Break the silence (Forbidden Echoes; Light wolves)

[Silvana]

So much had changed in the few precious days they had been together. What had seemed to be a fitting companionship had dissapated, leaving them behind in a much smaller group. Once again, RainbowChaser had left.

Speaking of Rainbow...

From the corner of her eye, Silvana caught a glimpse of a sulking crimson/creme blur as Taj paced back and forth, his eyes staring steadily at the ground in front of him. The dimunitive male had barely stopped to eat and sleep, doing only what was neccessary to survive. Nothing Silvana could say had managed to snap the Dark Angellic out of the funk he was in. He had retreated into a solitary shell, only allowing Numara anywhere near him. It was something that made her curious, but she had dismissed it as a relationship created out of the newness of their breed, and a need for companionship. Either way, it was good to see that Taj wasn't completely alone.

Nearby, she caught a glimpse of Criox. The old wolf was still an engima to her, but certainly not harmful. She'd have liked to get to know him better, long before these dark times, but it simply wasn't to be. It never had been. All the signs had come to pass. The Prophet... Pacer... had slipped into a coma from which there was no return. It was a state of suspended animation that she had known of, but been unable to prevent. The signs had come to pass.

A former Queen was in disgrace. Her mother? An aunt? That, the new Queen didn't know. She had heard of Kozmo, of course. But she didn't know her true heritage, having never met her mother. Her father, she knew, had been a fallen angel. But her mother? She had no clue.

That didn't matter.

It was time to rally the pack. They had to be alerted, after all. And she very well couldn't expect to go to battle alone.

Rising, she glanced over at Taj, before her gaze slid over the others. She didn't want to speak, but she had to. First tings first; she had to call for help. Her head tilted back, maw opening to allow a call to slip from her jaws. Her posture invited her pack to join in, and she was surprised to see Taj slipping forward, his own tenor joining with the musical soprano she had created. When she stopped, moments later, the smaller male slipped away, resuming his pacing, though one ear remained locked onto her. Tilting her head, she shook it, and returned her gaze to her pack.

"My friends, dark is the news I must bring to the table. We must begin to stock the Gallery once more. Evil Wind, in its confusion, marches on us. I know nothing of what they could potentially bring us, only what they have done in times past. We must train... and we must fight to win." She paused, striding forward swiftly.

"Come. We go to the How."

[Savona]

He was tired. Not physically, not the kind of tired you get from lack of food or sleep, but mentally tired. There was no hope at all for his sister anymore. Absolutely none. As much as he hated to admitted, as much as he hated himself for thinking it, he did not think that he would be able to give her another chance should she ever appear again. It was too much to lose her, find her, and lose her again so many times.

And he had failed to help her. Repeatedly. It was as if the same thing was happening every time, just a little bit harder with each new attempt.

It didn't matter much now, though. In the incidents with Chaser he had come to the conclusion that it was not meant to be. He was not meant to aid her. Instead, it seemed he had another purpose in leaving home, in abandoning the Heavens to take up life down here.

Crimson orbs opened slowly, looking first at his paws where they pressed lightly into the earth beneath his feet and then to the side. From where he stood, tucked away in shadows in some sort of meditative stance, he could see the others. Mostly, though, he watched Silvana.

He had made a point lately of always being within reach, should she really need him. The last thing he wanted now was to miss an opportunity to help her like he seemed to have missed so often with Chaser. He was determined to do better, to succeed this time, and be someone that Silvana knew she could always turn to. Someone she knew she could trust and rely on and confide in, should she ever feel the need to do so.

Now he watched intently as she raised her head, all beauty and elegance and irrepressible splendor. Without hesitantly, he moved from his place of 'meditation' to seemingly materialize at her side. His own head lifted, form straightening as he joined her in her call.

As the sound trailed away, Savona dropped his maw and absently ruffled his wings only to carefully resettle the feathered appendages at his back in their usual perfected order. Auds swung forward fully, eyes watching with an unwavering intensity as Silvana spoke to her followers. As she started forward, the angel lifted his plume in a brief wave and wordlessly followed. He had nothing to say to this, nothing new they she or they had not already heard.


