, until he fell into a deep sleep...
Uni:
Orora laughed in her crystalline voice as a small group of young foals chased her in a weird game of tag, Silver Star clinging desperately to her back. Her silvery tail flowing in the wind as her golden hooves became blurs, the group quickly got thirsty - very thirsty.
The sun was reckless as it slowly killed the once lush green grass, which were now the colour of mere straw. Orora knew that she had lead the foals quite far from the herd, but they won't be able to travel backwards to go and get an adult only to get back to the forest - they were too young and not strong enough, and most of all, thirst was draining their last energy.
But again, Orora cannot leave them here, they would be an easy prey for - the white Uni shuddered - the Lupes.
Having only one option, as dangerous as it seems, she slowly set off to the forest, which was not a long walk from there. She only hoped that the Lupes weren't patrolling around ... but after all, Silver Star could send the alarm ...
Back at the Herd
"Where in Neopia is she?" Fratylia thought as she pulled a mouthful of the extremely rare green grass that had survived in the Endless Plains.
Deciding that she couldn't wait any longer, the Spotted Uni walked away to question Gipha's mother, hoping that she had seen her daughter ...
Tasia:
Gipha dipped her nose in a pool and drank without fear. She felt the icy water slide over her tongue and her and throat.
She froze she caught the slight whiff of lupe...
She snorted into the water, and whipped her tail loosely, in a display of mock fearlessness. She wasn't afraid of lupes. Of course not. And...
In a way she wished she could be one. A creature never in fear, free to roam across the country side.
Instead, she was stuck here, with these windbags, listening to their stupid rules.
She looked across the plain. A frenzied mostly white uni ran across. Gipha couldn't hold her chuckling. Eventually, the uni arrived at the watering hole, looking beaten. Gipha couldn't help it "Hard day on the plain?"
Uni:
"Oh, hi Gipha," Orora gave a radiant smile at her friend, before lowering her beautiful head and lapping up the clear water. It rolled through her throat, making her feel refreshed.
"By the way, what are you doing here?" Orora asked, tossing her slightly wet mane backwards. "I was playing with the children ... so, you know ... they get thirsty fas - " the White Uni stopped dead in her sentence, her nostrils flickering. "Er - I don't know about you, Gipha - but do you smell ... Lupes?" Orora began to panic very quickly, turning her neck in all directions, silver sweat pearling down her forehead. "Hey - who's that, Gipha?"
Orora nodded towards a white figure, with blurry red and green tail and mane.
Tasia:
"Y-yeah," then she cleared her throat "yeah, I smell them. Nuthin I can't handle," she shook her head as if driving off a gnat.
Her muscles were tensed.
Morgan:
Ally is sitting lazily beside the water, staring at her reflection. How she hated that reflection. She wanted to be a Lupe, not a Uni! She was stuck in the wrong body at the wrong time. Ally kicked her reflection, making the ripples erase her image from the water. She sighed softly. Why did Lupes need to be their enemies? She perked up suddenly. She smelled a Lupe. Not one to far off either. "What am I going to do?" Ally thought desperately, "I want to be friends with them, but... All of those stories... I'll just hide and wait to see them." A Shadow Lupe stumbled out of the brush. He looks like he may be lost. Ally knew everything a Uni could about the Lupes, and knew him to be called Wuff. She also knew that, if he was really lost, she could take him back to where he needed to be. She sighed. She debated with herself for a while, but eventually decided to reveal herself to him. "Do you need help?" Ally asked him, "Are you lost?" She showed no trace of fear, but, inside, she was about to explode from terror.
"No, I don't need," Wuff paused, thinking, "Yes. Yes I am lost. I can't seem to find my way back. All of these new smells confused me. Your smell in particular."
Ally was confused, "Why would that be?"
"You smell faintly like a Lupe. Why is that?"
Ally blushed. She had been following the Lupes around for her entire life. She had no idea what the Unis did, but she knew everything about Lupes. "I want to be a Lupe, not a Uni," Ally said to him, "Do you know how I could change into one?" It was then that she noticed that the other Unis were giving her some very strange looks. She thought, "Oh no, what have I got myself into now?!"
TLT:
VeryVain looked up, startled. He struggled to his feet and looked around for where the voice came from. He spotted a dark red uni in the grass across the water. He stamped a hoof, said no, and trotted away, his cheeks flushed. As he wandered deeper into the forest, he caught a scent. Lupe. He struggled to control himself. He wouldn't embarrass himself again, especially with that other Uni right there. He lifted his head and sniffed the wind again. The scent was much stronger than before. His knees wobbled. He began to tremble. He turned around and walked toward the pond, and that strange uni. He figured that there was safety in numbers. At least, he had only a fifty fifty chance of being killed if he was with another uni. He approached her, and apologized. He told a story of how he had just gotten here, and how he wasn't used to having so much room to run. He had felt the need to run as fast as he could. Yes that was it, he was merely exercising. She had startled him, that was why he was so rude. Nothing more. He was still trembling, and he tried to hide it by staying in the deep grass. He couldn't keep from looking toward where the Lupe scent came from. He took a deep drink of water and munched some grass. He was wary. He hoped she wouldn't detect his nervousness, so he wouldn't look like more of a fool. He hoped she would buy his story. He hoped that the scent of Lupe was dissipating, and it wasn't just his imagination. He hoped it was nothing, like before. He hoped...
Tasia:
Gipha looked from Very to Orora "What is your guys problem?" but she found her throat was tight, and it came out weird.
TLT:
Very watched Gipha, and when he saw her look away, he noticed another Uni. He got up, startled. He looked at Orora. "S-s-sorry, I didn't see you," He shivered. He then heard, Gipha say something, but he couldn't understand what it was. He looked at her curiously.
Uni:
"Hi," Orora smiled at Very. "I'm Orora. Don't worry about not seeing me, it's nothing."
Several foals were listening, ears up, to the conversation, while others plaid with Silver Star, tickling him and chasing him.
"Er - Gipha - what are we going to do with the children? They are so ... young ... and - " Orora smelled the air " - the Lupe's scent is drifting closer. VeryVain, did you smell the Lupes on your way here? I mean ... if the Lupes do get here, we can still fly, can't we? It's just that the children can't ... because, I think that you can fly, can't you, Very?"
Back at the herd
"Thereda?" Flatylia asked delicately to a deep red mare Uni. "Thereda ... have you seen Orora? I mean, she loves children, but never she had gone off for so long ... and, by the way, where's Gipha? I think that she's drinking at the forest, right?"
TLT:
"Yes, Yes, I can fly. Quite well. Its just that... Nothing, nothing... I do smell lupes. They are getting closer." He shivered at the thought. He glanced at the foals. He smiled at the way they were playing carefree, he wished he had had a child hood like that. Well he had, until that fateful day, so long ago... After that, nothing had been the same. He hoped that none of the foals would go through what he had. "Maybe... Maybe we should go. I mean, out on the plain we're safer, aren't we?" He hoped so. He looked toward the direction of the vast prairie. If he was lucky, none of the Unis would recognize him, he winced at the thought, as that crazed uni who ran at the slight scent of a lupe.
Tasia:
She nodded "Get them back, then. I suppose their mothers are very worried about them," she looked on at the foals.
