Not quite alone

[Taz]

--Kreuz--

Kreuz shook his head at the barren Whiteback lands. He'd been out scavenging for food, only to return empty pawed. There was not much to be caught on this mountain, a stray mouse every now and then, but for the most part even the stupid creatures stayed away. He could not come down from the mountain. The Bloodbacks were sure to be waiting at the foot for them. He wondered, did they know of the shortage of Whitebacks? He frowned at this very thought.

He knew he should look for Feraz. He knew that they should come up with a plan to gain members. He was loyal to his pack - his family - and he wanted them to win any war that took place. In his mind, there was always a war. Because the Whitebacks could not leave this mountain saftly. There was always a threat. He supposed he should wish for peace between the Bloodbacks and Whitebacks, but he laughed - he didn't. He wanted to kill all Bloodbacks. He would, of course, spare his brother. His brother was a fool, but he was still his kin.

Kreuz sighed, his body falling to the ground. Where was Feraz when he needed him? The white wolf had no intent on searching. He knew they should be making plans, but... Laying around was so much more exciting at this point in time. If Feraz was a good enough Beta, he'd be concocting some idea already. Kreuz was too lazy even to howl for him.

This Whiteback knew he could lead his pack. He knew he would be the perfect leader. But, he honestly didn't want to go through the challenge of it. He would much rather sit back and let the other wolves destroy themselves for the position. Kreuz was a fighter, but at the same time he wasn't much for fighting his own pack. He knew it was silly, because they were so short on members as it was. Feraz should be their leader, he thought, as he was the highest ranking. But, of course, Kreuz thought himself much more qualified for the position.

He frowned again - where WAS this pack? They were nowhere in sight. They should be working together. Planning action. Appointing an alpha. They should be here, he thought, they should be doing something. Not just sitting around like he was. The fact was, Kreuz had no choice in the matter. He would listen to Feraz, because that was his job. And, unless this pack got things going, they would just sit around until they were attacked. That would be chaos.

So, Kreuz sat, waiting for a packmate to find him. They would eventually come, he thought. And when they did, they would begin to plan. They would work together. At least, that's what Kreuz was hoping for.

[Teekon]

What on earth had happen? In just two or three years Ruritia had changed dramaticly. Had that small war really affect everyone? He finally came from lands far away after seeing great floods that drove other creatures and himself away. Water was flooding with hardly any rain, and sometimes with no rain at all. Ice bridges that connected lands were melting away. Something was happening, but no one could figure out what. Tempatures had risen, as well. This spring was warmer than usual, but perhaps the creatures of rurita just didn't notice. He passed through all the nuetral lands he could, though took his time looking over the packs. Chicotah had become huge. Aryia was struggling and had seemed to split for some reason.

As he made his way towards the mountains, he noticed that even the Bloodbacks even changed. There were more strangers and less actual blood relations. But they had an alpha female now. And the Haven was crawling with outcasts. Apparenty he wasn't the only one driven from the lands he had been in before by the floods. These strangers were coming from all over. Carefully he made his way through the mountains, making sure to take the back way around, which was the hardest way. But there was less chance for him to get caught. As he climbed, he smelled a scent similar to his own and his brother, Kreuz. Who was this? And why was he on Bloodback lands? If Kreuz was still alive, he'd find out why. He certainly hoped his brother was alive. He knew that Kreuz wouldn't take it very well - Teekon's return. He had run from the pack with his tail between his legs in time of war. Kreuz, as a warrior, was going to be upset. He sighed and finally reached his old home.

As his paw stepped into the deep snow, he shivered softly, but kept going. Nose lowered to the ground as hesnuffled the snow for new scents. There were... two new scents. Two? Just two? What the hell? Finally he found his brothers scent and picked up his pace to find where he was. It was rather creepy to find his home so empty. There was hardly anyone there. The same ranks were still there, but hardly any new members. The dark pelted brother finally spotted his white one and smiled slightly. Ah.. it had been too long.

"Brother!" He barked while bounding through the snow to where he laid. Hopefully he would get a friendly greeting.