[Ah, he's so quiet...oops]

[Caldoor]

Numara didn't know what to make of her past few days as a Dark Angelic. Her aura and her wings were still new to her and had not lost their charm (she tried them out as many times as she could), but she couldn't understand why everyone around her seemed so darn sad. Was it something about the imminent danger, the evils that were coming their way? Numara hoped not. She was anxious, excited even, to participate in a large battle and really show these wolves just how much she cared for them. They were her new family, and she would do anything to keep them. No, that wasn't what was putting a severe damper on the mood. Could it maybe have something to do with the majestic wolf they called RainbowChaser? She was gone now, and Numara's brief glimpse of her and the affection Taj showed for her was enough to make her believe that was so. But that couldn't be the only reason, could it? Deep in her thoughts, she almost didn't notice Silvana step forward, and as her keening howl burst fourth Numara tipped her head back as well, joining Taj and Savona in their summoning lament.

She listened solemnly as Silvana spoke, and as she jumped into the air Numara glanced around the clearing. Would she ever see it again? Who would follow Silvana into this pace she called the How? Would any answer their call? But she didn't have to think about that now. Her path was already set. Wherever they go, whatever they do, Numara would be following. Perhaps she would have to be leading as well, she thought as she spied Taj gazing in the sky at Silvana's receding figure. Padding over to where he stood, she curled her tail near his own. "When was the last time you flew, Taj? I don't remember." She spoke in a hushed tone, inviting yet cautious, almost as if treading broken glass. For that was what Taj was, almost, shattered by the disappearance of his beloved more times than Numara knew. "Why don't you come up with us? I feel so free when I'm flying... the air rushing past me and the feel of it pushing up my wings seems to lift my worries away. I want you to share in that feeling. Just come up with me and close your eyes, I'll guide you. Come up and try it. It'll make you feel so much better." She hoped that this journey would cheer him up, because come to think of it... when was the last time she had seen him truly happy? Brushing past him, she glanced over her shoulder and with one last wistful look, leaped into the air, her wings thrumming a beat all their own.

Without risking another backward glance, she fixed her eyes on the wolves already in the sky, waiting for the others to follow. Oh, what she told Taj before was so true! Flying was like no other feeling in the world. Seeing the ground drop away, leaving your cares behind it on the ground and feeling as though you could go anywhere and do anything... how lucky she was to be granted such a precious gift. Climbing on an updraft of warm air, she found herself hoping, very strongly, that Taj would follow.

[Silvana]

Silvana kept her ears flicked back, before slowing her strides to walk beside Savona. She knew Numara was in the air, and could sense Taj's hesitation to follow her. He'd been hurt, no doubt. Peering up at the handsome angel beside her, she spoke quietly.

"I'm worried about Taj, 'Vona." She didn't stop, nor slow, though her voice was very soft, so that only the angel beside her could hear it. "He's been hurt so much by your sister, and now she's left him again, after a taste of affection. She always leaves us when our need is so great, but now... this... it could very well break Taj. He's never been strong." Her gaze sought his, eyes almost tearful. "He won't listen to me. Maybe he'll listen to you."

That said, she glanced over her shoulder to see Taj give his wings an experimental flap, before timidly starting forward with feet firmly planted on the ground. Her gaze returned to Savona then.

"I've never been good with words, Vona. I never wanted to lead a pack, or be anyone of importance. I was perfectly content to stay in the background, without recognition." Again, a gentle look. "Even then I saw you, though, 'Vona. Even then I admired you. But you were ever out of my league. I was going to wait until I could afford more time... more liberty, but I've realized how precious time is, these last few weeks. That, if anything, I can thank RainbowChaser for. She taught me that time is like a thief. So I'm asking you now, without hope, or agenda... be my mate, Savona? Share life with me?"

She stopped now, their strides having led them where they needed to be. Green eyes sought crimson ones, both ears half-mast. "I...if you don't want to, I understand. It won't change anything; not the way I feel for you, or your position in my pack. I... needed to say it."

[ReveriesRiot]

A pair of ancient eyes, colored with copper and swirls of crimson and teal flickered upwards, catching the motion of Silvana, and of the angel Savona, their movements supple and fluid across the ground. The elder did not bother following them; the slight depressed around around the group had led him to believe that they needed to speak privately. Old eagle feather fell from behind his ear into his vision, hindering the images that he saw with dark golds and brilliant brown colors, mixing in with the brilliance of the land the family shard.

His joints popped slightly as he rose, a quiet moan stiffled as he stood for moment. His body was old, regardless of his mentality, and sometimes, he wasn't sure if he would last through the next winter. Thoughts of life without his new family clouded his mind for longer than he wished, and Croix found himself slowly heading after the couple. He ignored Silvana's words to Savona, not wanting to intrude. The weight of past lost and the present currently confused the elder, and being alone was not something he thought a good idea. He came here for company, and he would have it, even if it meant tagging along in a private conversation.