Thereda looked furious "Orora's gone too?!. I'm sorry, Flatylia. That daughter of mine is always disappearing. I wouldn't be surprised if she convinced Orora into coming with her," the red uni felt as if she was vomiting with fear.
Uni:
"Okay - I'll get them back to the herd," Orora nodded, her silky mane dancing as she did so, "I guess our mothers must be quite afraid too, I mean, I've never left mine for so long ... well, I'd better get going. And if the Lupes get me," the Uni shivered, "you'll need to send the surviving children back to their mothers for me." Orora spread confidently her elegant white wings, swept them few times before kicking off the ground gracefully.
"Come on - Rose, Marine, Camara, Barato ... " Orora called to the foals. One by one, they followed her, Silver Star closing the march.
"Well," the White Uni said, "I'm off ... see you later - I hope!"
With that, the small group began the long trip underneath the burning sun ...
"Don't worry, Thereda, Gipha will come back - it's just a matter of time. That little one is tough. But my Orora ... oh, don't you blame your daughter, Thereda, Orora had gone by herself ... with the foals." Fratylia gave a small gulp as she raised her head on the different mares who were grazing carelessly - the mothers of Orora's young friends. "Well, I'm sure that they are on their way back," Fratylia tried to sound reassuring, "we'll see our daughters back soon ... "
Tasia:
Gipha snorted "Lupes won't get you! They can't fly!" she hated the herd's superstitions, and also hated herself for falling into them.
Gipha ran below her friend for a time, she hated using her wings. Besides, she probably should get back soon- or her mother would be furious. She rolled her eyes.
"I suppose your right, Fratylia," there was a pause "I'm sorry my temper flew like that. It's just, ever since I-" she stopped herself. "Well," she said "I just get so worried about her,"
TLT:
VeryVain watched them walk away. He was ready to go with them, when he smelled something. He took in a deep breath and smelled the approaching lupe. He shivered. He tried to control his fear but it was no use. He started galloping into the forest, his last consious thought to lead the lupes away form the others and foals. He didn't realize, in his frenzy, that he was running up wind, toward the lupe or lupes. The smell grew stronger, and his frenzy worse. He saw something lying in his path, and jumped over it. He landed on a rock that came loose causing him to fall. He heard a giggle behind him. The smell of lupe washed over him as the wind died down. He struggled to get up but couldn't. There was another giggle. A small female lupe sat beside him. Her periwinkle fur glistened in a ray of light that reached through the trees.
"Hey! What are you running from? I don't smell anything scary," She lifted her nose and took a deep sniff, then looked around, puzzled. "I guess that one Snowickle that was here was kinda scary. Nasty little beasts." She looked up suddenly. "Oooohhh! A butter fly!" She began jumping around the terrified Very, who had only just started to breath slower. "Wheeee! Boingy! Boingy! Boingy!" She jumped between a few large rocks nearby, occasionally bouncing off of low tree limbs and bushes. She suddenly stopped, looked at Very as if seeing him for the first time. He was still lying on the ground, paralyzed by fear. She stood over his head. "Hi! I'm Kwanita Surgerari Manitone Yamisan Orido Jaminra Labifron Heguard," She took a deep breath "Gerard Dermisone Watchika Ino Kapy Neurasyme Yakato. You can call me Anita," She grinned. The butterfly she was chasing before flew near her head. She pounced on it, and began jumping after it again.
VeryVain finally conquered his instinctual fear and got up. The Lupe was young, and tiny in comparison to him. She was only as tall as his knees. He was still queasy, and he wanted to get away and go back to the herd. He thought about that, and wondered what the others thought of him. He looked around, and realized that the lupe had gone. Anita, had she said was her name? He was ready to go back, when something leaped at him from behind a bush. Startled, his control of his fear fell away. He bolted toward the plain. There was a giggle, and the lupe came loping along beside him. She ran between his front legs, got ahead of him, then reared on her hind feet and swatted his chest as he leaped over her.
"Tag! You're it!" She shouted. She sped away in front of him, looking over her shoulder at him occasionally. She giggled as she ran, and began running in circles around the Uni. He slowed down, until he came to a stop, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. She came up to him, disappointed that he wasn't joining her in the game.
"Y-y-you shouldn't scare people like that." He panted. "And, why are you following me?"
She looked up at him. "I don't know. I was bored, and my parents and brother are gone so..."
"Why? What happened?"
"I'm not sure. One day I woke up all alone." She sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. VeryVain pitied the poor thing. "But now I have you!" She said. "We will be together for ever and ever, right?"
Very backed away. "Uh, gee, I don't know..." He pawed the ground nervously, looking away from her, not meeting her eye. He felt sorry for her, but she was a lupe. She looked at him hopefully. He caved in, even though he was terrified of little things. "I guess you can come with me... But not for very long. Just to meet some people." She howled in glee and ran in circles around him. He winced at the howl. It sent shivers through his spine. He hoped it would be only an occasional thing. He briefly wondered what the other Unis would think. He shrugged it off, and began walking toward the group, with Anita running in circles around him, yipping happily.
Morgan:
Ally was pawing the ground nervously as the other Unis stared at her. She sighed as they gradually lost interest in Wuff. "Phew! I thought they were going to chase you off or something, Wuff."
Wuff digested this information, then looked startled. "Hey! How do you know my name?!"
Ally's blue fur might've been red she was blushing so hard. "Gerk! Well... I uh... Err... I've been following Lupes around since... Well, since I could walk. I've seen you before, and heard them call you Wuff. That's why I'd be able to take you home... Unless you'd rather get away from it."
Wuff looked confused. "How did you know that the pack made me go out on my own? Have you been following me in particular?!"
Ally's blush before couldn't even compare to this. She was blushing brick red. "Uhh... You have a distinctive scent, more unique than the rest of your pack. Kinda like me, huh? We both smell funny!" Ally broke her own tension with this inside joke of hers. She did follow him in particular, but that was just an excuse. He always seemed so lonely. The pack had never truly accepted him...
Wuff was less surprised than he had expected. He could recognize her scent, now. No wonder he'd been drawn here. She had been following him around since she had still smelled completely like a Uni, he realized. They were about the same age. "You know, I thought Unis and Lupes had to be enemies... But do you want to be friends anyway? We could be like rebels or something. I can see it now! The smelly fugitives take the Lupe packs and Uni herds by surprise as they become friends in spite of the feud! We could be the talk of the day!
Ally burst out laughing. This Lupe had her sense of humor! No other Uni did. That had always made her feel all the more alone when she had gotten funny looks instead of laughs when she made a joke. Maybe it was their tone of voice. "Yeah! Let's be friends! We could run away or something too! Then they'd really say things, like 'Ooh, did you hear? Ally ran off! She was dragged away by this fearsome Lupe!' or 'Oh no! They've struck again! Poor Ally...' Boy, that'd be something! I'd like to hear them say stuff like that! We might even be phony gasp spies!" Ally said solemnly, then chuckled. "Let's go! Maybe someone'll follow us! Where to?"
Wuff laughed at her sense of humor. She was the only one who had ever understood his jokes! Most of the time the Lupes took him seriously. "How 'bout... The clearing? I know you know about it. I recognize you now, or at least your scent. You followed me there last summer. C'mon!"