[Kreuz]

Plotting evil plans to destroy the Bloodbacks was something that Kreuz often did when he was bored. They all, of course, involved him leading the pack into victory. Kreuz smiled to himself as he pictured everyone bowing down in submission. In the midst of his dreams, he was hardly eager to be interupted.

Turning his head to the noise-maker, his reaction came in three stages. First, disbelief. Was that Teekon? Kreuz was amazed to see his brother alive, let alone looking healthy. Where had Teekon been? Why did he return? Next, Kreuz's lips curled to a smile. He loved Teekon. He was happy to see him. Memories flashed by his head in a dance. This was his brother! Returning to him, to his home.

Then, it hit. Teekon had abandoned them, the pack, when he was needed. Kreuz's face turned quickly into a scowl. He stood from his lazy position and approached his opposite brother, tail raised high (although almost too high) to show dominance and success. He nodded to him in greeting, although it was a disdainful nod. "Teekon. It's been quite a while."

Immediately turning his back to his brother, he sat down and looked down off the mountain, head held tall. "Where have you been, brother? We needed you. You abandoned us." A shiver of hurt fell into Kreuz's eyes as he turned to look at Teekon. "Why have you returned?"

Frowning, he turned his head back to look down the mountainside. He was done asking questions, and he now wanted answers. And he would sit in silence until they came. He didn't want to look at Teekon. He loved him, this was his brother, but... Teekon had abandoned this pack long ago. Kreuz was in a cloud of confusion, not knowing how to react to this or even how to feel about his brother. He sighed inwardly, and waited for Teekon to respond.

[Teekon]

Teekon had expected to be shunned slightly, if not by his brother, then by other members of the pack, and defiantely Feraz. Infact, he was thankful he hadn't run into Feraz first. The Beta would likely turn him out of the pack. So he did deserve to be shunned. He was a coward, and had run from his brother, from his pack, in a dire time.

As Kreuz raised his status, Teekon lowered his own to an omega ranking. He expected that rank if he were to be accepted back. If Feraz would sitll chase him out, then he'd have no choice than to head for Breakbone's territory, where the familiar scent caught his nose. His ears lowered and tail turned and tucked partly between his legs. The tip was curved outward instead of in. If he had stayed, Teekon and Kreuz both would most likely be Betas now, perhaps even alphas, sharing the position together. They worked well when together.

"Yes... it has." He sighed and moved closer to him, ploping his rump down in the chilly snow. "You know I am not a great warrior like you. I use my brains, but when it comes to strength...I fail. I feared for my life when Feraz ordered us all to attack." His head lowered as he admited that cowardly thought. "So I ran as far as I could... away from all this war. I went very far, brother. I saw things that you wouldn't believe." Emerald eyes shifted to look at Kreuz from the corners. Would he be forgiven? "But... there is also disaster out there. Many great floods and storms have driven wolves, deer, rabbits... the whole forest out. And again, I ran - but this time I ran back to a place I knew was safe." Another short sigh. He shifted his paws in the snow. It would be hard to get used to this cold again.

As he stared down at the whiteness, he did notice it wasn't nearly as deep as it had once been. He remembered it sometimes coming up to the adults' elbows, and now it was only at his ankles. That warm weather was affecting Ruritia as well, and soon there would be no more snow on their mountaintop..

[Kreuz]

Kreuz didn't once look at his brother as he spoke. His expression was hard, a mixture of anger and hurt. Never did his face soften. The truth was, he was happy that Teekon was back. He wanted to tackle him and play with him like they did before. But the hurt masked that. Perhaps, if Teekon became part of this pack again, they would become that close again.

After his brother finished, he spoke, eyes still ahead. "I'm sure you will be welcome into this pack once again. But there will be great consequences for abandoning us," he turned and looked hard into his brother's eyes. "I will fight for your return, if it comes to that. You have come back to these lands, perhaps for good, and any pack you choose to join will be fighting soon. There is no escape from that this time. And, in my eyes, any wolf willing to join us is an asset. We could use your help, brother. I fear that the Whitebacks are falling."