Croix doubted that they would mind his presence. They seemed to understand the importance of having others around, and though alone time was something every individual seemed to cherish, there were time when being alone was just not necessary. Old paws fell softly underneath him, and soon the creaking of his old bones ceased, and his movements became more and more fluid, qu iet, and almost inaudible. His breath was often short and his heart normally burned within his chest, even before meals, but these were things that he learned to accept. Complaining got him nowhere, and would not turn back the clock of aging.

Though the older male kept to himself and was rather nondisclosing, diplomatic at times, he knew his company was appreciated. The word tolerated would be nothing less of a lie. Croix was not tolerated. He was accepted. He might not have allowed the others a chance to get to know him, but that would soon change. Times would prevent mysteries from forming within Forbidden Echoes, as the stresses of the world around them might soon destroy bonds and seemingly tolerated[ individuals.

Besides, Croix was family. He felt no need to isolate himself; there had just been no ample oppurtunity for the wise elder to get to know, or be gotten to known (that sounds.. odd.. I don't know if that's right.. XD) but that would change, with whatever time would allow.

And so, he continued forward, silently following the soon to be couple as they traveled on, his movements gone unnoticed, but not ignored... Soon enough, he began hummng a slight tune, distracting himself from thoughts of dread and the dragging pain he felt towards the lost of his only love. The old man hummed, tuning out the past and ignoring conversation of the present. He simply hummed and traveled on, as he used to do, his eyes now bright with color, dancing with a humility that had been discovered so long ago...



OOC Uhm, I apologize for the crappy post.... It has been awhile since I've written well, anything..

My apologies, darlings.

[Mistress_Unknown]

((And heeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeeessssss DIREAS! Just so you all know, she's half Tainted Rose (Black Rose of Death) and half purple Dragolf. Both species are evil. Her blood is the blood of killers, her heritge is that of demons. Her alligance should be to Cerberus, but she's thinking about rebelling. She needs a push in the right direction.

Her mother was setenced to death after her birth, and now that her mother is pregnant with the replacement, Direas has run off because she knows her mother's about to die.

Direas is still bitter, dangerous, and paranoid. She jsut recently was in the presence of the Light Goddess, Alameda, who healed the deep wound on her face, the only remains is a rather prominant scar.

Her personality is broken, and she's prone to believe any lie wolves tell her. Her mind is about to snap, and she's seriously considering suicide.))

Breath came out like raspy whispers. She gasped as her purple dragon wings dragged along the ground. Raw skin mixed with dirt, causing her to bleed and the venoms running through her veins to leak out in a black and green ooze that was almost clear. The acid burned her skin, causing more blood and venom to pour out.

All this was lost upon her.

How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead
It back home

Her eyes where red from the salt tears that refused to fall. They twitched all the time, at every sound they seemed to go insane. She was consumed by terror; paranoid over everything.

Even the great Alameda wouldn't have anything to do with you.

She choked on her own words as her mental demons tormented her.

(wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I Can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I Can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become

She could see you're a worthless peice of crap.
See? Even those who pretend to help you leave.
You should kill yourself.
That would make everyone happier.

She shook her head, only to find it ached with a headache that comes from not sleeping. Her nightmares continued to keep her from sleep, haunting her with visions of her mother dying and her father being murdered in her own defense.

She whimpered as the pain from her wings swirled with the sorrow caused by her mind.

DO IT!
Find a river.
Or a ditch.
Or an ocean.
Or even a cliff.

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

She gasped as she tried to lift the cramped wings up to a folded position. They were stuck.

No. You're just too weak to life them.
Just like how you were too weak to defend yourself.
You RAN.
And now you're daddy's gonna die in your place.
And your mother.
They're both gonna die because of YOU.

She fell to the ground and clutched her head in her claws and shook it, tearing the skin. "Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP!!!" She screamed. "Alameda said I didn't have to kill myself. She said she could help!" She cried.

wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I Can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I Can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life

She lied.
She doesn't care about you.
No one does.

"No. She's a being of pure Light. She couldn't lie."

Everyone can lie to you.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" She took off running, blindly through the woods. Her wings slammed into tree trunks, and she was sure a bone might broken. She didn't care. She shot into the air, forcing her cramped and under used wings to flap. She screeched in pure pain and found herself falling to earth. She looked up briefly to see another wolf in the air.