The two of them take off, heading for a distant clearing. They aren't sure whether or not they want to be followed... But they are going to have an adventure either way...
Tasia:
Zhairk's eyes were horizontal slits. He watched the young red mare below, foolishly not lifting into the sky. Not a large meal- not even enough to feed the entire pack. He remembered when he was young, only the strongest pups were aloud to survive. They could bring down an entire herd if they chose, and every lupe ate. But then his father had taken over the pack, and insisted on kindness. If anyone hated that, it was Zhairk. Someday he would rule. Meanwhile, he could whisper thoughts into Hod's ear. That's how he had gotten rid of Wuff.
The wind changed "Now!" Zhairk called. The herd moved down the hill, converging on the lone uni.
Gipha was still in her own thoughts.
Uni:
Orora raised her nostrils to the air, and breathed deeply. The air was beginning to grow harsh and cool, enormous gray clouds were slowly drifting to the plains, carried by a sharp wind. Thunder and lightning will be there in minutes, and the small pack had just begun to climb the first hills.
"Gipha," Orora cried over the wind, "what are we going to do?! This wind'll blow away the children if we don't find somewhere to land ... "
Orora's sapphire eyes scanned the group. Everyone was there, struggling against the blows of the cruel wind... everyone, except VeryVain.
"Gipha!" The Uni almost tore her throat as the screamed over the noised, "Where is VeryVain? If he gets lost - " Orora stopped, her energy too low to continue calling. The wind jabbed at the her eyes, and the Uni closed them, directing herself with only her keen hearing. Her wings were beating painfully now, trying desperately to maintain her in the air ...
"Thereda - " Fratylia looked, eyes wide with horror and fright, at the upcoming storm, which was now pouring its first lightning onto some poor trees, that caught fire instantly. " ... a storm ... !"
Morgan:
Ally and Wuff had just reached the clearing. It was a beautiful, serene place, an oasis of sorts. It had everything they'd need to survive on their own. "Great idea, Wuff! This is perfect!" Ally sighed. It was a nice calm... 'Wait a second! Where did those storm clouds come from?!' Ally thought. The wind began to rise, moaning as the trees surrounding them groaned while they bent over and were splintered. "What's going on?!" Ally screamed "Wuff! I can't even see you! Call out! I'll find you!" Ally was worried. Ally knew her way around, regardless of scent, but Wuff didn't know anywhere near as much about the plains as Ally did. He could never fid his way, now that the smells had been washed away by this downpour.
"ALLY! I'M OVER HERE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" Wuff yelled over the storm. HE was just loud enough for Ally to find him. She lifted him up and out of the way as the tree he had been using as a refuge snapped and collapsed to the spot he had been sitting under.
Ally's wings were not as strong as the other Unis because she seldom used them, but now she used them to carry Wuff up towards the churning black sky. 'If I can just get above the clouds,' Ally thought, 'We'll be able to escape the storm!' She raced for the clouds, dodging lightning bolts left and right. But she was getting tired. Wuff had gone unconscious as the first lightning bolt had whizzed by. Ally was almost to the bottom of the cloud when a particularly strong gust of wind tore past her, towing her along with it. A new lightning bolt flew by, and it grazed her. Her eyes were shutting of their own accord. Her mind was going blank. Her last conscious thought was that she had to keep flying, had to keep flying or they'd both crash. Then everything went black, and she thought no more.
Tasia:
Zhairk looked up at the sky "Damn," he turned to his pack "Come on. We can still get her before the storm gets any worse."
"Very?" Gipha whipped around, where was the white uni? She spread her wings, but a gust of wind caught them. One wing was pulled in an odd direction, and she had to struggle it back to her side or risk getting it broken.
She felt as if her heart where in her throat "I can't lift!"
Where was Orora? She couldn't see her! Okay Gipha, think! Okay, we can run up to that hill over there. Wait a minute, are there animals coming down that hill? The herd! Come to look for us!
"Orora, the herd!" she called, and began toward the "herd".
"She's coming right toward us! Come on!"
A clap of thunder, and a bolt of lightening struck ground right in front of her! Gipha reared and turned.
"Oh no you don't!" she heard.
There was a big black lupe coming toward her! She gasped, and ran harder.
Suddenly, there was a champ on her neck! There were claws in her back! Gipha screamed and reared, but the lupe didn't budge. She ran, and didn't realize she was spreading her wings. As she ran on, her feet suddenly left ground. She couldn't see him, but she could hear the lupe whimpering. "Ha! Afraid of heights, are you?"
The lupe growled "Well, Gipha, you're don't seem as brave as you say you are."
She gasped "How do you know my name?"
"I've been watching you, and your little friends. Orora was right, there is safety in the herd."
Gipha reared in the air, furious. This was no way to go! she swore at her self. Flying around like an idiot, with a lupe clawing her back! She couldn't even see the other unis anymore! Only gray, swirling clouds. Not that it was a bad thing, but she couldn't even see the pack. Wait, she grinned.
"Where's you're little pack, lupe?"
The lupe began to howl, frightened. Gipha smirked. She may be going down but that lupe wasn't about to keep it's pride! Then, there was a terrible pain in her wings!
She screamed! It hurt! The lupe was biting her wings!
"Stop!" she cried.
She fell ten feet.
The lupe was ripping her feathers out!
"If you do this," Gipha said "you'll die too!"
"Then so be it."
She fell in a terrible spiral, the lupe still biting at her feathers like mad. Then, the lupe fell away from her, and whimpered. They fell down, through the clouds, through the rain, past strikes of lightening.
Then, she hit ground, and heard the most terrible crack under her body.
TLT:
Very was trotting toward the herd when he saw the fearsome storm clouds erupt. A bolt of lightening flashed in the middle of the plain. The thunder that came after caused Anita to climb between his front feet cowering, whimpering. He looked back toward the forest thinking. Anita wouldn't last long here. The wind was too powerful, she would be blown away. He didn't use his wings often enough to be able to lift her. He heard more whimpering from below him. On the other hand, if he went toward the forest, there may be lupes there. Anita had to of come from somewhere. Her pack could be hiding out in the woods, doing who knows what. He hadn't heard of any Unis disappearing lately, so they might be hungry. He shuddered at the thought. But there was really no other option. He would just have to be quiet and keep low. He lowered himself on the ground, and told Anita to get on his back, and hang on. She whimpered and slowly crept up between his wings. He waited for her to get comfortable then got to his feet. He started toward the forest, being pushed there by the wind.
He had almost made it when he heard a terrible scream, followed by a howl. He shuddered, until he recognized the voice. Gipha! He had to help her, but he couldn't take Anita, nor could he leave her. He could at least try. He went into the forest and was welcomed by another gust of wind. He swore and began looking for a place for Anita. He came across a large oak tree. At the base of the trunk was a maze of twisted roots. He kicked away some of them with his sharp hooves, creating a cozy hole, just the right size for Anita. He found some dead leaves, and piles them in the hole, then lowered Anita into it. She whimpered and curled up. He pushed more leaves on her. He whispered a "Sorry" and told her he would be back as soon as he could. "Stay put. You'll be warm enough with those leaves. I will come back."