He sighed, looking away again. "I don't know how Feraz will react to your return. But, he has been absent for quite some time. I fear that, at the moment, there is no one who can accept or deny you into this pack," finally, his face softened slightly. "But, as warrior, I give you permission to be in these lands until Feraz returns."

He paused, still not looking at his black brother. White fur ruffled with the wind, and he shut his eyes. He did not know whether or not to tell Teekon of their younger brother. He feared that if Teekon knew, he would want to journey down to meet him, or even join the Bloodbacks. He decided that this information would be best given at a later time.

Seeing Teekon, he felt like a pup again. He wanted badly to run with him. He stood up, and smiled, almost playfully. "I missed you, brother."

[Teekon]

The black sheep of this pack was also saddened by what they had been reduced to. For what reasons did the Bloodbacks, their own brothers, still fight them for? They had enough land - warn land at that. They had plenty of prey and all they needed, yet still they pushed upwards into the snowy mountaintops - all the whitebacks had left. When he left, the pack was good sized. I was large enough to be equal with their bordering brothers, and now it was absolutely nothing. Invisible brows furrowed as he thought about what to do, what he could do to save his home. Certainly the old members, Feraz, Inak, Sikma... they were still here, just... somewhere private. Right? That just had to be it. He snapped to attention once more to his brothers voice. It was a bad habit of his to get lost in thought.

"I don't doubt that it's true... look at this place. It's no better than the wastelands where those sabres live. What happen? The war couldn't have been that severe..."

No. It wasn't. Their own kind had turned tail and run just like Teekon had. They were cowards, just like he had been. But, they had not returned, and Teekon did. Hewas brave enough, at least, to face punishment for abandoning his pack. And he was brave enough to return in the midst of another war he knew he couldn't run from this time. He sighed, and shifted emeral eyes to his brother, who had much the same.

"I suppose mother and father died, though. I scented no trace of them when I came back, only the very faint old scents that will linger for years more." He missed his parents, and wished he could only apologize to them. He had shamed them by running, and they probably died in vain because of it.

He shook those heavy thoughts from his head and glanced back up. A light smile touched his muzzle and his ears rose a bit.

"I've missed you more than you could ever know. It's lonely out in that big world."

[Kreuz]

Kreuz watched his brother in that small daze and smiled inwardly. He hadn't changed a bit. Listening to Teekon's words, his smile faded. "We've a way to go before we look like the wastelands, but we're headed that way." He looked down toward Bloodback and scowled. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

He set his body slowly down and stared out, off the mountain. Where had his pack disappeared to? How had he let this happen? Kreuz felt like a failure. It wasn't his pack to save, but he sure felt like it was. With Feraz mysteriously gone, Kreuz felt responsible for this pack's well-being. He felt more a leader of this pack than the other ranking members were. He even saw himself higher than Galieo. And, with every single member seemingly gone from the face of the Earth, Kreuz had no choice but to try and lead them.

When Teekon asked about their parents, Kreuz looked toward him and nodded solemnly. "Yes, they died a while ago." He didn't say any more than that - he had a feeling the subject would be touchy to Teekon, and he feared that it might go into him learning of Pisca. Kreuz feared greatly that if Teekon knew of their younger brother, he would run off to be a Bloodback himself. That, he thought, was the worst that could come of Teekon returning.

He enjoyed hearing that his brother missed him. He had felt abandoned and weak when Teekon ran away, and to know that he probably felt just as bad calmed him. Although he didn't understand why he had left, and probably never would, Kreuz couldn't help but forgive him. He was his brother, after all. He nodded for Teekon to sit next to him, and sighed. "These past few years have been hard on Whiteback. Our members have just... Disappeared. And the few we have left are following their footsteps. As you can see, Bloodback are climbing our mountain and taking over our lands. They are taking advantage of our weakness. This pack needs more members, and I've got no idea how that can happen."

[Toksyc]

(Mind if we close this RP and just have them RP in the private meeting? I'm still warming up to Teekon and it's easier if I just have him at one place right now. The meeting seems more important anyway.)

[Taz]

Das fine ^-^