She made eye contact with the female, before slamming into the ground with a resounding SMACK.

Frozen inside without your touch without you love
Darling only you are the light among the dead

All of this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought without a voice without a soul
Don't let me die here
There must be something more
Bring me to life

She gasped and stood, she was sure the wolves there were Light beings. Her dark aura curled and twisted around her, in hatred of these beings.

She came to her full height, wings aloft and Rose tail poised to, what it seemed, strike. Surely she would look like a demon.

Good girl.
Make them kill you.
That way, everyone will be appeased.
Alameda would've wanted it this way.

She growled and hissed, falling back down into her small crater. "No! Alameda wanted to help me! I need help! I NEED HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!" She cried out.

(wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I Can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I Can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life

"I WANT TO BE A LIGHT WOLF!"

((There ya go. She's a little more sane then a Direas Alameda dealt with, but she's still messed up.

Don't worry, she'll be a wonderful ally against EW, she just needs help to become a light wolf.

And yes, she knows fully well that'll mean a loss of her wings. She'll let anyone who wants to rip them out. She wants them gone. Along with the Rose Mark on her forehead, she wants that gone to.

So if anyone wants to rip it out of her head, feel free. Just don't do it yet, she won't be able to fight with a big hole in her head and two holes in her back.

Wake me up Inside by Evanesance))

[Caldoor]

Waiting… Numara was waiting. For what? With a startling realization, she knew that she was waiting for Taj to follow. She wanted his companionship… she wanted to help him. She risked a glance down. He was still firmly on the ground, as were the other wolves. Surely this place was too far to walk? All of those wolves were given wings, so why the heck didn’t they wan to use them every waking moment? Ah, well, she decided to take her own advice and spread her wings, letting the air rush through her feathers and ruffle her fur… the feeling of liberation almost made her forget about Taj when she heard a rather large crash from below. Turning her head, she was shocked to see something that was definitely not Taj.

Purple, oozing wings, coupled with an equally sickly looking wolf flitted across her vision before crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Whatever that thing was, it needed help. Inexperienced in the ways of what she once considered “magical” wolves, Numara quickly spotted a sparrow flitting amongst the tree branches. Folding her wings and propelling herself in a steep dive, she judged her distance carefully and nabbed the bird in her jaws, killing it instantly and sending a small puff of feathers drifting down after her.

Going through the large gap in the leaves created by the dragolf’s falling through the branches, Numara landed lightly beside the distressed wolf. Amidst her cries of wishing to be helped, needing to be a light wolf, Numara felt the urge to protectively cover the shivering heap with her wing. However, the blood and ooze coming out of the many wounds in the creature led her to not want to touch it. It might be... infectous. Instead, she nudged the small dead bird close to the purple beast’s muzzle. “Are you hungry?” she prompted. “I think better when I have something to eat… even though it’s not much it was all I could get so quickly.”

Numara settled down beside to obviously distressed being, laying her head down on her paws and peering up at the generally hideous creature. But… underneath all the scars, all the tears, all the hurt… something beautiful was hidden. Numara wanted to get it out. “I’ll be here for you. I may not be very powerful, and I may not be able to help you as much as I want, but I can try to show you someone who can. Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen.” Her silver aura, which was once shying away from the dragolf’s black and decisively evil aura, started to crawl out and explore, dancing around the crumpled body and sometimes daring to pick out spots where the wolf was injured as if trying to soothe her pain. Head leaning on her paws, she waited. Watching the snuffling nose, the heaving sides, the possibly broken wings – and she smiled. Here was someone she could help. All she had to do was… wait.

[Sonata]

((Lyrics- Solitary Shell, DreamTheater. Seemed to fit Taj at the moment.))


As a man he was a danger to himself
Fearful and sad most of the time
He was drifting in and out of sanity
But in every other way he was fine...
--

She had left him. Again. He should have expected it, by now. Really. When had she ever stayed in one place for more than a few days? She would toy with his emotions, flitting in and out, yet always somehow out of his reach. He was still as unworthy, and as unfit, as he had always been.

Wings tensed, stretched. They itched to be used. It would be so easy to throw himself from a cliff. It would end it all. It would fix the darkness inside, just a little. But that would leave Her behind. He couldn't bear to leave Her. Anymore than he could leave RainbowChaser, when she was around. Rainbow was further from his mind now, though. She was there, instead. She could make him smile, even laugh a little. Even now, She waited for him. But he could not go with Her, the skies forever denied him. Were he to go now, he knew, he would not be able to control himself. He had to live, instead of die. For Her. Not himself, but Her.