He galloped away, hoping he was doing the right thing. He could here the screaming of Gipha, whipped toward him and distorted by the wind. He ran into the heart of the storm, his nostrils flaring to catch any scent of the heard or any other life. He stopped in his tracks when he caught the first scent. The scent of blood, and the overpowering scent of lupes. Lupes. Everywhere. He could see the glowing red eyes come toward him. Memories flashed in front of his eyes. Torn flesh. Screaming. Death. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, his fear overpowering everything, until he was unconscious. His last thought was of how he had failed to do anything. He had left Anita struggling in the cold wind, and Gipha in the hands of lupes. He had let down the herd to. Those poor foals. He was a failure. His mind blacked out as he writhed in fear and imagined pain.
Tasia:
Her ribs hurt, but she knew she had to get up. She had to get away from that lupe! Gipha pulled her legs under her, she screamed. Her ankle was sprained. She breathed in very heavily. Then, she saw them.
Lupes. Twenty or more, converging upon her in the wind.
She was surprised at how quickly she got up. She could only feel one pain at a time, but at the moment she felt none- even though the uni knew must be a mess. She ran across the plain, toward what direction she did not know.
The uni ran away quickly, but that did not bother the lupes. They were focusing on what was under Gipha. As they crept forward, there was a unanimous though Please oh please, don't let it be Zhairk! Let him live! A large dark red lupe urged the pack stay behind, and he stepped forward. Shiko watched as the lupe crumbled and howled up to the sky. The lupes looked into each other's eyes, and came forward. They viewed the sight, then called into the sky- their voices picked up and thrown around by the wind. Zhairk's body lay there, his bones flattened, his neck reaching at an odd angle.
TLT:
Very lay on the ground, filthy from rolling in the mud, and being splattered by the heavy raindrops. His chest heaved, his heart pumping adrenaline through his body pointlessly. His legs twitched at odd intervals, the nightmare in his head causing them to do so. In his dream he was watching a group of foals run and play. There were several, of all colors. One caught his eye, a mostly white uni that galloped and romped around the others. The foals reared and whinnied playfully. Several adults stood nearby, watching them. A dark green uni stood near a deep blue one. There tails swished each other, and they looked at each other fondly. They watched the white one as he did. The foal trotted toward them and reared, inviting them to play. The blue Uni reached down and nuzzled him. He scurried away. Very watched this from afar. He walked toward them. The other foals danced through him unknowingly. He was there in spirit only. A sharp howl arose in the evening air. The foals stopped playing. The adults herded them together. The white foal squeezed in between his parents, as Very now realized they were. The parents looked worried, and hurried toward the group. Very now realized they were in a valley. He saw glowing red eyes and demonic forms run through on entrance. The herd began running. He could feel the rumbling of the hooves as the herd ran toward him.
As the beating grew louder, he realized it wasn't just part of the dream. He slowly drifted back into consciousness. Something was coming toward him. He lifted his head slowly. A frantic red uni was coming toward him. His vision blurred. He dropped his head. He wondered briefly why he was so tired. Then his mind once again began slipping. He fell into blackness.
Tasia:
She was running so fast, she nearly didn't see the mostly white uni. His form was low to the ground. Gipha reared "The lupes!" she cried, and began running in another direction.
She stopped. She turned. She smelled the air. Lupes! On her! All over her! She began to run once more.
Wait, no. The lupe was there no longer, he had fallen from her back. Where had he gone, she wondered. And...it didn't seem the pack was following her. Why? Oh no, had they caught Very?
She looked out over the plain behind her...
There was his body! He, he was dead.
The lupes weren't with his body. She sniffed the air. Was it a trap? But when she smelled, not only did she not catch the scent of lupe but she could smell a live uni. He was still alive!?!
She began toward him, ever so slowly, her muscles starting at the slightest crack of sound. She came up and put her nose to him "Very," she muttered "what are you doing? You have to get up,"
Two guard lupes stood outside Hod's den. They didn't even recognize Shiko until he got into his back and showed his vulnerable neck "Ah," said the guard on the left "Omega. Why do you wish to see Alpha?"
"Oh, I know," said the other "to challenge his rank!" They both barked with laughter.
"Actually," Shiko said in a very small voice "I came to deliver some news to Alpha."
"News?"
Shiko nodded. "The Beta has just recently died a tragic death."
The lupes looked at him for a second. Then the one on the right bit his ears. Shiko whimpered, and ran a few spaces, his tail tucked beneath him. "Shame on you! Telling such lies about our Beta!" he attacked again, this time reinforced by his friend. Shiko yelped and struggled to get away.
Then, there was a booming voice "Theyo! Kodai! Enough!" the gray lupe emerged from between them "He is a hard working member of the pack, and he deserves as much respect as you or me!"
"But Alpha-"
"No more! Now, let us be!"
The lupes left. Their forms reminded Shiko of pups pulled away from their first catch.
Hod turned his grizzled head to Shiko. His gray eyes smiled kindly.
"Now, what did you need to see me for?"
TLT:
"Sleeping," Very murmured. He opened one eye and looked at her. He was jolted into reality by a long low howl. He struggled to his feet. He was alert now, though not completely his self. Lupe! He smelled it all over him. What had happened? He struggled to remember. Anita, that's what it was... Just Anita... He looked at Gipha and remembered. "You're alive! I heard that scream and howl and came to help you but... I couldn't do it." He dropped his head in shame. "I just couldn't do it." He stamped his hoof into the ground and looked up angered by his fear of the Lupes. They were just a bunch of mangy dogs. Nothing more. There was another long sad howl. He remember Anita, and immediately started toward the forest. He beckoned for Gipha to follow. He shouted something about being safe from the storm and waiting for it to die down, but he wasn't sure if she heard. He shivered as a gust of wind blew past him. He had to make sure Anita was okay. Sure she was an idiot, but she was his idiot.
Anita shivered. Why had VeryVain left? She snuggled deeper into the leaves he had piled. She was warmer here, but not much. She poked the tip of her nose out of the pile of leaves for some fresh air. It was blasted by rain and wind. She shivered again. It was still so cold. She breathed in short breaths so the freezing air wouldn't penetrate deeply into her lungs. Because of that, it took her a while to catch the scent. It was strong smell and she couldn't quite place it. She sniffed deeper and winced at the cold air. It was a distinct smell, and she knew it from somewhere. But where? She tried to smell it more, to get more information, but a sudden gust of wind blew it away. She wondered if she should go look for its source, but decided it would be best if she stayed here. She pulled her nose back in and hunkered down into the leaves.
Morgan:
Ally and Wuff have crashed into an oak tree and are flopped on top of it. They are dreaming. Ally's dreaming is more like a nightmare...
"No! Stop! Why won't you just leave me alone?!" Ally cried as the other Unis teased her as they always did. "Why, Dog-Breath I thought you knew! Tut tut!" said a beautiful Pink Uni in a sickening "I'm just pretending to be nice so the adults can't blame me" voice "You follow those Lupes around far too often... They might turn around and eat you someday." She showed no signs of remorse or fear, mostly anticipation. "YOU MAKE ME SICK!" cried Ally as she charged at the Pink Uni. Her parents just happened to turn around as she began to run. "Ally! Not again! Why do you insist upon being so violent against these kind foals? They've never done anything to you, so why must you be so rude?! That's IT, Ally! I am going to disown you! Go off on your own, I don't care anymore! YOU are the one that makes me sick, Ally. Not your sister, Lily. Now LEAVE!" her mother's voice boomed out angrily. Ally turned and ran. No one followed her. She was all alone. She ran to the Clearing in the middle of the forest. She looked into it before she entered, and she saw a Lupe pack. One little Shadow one was being teased as well... Maybe she wasn't so alone after all...
Wuff was reliving the worst day of his life.
Wuff was sitting in his Clearing, whimpering as the other Lupes attacked and bullied him. "Why do you whimper, Wuff?! Don't you want to eat?! Get up, you lazy scum, and go catch a Uni! You haven't helped the pack in months! You yourself haven't eaten in days! You'll DIE of starvation soon if you don't GET UP!" a black Lupe pup yelled at Wuff as he pounded into Wuff. Wuff tried to get up the nerve he needed. Wuff succeeded. "I don't WANT to kill anymore! I'm SICK of it! The Unis deserve life as much as we do!" Wuff screamed, ignoring the black Lupe's snort of laughter "Just leave me ALONE!" The words echoed all around Wuff. He got up with a start. Where was he? What time was it? He tried to ignore the terrible feeling that his nightmare had put on him. Then, with a start, he remembered something. Where was Ally?! He saw her, stretched out on a limb of the oak tree they were laying on. Her wings were unmistakably broken. He was alright, as she had broken his fall, but would SHE live?! "Oh no! Ally! It's all my fault if you're... If you're..." He just couldn't bring himself to say it. Was Ally going to live?! With a jolt, he remembered when he had first smelled Ally. It had been the day that he had just dreamt about. He could've stopped the pain any time by just telling them that there was a Uni in the bushes, but he hadn't.
"Claws and teeth may hurt me-eth, but words destroy my soul..." a voice whispered softly. It was Ally. She would live. She was finally awake. "Wuff, are you ok? I think I am... But where the heck are we?!"
Uni:
The wind was blowing so fast and so terribly that Orora couldn't guide herself by her hearing any longer. Flattening her ears to her neck to avoid them being pulled off by the incredible force of the storm, Orora was struggling against herself, trying desperately to open her eyes despite the firm grip of her instincts. As she finally managed to lift both of her eyelids, pain jabbed harshly her vision. Closing instantly her eyes, Orora tried to land safely to the ground. Being unable to see nor to hear, the Uni used all the power of her will to flap these tools back to work.
Finally, as she landed her golden hooves, Orora realized that the hard, dry soil had been transformed into an ocean of mud. Panicking at the very distant - yet powerful - scent of Lupes, the Uni burst into a full gallop, kicking splatters of mud as she ran. There was no more sight of the foals now; she had failed her mission. But as Orora ran, she was trying to achieve another race: running for her life.
A burst of wind blasted the Uni in the back, sending Orora flying. She landed in a splash as her dazzling white coat immediately got soaked in a waterfall of soil and dirt. Spitting off some mud, the Uni quickly got to her feet and raced away. Suddenly, Orora's dirty hooves slipped on the mud, sending her on the back and making her sliding off a hill, as flashed of lightning thundered around her. Courageously skidding off the hill, Orora got to her feet again, but she was far weaker this time. Catching her elegant legs in some strange plant, the Uni was on her back yet again ... but not for long. An incredible flash of thunder and light roared past her, landing inches from her right wing. The power of the blast sent her rocketing into the sky, unconscious. She flew over the plains, and fell into a cushion of forest leaves. For she had been flown into the Lupe's hunting area: the forest.
Gradyti tested his strong Lupe paws as he ran across the plains, mud splattering around him. He did not fear the storm, and he will never fear it. Zigzagging between flashes of thunder, she laughed loudly as even the wind couldn't harm him.
He then heard a scream. A high-pitched scream - a Uni's scream. Gradyti frowned, and ran towards the source of the yell. Suddenly, a flash of lightning smashed itself terribly to the ground, pushing a white figure into the sky. The Uni.
"What the - ?" Gradyti thought as he ran towards the forest - where the Uni had been ejected.
TLT:
Anita yawned. The storm seemed to be breaking up. Almost. At least the wind had shifted, so she wasn't pelted by stinging sleet. She stood up and stretched. She didn't like being cooped up in one area for too long. She shook herself, flinging the leaves that had stuck to her fur away. She caught a faint whiff of that strange smell she had come across during the peak of the storm. She looked around and sniffed, trying to catch a trail. The smell was coming from the forest's edge. She wandered out and looked around. She heard a very soft chirp, almost a whistle. She looked for the source of the noise but saw nothing. She heard it again. It was very faint in comparison to the screaming wind and thunder. She moved toward the source for the noise. She sniffed the ground and caught a scent, that was partially carried away by the rain. She followed it, and soon came upon the gnarled roots of a large tree. There was something in the reaches of the twisted roots. She dug at them, ripping away all but the most sturdy roots. There lay a small bird like creature. It was dripping wet, and freezing. She recognized it as a Beekadoodle, a simple petpet. She picked it up carefully in her mouth can carried it toward the bed of leaves Very had made for her. She laid down and put the petpet between her front paws. She soothed and licked it, trying to warm it up. It chirped thankfully and snuggled in Anita's warm fur. Anita lay down thinking.
Her mother had had a Beekadoodle. As a pup, Anita would play for hours, chasing and romping with the Beekadoodle, who would always stay just out of reach. It seemed like that was so far away now.
Anita lay down her head near the still shivering petpet, and fell into a deep sleep, lulled by the constant rain of the storm.
Tasia:
Gipha followed Very without a word. She was too scared to speak- the experience with the lupe had been humbling- and she had to watch her limping feet in the storm. She silently worried about Orora and the foals. Where are you Orora?
"There was a terrible accident,"
Hod's look became dark "Any fatalities?"
Shiko nodded.
Hod swore so indecently Shiko had to scratch his ear after "I should have told him this would happen! This is exactly the reason I disliked the old way. Now, my son's foolishness has gotten some pack mate killed!"
Shiko looked at him with surprise "Alpha, sir, the fatality was-" he looked into Hod's gentle eyes. How could he deliver such news upon him?
"What, Komoshiko?"
Shiko jumped a little. Very few lupes knew his name. Mostly it was Omega he was called.
Hod's patience was thinning at Shiko's tone "What was it?"
Shiko hesitated.
"Tell me!"
"It was,"
"NOW!"
"Zhairk!"
It was as if a greeble had opened it's mouth and swallowed everything but Hod's eyes. No longer gentle, they were frightened and dangerous. "What?" Hod said.
Shiko felt as if he was vomiting himself "There was a single mare, it was an easy kill, and the storm made so that she couldn't lift. Zhairk jumped on her back- to weigh her down, while we all got her, but he did it at just the wrong moment: the wind eased, and the uni flew! She was too fast. We thought we lost him, but about a meter away they both fell. "Hod, I'm sorry. The uni's weight crushed Zhairk."
All was quiet and cold. Hod's yellow eyes looked through Shiko.
"No, it can't be! You lie!" he bared his teeth.
Shiko tucked his tail under his body "Please, I speak the truth! I wish it were a lie, but it's not!"