She looked at him, and he wanted to go with Her. But he could not, and instead followed Silvana and Savona. Huh, funny. Did those two really think fate had not created them for the other? Their names nearly matched, their personalities meshed. They may not have seen it, but Taj did. A slow smile crossed his features. This was replaced with a frown as a scream filtered through the trees. Without waiting, he took off, crimson paws making him a creme/crimson blur.

He wasn't focusing, wasn't thinking. The scream was female. Was it Her? Well, obviously not, because the screams were words, now that he was closer. Help? Help me?

Taj whimpered, just as a brown blur dive-bombed from above, and he dashed forward. Even as She lay down near the Rose creature, he shot closer, pushing her out of the way. "No! Don't let it near you! We must wait for Silvana before doing anything." Blue-green eyes fell on the sparrow, and he shivered before looking at the poor, crazed creature.

"Stay where you are. The Queen of the Dark Angellic shall be here soon. We cannot aid you until then." He paused, reflecting. "My name's Taj. What's yours?" The voice was a rich baritone, meant to soothe. This was the tone he'd used when first meeting Her. Now it was being used to soothe another.

[Caldoor]

((Felt in the mood to write a little blurb about Numara, just passing the time, waitin' for Silvana))

Numara bowed her head and stepped back from the broken dragolf after Taj’s warning, catching a glimpse of the mangled sparrow out of the corner of her eye. It did seem very insignificant and scraggly at the moment, and she had thought it was supposed to help? Brushing it away with a frustrated swipe of her paw, she figured that maybe a fox could carry it away later and enjoy picking out the feathers. But bringing it as a gift for this poor creature was like trying to cure a broken leg with a lick mothers give their pups to make a bruise all better.

Peering at Taj standing protectively in front of her, she sensed that should have really waited for someone that knew what they were doing… she must have really worried the poor guy. But why didn’t he come fly with her? She enjoyed the time they spent together, and she hoped he would have jumped at the chance, as well. I need stop thinking everything is about me! Taj has other obligations, and she shouldn’t be forcing him to baby-sit her every waking moment.

“Sorry…” she apologized. “I don’t know what this creature is, and I should have waited. Sorry to worry you,” she finished as she stepped forward to press her muzzle gently into his fur. However, she was stopped short as he began addressing the creature. Of course no one but Silvana could help it… why was Numara being so impulsive? She hadn’t been looking before she leaped lately, and that was very uncharacteristic of the worrisome wolf. Perhaps someone has been muddling her thoughts lately, she thought coyly as Taj finished addressing the creature, which had not moved from its position despite the arrival of a new “helper.” Seating herself behind the crimson wolf, she decided to take his advice and wait. But, then again, she would probably do anything he said.

[Firewolf]

Sweet little Daniel had survived his first year. Although in a slight lanky stage, Danny looked like the male he was destined to be. He had past the time away from his family in the forests. He practiced his healing skills on the native wildlife and had perfected most of them. He could heal every part of the body except for one; the brain. That blasted organ seemed more complicated then Danny really wanted to learn about.

In his solitude, Danny often thought about his life. The names Keeva, Silvana, Savona, Fire all ran through his mind as he tried to remember something about each of them. Danny had stopped trying to find out who he really was. He was the adopted son of Silvana and he finally felt the need to go home.

The yearling trotted through the forest with a new grace. He no longer tripped over his own feet and Danny was very happy that he could finally run without hurting himself. As he trotted, the young male wondered why he had left in the first place. Oh yeah, that's right. Depression. Everyone in the pack had been so depressed over that RainbowChaser wolf. Danny couldn't cure depression, a fact he didn't like.

He hadn't purposely run away. It was the butterfly. Yes, he was gonna blame it on the butterfly. An orange and black butterfly. It had been so pretty and in his puppy state, could not resist. Then he had gotten lost. But now he wanted back into the pack. Hopefully Silvie wanted him back. He began to travel faster with the scent of the pack.

The first sight of his adopted mother was fabulous. Savona was there and so was Numara and Taj. The evil thing caught him off guard but that did not stop the yearling from making a fool of himself...again.MOM! The butterfly got me lost! Thank goodness I found you again. Is everyone still depressed? I can't heal depression. I didn't mean to leave again... Danny was still a pup in many ways and he was afraid she'd yell at him.