"I will show you my son is not dead! I will find him!" Hod tore away from Shiko and began over the plain, toward his dead son.
Morgan:
Wuff was relieved that Ally would live. He wouldn't have lived with himself if she had died. "I just don't know Ally... I just don't know. This rain washed away all of the scents, so I can't tell if we're even on the same planet as before, let alone the same clearing. But, Ally," Wuff said in a different tone of voice, more curious than he had been in a long time, "What was the nightmare you just had? I heard you moan..."
"It was nothing!" Ally snapped viciously, and Wuff was shocked at her voice. She had always been so kind... What had this nightmare been that had caused this sudden change?!
"Please Ally? Now I'm all curious... You can trust me, you know that..."
"Fine, I'll tell you all about it..." Ally said in a voice that suggested that she had just given up a half-hearted fight in her heart, and she told him everything about her nightmare. "...and then I thought that, maybe I wasn't so alone after all... Happy now Wuff? Now you know why I've been following you for the last few years..."
Wuff was in a state of utter shock. He had had no idea. How could he have known? He remembered a question she had asked earlier. "Didn't you ask, when I first met you in person, how you could change into a Lupe?"
Ally sniffed "Yes, do you know?"
"Yes, but it'd be very hard."
"I'll do it, no matter WHAT it takes! How Wuff?! HOW?!"
"We need to journey to a magical Kau, Kauvara. She has a potion that can turn you into a Lupe. But she lives far off... Are you willing to go?" But Ally was already running off, though she had no idea which direction to go. "Ally! That's the wrong way! Follow me!" And she did. They bounded over the Plains, ignoring the storm still quieting around them.
'I will not give up in my dream, no matter what!' Ally thought 'I've finally found a way it could be possible!'
Morgan:
Ally was still racing along, oblivious to the pain of her broken wings. Who needs wings when you aren't even going to use them ever again soon? But she did notice that the storm was dying. The wind sounded like a wounded animal's cries.
"The storm doesn't want to die." said Wuff, voicing Ally's thoughts "It's fighting for a last bit of rain. How strange... Forget it. Let's keep going, Ally! I can smell things now! We're only a few more miles away! C'mon!" They redoubled their running speed and took off, just two blurs of colour speeding by.
Ally was trying as hard as she could to keep up the pace, but even she knew that it would only last for another mile. They both knew that they could go fast for short sprints, neither was a marathon runner. "Just. One.. More... Mile....! Gotta. Keep.. Going...!" Ally wheezed, then collapsed. She couldn't keep it up. Her dreams would fade into oblivion. Her hope... It was gone! She was muddy, crying, and helpless as she lay there. She had no strength to lift herself up and try again. She had failed. Failed in her dreams, her hopes, to Wuff. Wuff! Had he kept going?! "Wuff? Are you there, Wuff?" Ally whispered weakly, and looked around. She saw a single dot of black on the horizon speed away, then she fainted.
Wuff turned around to talk to Ally, to tell her that they were so close to Kauvara that they could make it before the grass even dried from the storm. But Ally was not there. "ALLY!!! NO!! WHERE ARE YOU, ALLY?! TELL ME IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Wuff screamed as loud as his voice could. There was only silence. Night was falling fast. He saw a crumpled pile of blue far off. He suddenly knew where Ally was. As he ran to the blob in the twilight, he howled eerily. He was afraid. More afraid than he had ever been before. As he ran he scolded himself. "How could you Wuff?! You KNOW that there are Lupes just dying to get some Unis for dinner! She could... JUST SHUT UP! She's FINE! Stop saying otherwise! AwOoOoOoOo! I'M COMING ALLY!" He knew that it as not a good sign that he was arguing with himself. 'Sssometimesss it'sss the bessst way to have an intelligent conversssation... At leassst you alwaysss underssstand yourssself...' hissed a voice in his head. The voice he'd been arguing with. "Oh no, this is bad!" muttered Wuff, who realized that something was driving him insane. It was Ally, and he knew it. He just couldn't admit it, even to himself.
Uni:
Gradyti sniffed the damp forest ground. Shaking his silvery Lupe tail, he trotted towards the half-washed Uni scent.
As Gradyti finally dug through a pile of rotting leaves, he saw a beautiful white Uni lying on the forest floor, her immaculate coat patched with mud and dirt. The Lupe snorted. What in Neopia is he going to do with a Uni? As he sat down, the storm clouds slowly parted, leaving place to a radiant sun. A low rumble could be heard; the Uni herd was coming to drink.
Gradyti thought hard; if he let them find the white Uni by themselves, he will never meet the herd. However, if he show himself, he might get attacked. For technically, Unis are far stronger then Lupes - Unis had a golden horn, powerful hooves, the ability to fly, and they run faster and for longer distances then Gradyti's kind.
After some thinking, Gradyti made his decision; he was going to show himself.
Leaving the Uni, he walked to the rumbling noise of the herd's hooves ...
Fratylia was galloping as fast as she could, Thereda at her side. The foals have managed to find their mothers, but Orora and Gipha were nowhere to be seen. The poor children were half-dead when Fratylia found them; the storm nearly killed the things. But Icy Winter was at their sides, creating a shield to protect them. The Snowickle was exhausted too, fainting at their arrival.
Fratylia couldn't bear it any longer. Her only child might have died ... caught by the Lupes. They were hunting during the storm, Lumino reported it himself. It was him who gave permission to the mares to go find their daughters; he even convinced the whole herd to come with them.
Fratylia was going to find her daughter, no matter what ...
There. Gradyti could see them. A stallion with a beautiful golden coat was galloping in the lead, along with a spotted and a dark red mare. Gradyti shook his silver fur, catching the fresh sunlight and reflecting it. The stallion, surprised, neighed and reared to a tremendous height, his wings spreading out. The mares stopped, but their faces were determined. Lowering their heads, their golden horns caught the dazzling light.
"Stop!" Gradyti cried. "I will do no harm! I have found a white Uni ... she is unconscious ... "
"And tell us why exactly we shall believe you?" The lead stallion neighed, although it sounded quite like a roar.
"Because you will never leave one of yours to die!" Gradyti snapped back. "Why would I lie? I am alone ... I'm not like them ... you can kill me ... but I've come here to tell you, because I know that you will not kill!"
The Unis raised their heads, looking at each other. Lumino closed firmly his wings to his body.
"What makes you think that we will not kill?" Lumino asked with a smile, a glint of malice sparkling in his eye.
"What makes you think that I want to kill you?" Gradyti answered cleverly, smiling too.
Lumino laughed in his rich voice. "Very good, Lupe, very good ... I heard that your kind was bad at these kind of things ... but obviously you're cleverer than the others. Very well," Lumino smiled radiantly at Fratylia, "show us the Uni."
Gradyti sighed of relief. He almost thought that he wouldn't be able to answer the Uni's questions. As the herd approached, the lead stallion (who called himself Lumino) presented the beautiful spotted Uni - who was called Fratylia - to him. Gradyti discovered that the white Uni was her daughter, Orora, and that Fratylia would be glad to adopt him if he'd like to.
Gradyti jumped with joy, and accepted immediately. At that moment, Orora came out from the underbrush, wearing the most beautiful smile as her silver mane floated alongside her. She had washed her mud away, and her coat was of a dazzling white, the purest white that Gradyti had ever seen.
Fratylia hugged her daughter, and Orora thanked the Lupe for finding her.
"Mother," Orora's face was darkened by worry, "where's the children? And Silver Star?" But Fratylia didn't have time to answer, as many foals jumped over, welcoming Orora warmly. Between a cloud foal's legs, a white Snowickle was smiling at her.
"Oh - ! Silver Star! My friends! I'm so happy you're here!" The Uni laughed in her crystalline voice, but she suddenly stopped.
"Mother," Orora's voice was anxious, "where's Gipha?"
Fratylia nodded sadly at Thereda, who was talking to Lumino . Orora knew at once that her friend hasn't been found yet.
"Orora, Fratylia," Gradyti said in a half-choked voice, "Maybe I can help you to find ... Gipha?"
Tasia:
"What's the matter with you?!" Thereda snapped at Lumino "Why haven't you found my daughter?" Then, she could bare it no longer. Thereda moved away from the stallion. She couldn't bare being at anyone else at this time. Deep inside, a secret haunted her which she did not want to risk telling.
The lupes gathered around the Alpha's Cave, a dark scar that cut into a hill in the home valley of the lupes. "What's going on?" someone asked.
"I was summoned by the High Guard," said another
"So was I, but what's going on?" but no one seemed to have an answer for this question.
Shiko was a bit surprised by the arrangements. The omegas were placed up front, near almost under the steep lip of the cave, then the elderly or feeble, the weaklings behind them, followed by those lupes with no great talent or weakness, and the great hunters and the warriors in back. Shiko felt a stab in his heart and wished Wuff was here. He need
The confusion continued for another minute, then someone called "The High Guard!" the pack looked up to the hill. Two large lupes mounted. The pack shut up. Hod, flanked by two more lupes, ascended the hill after them, followed by two more lupes. Shiko scoffed silently. What did he expect, an assassination attack? This was all wrong. When Hod had found his son's body on the plain, he howled for a very long time. The call was full of anguish and it hurt the pack's hearts to hear it. Then he led the pack back to the home valley- what else could they do? While the pack mourned, Hod sequestered himself with his guard at his cave. Now, they were summoned, but for why?
"Pack mates, we have seen a terrible accident take place within the last sun rise and fall. We do not need to recount the events which have taken place.
"However, I do believe this could have been prevented. Our Beta was a fierce fighter, he did not hesitate while in the heat of the hunt."
Shiko dared a glance into Hod's eyes. There was something terribly wrong with them! But, Shiko could not place it. Hod continued "You, however," he was speaking to the whole pack "you failed my son. He needed you to be ready, to attack! Instead, you hesitated. You held back. You make me sick! Lazy, no good gelerts!" The pack was taken back a little. To be called a gelert was the worst insult to a wild lupe.
"Believe me," Hod continued "that will continue no more. My son was right. Ever since the beginning of my rule, I despised the old way and did my best do away with it. I tried to press values my mother had taught me, taking care of each other, never leaving a lupe behind, sharing food. Well now I realize I was wrong! Love and support doesn't make a pack any stronger, it only forms a fake blanket of security; so easy to fall into and it deludes us from our real goals: to survive as a pack.
"I realize now that the only way to do that is through strict discipline, but more importantly proper breeding!" the Alpha's guard descended on the lupes in the valley. Shiko looked around himself. More of the guard came from all around them. They were trapped!
"We must start this process immediately. Who knows how long I have let the herd's genes become contaminated! First, all Omegas and weaklings must be eliminated." the lupes passed the warriors and those lupes with nothing special about them. They formed a separator between the weaklings and the omegas and the rest of the pack.
The onslaught began before anyone knew what was happening. Each of the victims had a different reaction to the killing. The old- some had been warriors, lashed out in contempt How can this younger generation be doing this to me?!?. The weaklings fought in a shocked state, but quickly surrendered. The guard moved purposely, making sure no lupe was left to escape. It was horror. Bloody horror.
The omegas- including Shiko- didn't even fight This is what I deserve for being born an omega. As a big green lupe came down upon him, Shiko thought But no, I don't deserve this. This isn't fair! and Shiko said so.
"This isn't fair!"
The lupe leaped on his neck.
"NO!" he twisted away. He and the lupe both were surprised at the force he pulled his larger aggressor. For a moment, Shiko was free. He turned to run- only to make it was few paces. A wall of flint and granite grew up in front of him. The lupe growled and leaped at Shiko. Shiko dodged.
And that's when it happened. In the midst of a killing frenzy, the wall crumbled, and fell on the pack. For Shiko, there was nothing after that.
TLT:
Very was confused about why he had such strong feelings for the little lupe he had just met, but there they were. It was really all a paternal thing, as he had never had a foal, and didn't plan on one in the near future. He heard Gipha's panting and the pounding of her hooves behind him. He was starting to tire too, though he suspected Gipha was much more so as she had had to battle the lupe and had been out here much longer. He slowed down for her.
Anita looked up. Something was coming, and it didn't smell or sound like Very. It was almost like a lupe. The beekadoodle was dry and warm now, and the storm had stopped for the most part. She got up and stretched. She was curious as to what this new thign was, but Very had told her to stay put. It wasn't a hard decision. She had stayed curled up for hours, and needed to stretch her legs. And who was that uni for telling her to stay put in the first place?
She prowled out deeper into the woods. It was dark, damp and everything smelled musty. She was worried. This was part of her packs hunting ground. She had been banished from them. She made up the story of her parents leaving. She had attacked and killed another lupe, the son of the alpha male and female. He had been teasing her, and her infamous temper had caught him off guard. It was clean, quick, and relatively painless, and it had gotten her on a life long ban. She at least hadn't had to worry about them seeking her out, she could smell their fear of her as they acted tough and chased her out of the hunting grounds. There was still a slight possibility for them to be here, and try to get her away. She believed in her fighting prowess though, and wasn't too worried. She fleetingly wondered if she should be. She caught the faint lupe scent again and prowled off into the depths of the forest.
It didn't take long for Very and Gipha to reach the wood. It was a matter of minutes before Very found the empty leaf filled hollow at the base of the tree. He stomped his foot worriedly. He detected a faint smell he couldn't recognize. It was new to him. It was faint enough that he didn't worry a lot though. His worry for her turned to anger at her. He had told her to stay put. He tried tracing her scent, but he couldn't do it, and it was leading deep into the woods. He looked at poor Gipha, who looked distraught over something, and horrible, her fur caked with mud and blood. Her wings hung at an odd angle. He looked forlornly into the forest, and then headed toward the plains to try and find the herd.
Morgan:
Wuff could make out Ally's form now. It was worse up close. Apparen'tly, she had tripped and fallen. It even looks as though she had broken a few bones. Now Wuff was worried. How was he supposed to protect all night long? He wasn't the most liked Lupe in the pack, and he knew it. He had only had one friend... Shiko. He had stuck up for him. His only friend... Before now. Ally was his closest friend at the moment, and he wasn't gonna let any Lupe or anyone take her away. He looked at Ally, and saw her breathing. She was alive. For now, at least. By the look of her, she hadn't eaten in days. Why hadn't he noticed before? Wuff nudged her with his nose. "Ally? Are you okay? Can you move? Can you hear me? Can you speak?" he said softly into her ear. If there were any Lupes nearby, he could probably smell them, but he didn't want his voice to carry.
"Well, firstly, yeah, I'm Ally, secondly, yeah, I'm fine, thirdly, yeah, I can move, and fourthly, yeah, I can speak." Ally mumbled softly. She had woken up at Wuff's voice. She told her legs to lift her, but they refused. They just sat there lazily in the moonlight. She tried once more, this time more forcefully and she wobbled to her feet, took two steps, and collapsed again. She was covered with mud, twigs, and dried grass. She looked more like a mud monster than anything else. She started to cry.
"You do know that Kauvara's shop will still be open tomorrow, don't you? We can rest for the night. I'll take first watch." 'And every other watch...' he thought to himself silently. He wanted to tell Ally something, but she was already asleep. Wuff sniffed the air. 'Blood?! I smell blood. A LOT of it! Lupe blood... and I smell... No! Shiko! It can't be! Shiko couldn't have... He just couldn't. He didn't attack the Unis, or attack the other Lupes! Unless... Maybe he was trying to avenge me? No, Shiko isn't like that... Zhairk is. Wait a sec! Zhairk! He could've! And Shiko, gone? NO! I'm letting my imagination run away with me! I'm just being silly!' Wuff wasn't even convinced by his thoughts, but stood silently, staring into the area of the blood bath. It was terrible. He couldn't smell anything else. "AwOoOoOo..." Wuff stiffened. That was a war call! Oh no! What was going on?! He couldn't leave Ally, not in the middle of this! He paced around her in circles for countless hours, wearing a ring of brown into the yellow and green ground. Ally watched him whenever she awoke, wondering when it would be her watch. But Wuff endless pacing always sent her back to dreaming...
TLT:
Anita looked around. The beekadoodle hovered uncertainly around her head. She glanced at the beekadoodle and realized it didn't have a name. She looked at it, and decided on Faux, the name of the lupe she had killed. It was her subtle way of reincarnating the poor pup. She hadn't meant to do it, but he had said something about her, her seemingly ditzyness. She wasn't really stupid, she just acted like it. Her temper had flared and...
Faux landed on her head and chirped softly. Something moved in the brush in front of her. She growled softly, but was curious to what it was. She saw two red eyes looking at her. Out of the brush came a black lupe with silver tipped ears and tail. Anita was shocked. He looked her over, and suddenly he cowered, shrunk back into the brush and ran off. Anita was annoyed about how they treated her like a monster. She hadn't meant to do it. She was disappointed it had merely been that lupe.
Anita decided there was nothing left to do here, and went to the plains in search of VeryVain.
Tasia:
"Very, what's going on?" she stepped beside the distraught uni. Then, she caught a whiff of lupe. Her muscles tightened "Very! Don't you smell that?!" He had to, she thought. But the uni she saw in front of her wasn't the skittish creature she had met on the plain, but a, a concerned, paren't. The word struck a cord in Gipha's brain. Where was her mother? Was she worried about her? She wished she wasn't always so mean to Thereda.
Hod had a power to see into the eyes of his packmates, to see, almost, what they were thinking. He glanced into the eyes of every lupe spread in a arc in front of him. His guard stood behind him, as attentive to his every move as an extra appendage. The numbers in the pack had been reduced after the massacre, but that meant that the pack was now stronger. More importantly, the pack understood first hand what happened to those that fell out of Hod's favor. Now he looked into their yellow eyes and he saw fear. Good. His eyes moved along the line. Bad.
There was a creature looking at him with revulsion. His eyes spoke clearly That wasn't fair. That wasn't right, and you know it.
"I regret this, Dato. You were an excellent hunter," two of the guard moved down the slope. The other lupes moved away from Dato. Finally, and too late, fear shone in his eyes.
His head throbbed, and his throat was parched. Furthermore, Shiko was sitting in a puddle. He lapped the liquid around his legs. He spit it out. It had the metallic taste of blood. He opened his eyes. He was in a puddle of blood and dirt! He tried to stand, but there was something above him keeping him in a crouching position. Panicked, he forced himself to think.
Okay. He was below ground- in a scar of land, and boulder made a roof above him. How did he get in here? Never mind, that didn't matter. Okay, over there, there was a square of light- an exit- and it looked Shiko could make his way through.
Poked his nose through the hole. He wriggled his body, and eventually made it out. A sound of frenzied barking greeted him. He glanced down the hill. His heart tightened. Two lupes were attacking a single lupe, who was left all alone. A gray lupe Shiko knew only could be Hod spoke over the bloodshed. The wind was wrong, and Shiko didn't catch the words.
He watched for a moment longer while, even as his legs began to move. He did the Omega thing, to run. He sprinted down the hill at the other side of the destroyed Alpha's Cave. He skirted around outcroppings of glacier rock and trees.
As he ran, the memories came back to him. There was a terrible accident which took the much Alpha's son, then- he closed his eyes, trying to erase the memories in darkness. There were teeth and claws, and a mass murder of the omegas and weaklings, and blood everywhere. He looked down at himself and was horrified to see he was covered in that blood. Not his own blood, but the blood of all those lupes that died unjustly. He ran on.
Morgan:
Wuff was still pacing when daylight broke. He was glad to have some light to see by, until he noticed a bloody Lupe just a few hundred yards off. Wuff gently roused Ally. He could recognize the scent of that Lupe. He had to get Ally away though, while he went to check.
"Huh? Wha? Wuff, why are you so tense? How can you even have the energy to stand up? I saw you pacing every time I stirred. You must be exhausted!"
That was true. Wuff was tired, but he had enough energy to keep him awake for a while. As the scent got stronger, the 'while' got longer and longer. Ally finally noticed the scent.
"Wuff?! Is that... Blood?! Lupe blood?!" She glanced around and saw the wounded Lupe "Wuff! Th-that's...! Isn't that...? Oh Wuff! I'm so sorry! We need to go see if he's ok!" With that, she raced over to the Lupe. "Shiko? Are you ok?" She knew he was the only one who ever stood up for Wuff.
Wuff bounded after her, terrified. Had he lost one of his two friends? Had he lost the only Lupe who had ever been kind to him? He was sick with fear. "Sh-shiko? Are you...? Are you ok, Shiko?" Wuff whispered, scared of what the reply, if any, would be.
Tasia:
A blue uni came up to him. He was shocked and, felt kind of awkward when she said his name. How did he know her name? Now that made three creatures in the world who knew his name, Wuff, this uni, and- Shiko shivered all over his body- Hod. He tried to blink the bloody massacre out of his vision...
Then a shadow lupe made himself present beside the blue uni. Shiko felt as if he had suddenly become lighter "Wuff! Wuff! Is it really you?" he cried, surprised. He was so excited he didn't even hear what Wuff said. He just stared at his friend. He thought the lupe would surely die alone on the plain. Instead, he looked strong (mostly do to the fact that stronger lupes weren't shadowing him) if not exhausted. He stared. It surely was Wuff.
He repeated Wuff's words in his mind "Am I okay? I'm fine, but," he snapped his eyes closed "Wuff, the most horrible thing has happened..." he heard his voice crack.