_______________▪¤▪_______________


Source

Yifan|M|Sovereign|Mentions: -

Yifan weaved his way through the dense forest, following the sound that indicated a river nearby. A low branch of a marula tree swung his way, and with a low, frustrated growl, the young sovereign clawed it violently out of his sight. The fragile wood snapped in half, breaking apart at his bloodied paws, and for a moment he simply stared at it. Yifan scowled at the pieces, his usually blank eyes all so suddenly blazing with fury at nothing in particular. Sighing, the male calmed and continued on his way, his ears flattened back as the loud roaring of the waters became louder. Once he reached it, he slumped back at the riverbank, his paws floating limply on the surface as he struggled to clear the stained fur.
Yifan narrowed his eyes at the clear, transparent liquid gently prodding at him, his vision clouding with tears.
There was a reason he had been reluctant to kill the female wolf. And that was because he had to murder the previous sovereign of the pack, a sovereign that had protected him from the harsh cruelties of the disease when it had struck and vanished, taking Yifan's parents with it.
He remembered hesitating before killing the infected wolf, the way he hesitated in killing... Her.
Mother nature left them with no choices.
Yifan finished his short wash, gazing at his broken reflection on the rippling river. The sovereign stood and left behind the faint traces of the maroon substance floating in whisps among the beautiful waters.
He's breathing and alive and had a pack to give duties.
_______________▪¤▪_______________

kiyoshi | male | reaper

location ; outside of the reapers den| mentions ; runa, hyuna.

his black ears flicked at her joke, opening his scarred maw to respond. "there's no law regarding speaking, but that's what I remember. I'm not too sure." he answered as his tail flicked as a nervous habit. it wasn't that it wasn't funny, but kiyoshi didn't understand other's humor very much. listening to her gratefulness and her comment on the rabbit did make the corners of his lips twitch, but a smile still hadn't formed. "don't be afraid to get your paws dirty. it'd hell to get them clean again yes, but it's all worth it in the end." he advised the female, after she grabbed the leg of the hare. he lowered his head downward to let his teeth sink into the hunches of the rabbit, pulling out the back leg to tear it off. he slowly lowered his body down to let his stomach touch the earth beneath him, releasing the hunches to go for a bite. he paused to make the hyuna comment, but listening to the two speak to each other he felt a small sigh escape. at least it wasn't anything too violent or harmful. he was almost similar to a girl he knew, not quite remembering her name, but she was crazy on strength; both mentally and physically. kiyoshi sank his yellow, sharp teeth down onto the meat, pulling out a chunk to eat. his ears flicked up at the yifan comment runa made, and swallowed a piece of the hare he had. "I understand him. I may not be a leader, but I understand the feeling of being dependant on. it's a lot of stress for on wolf." he spoke up on yifan's behalf, "he's a grumpy old man, but he's doing his best. with the disease gone, a pack of many mouths, and trying to lead these wolves onto a good path. it can take a toll on a wolf." he spoke out calmly, holding sympathy for the leader. he lowered his head down to chew onto another chunk of a hare. letting any comments out if there was one. "we take yifan for granted, to be honest. okami was talking about sharing gratitude such as a surprise party, but I told her yifan wouldn't enjoy something so big." he commented finally, eating more of the hare hunch as a sign that he stopped talking. allowing runa to speak up on anything she had in mind. he chewed off the food of the hare and placed it to the side, knowing okami would love for a lucky rabbit's foot in her collection of many things.

don't worry bout it blaze!//

Kismet | 20 Years | Female | Combatant | White and Cream Pelt
Location: Camp | Mentions: [Indirect] Yifan, Magnus

Kismet was slow to rise. Not an unusual occurrence for the wintry pelted lass. She lay sprawled in confidence upon a place of her choosing, her body twisting in such a manner that brought about the reminiscence of a lounging queen. Her attention seemed impaired, drooping eyelids and slowed breathing, but the prominent position of her ears was a solid give away that the she-wolf was actively picking apart her surroundings, her attention focused upon the piece of territory that had dropped into sudden silence. Not even a bird dared to titter or begin a morning melody.

The silence was enough to stir the lass from her prone position. She shook the twigs from her dense pelage, unnervingly gilded eyes beginning to scour the space in a way her ears failed to. Some of her pack were lost in conversation, which received a pleasant hum from the she-wolf. That hum soon died with the wayward scent of the sovereign and an infiltrator. She assumed the infiltrator had left earlier that morning to do... whatever it was they did within the canopied forest. She briefly wondered if that same infiltrator— Magnus, an earth hued male — was the reason behind the silence. She didn’t let the thought soothe her worries. A cautious wolf was a smart wolf.

So she let a smile brighten her features, slight and casual, as she tried to find a place to put herself. She strolled towards the junction of wolves loosely, her head lifted in a limned depiction of comfort and grace. It appeared as if someone had already hunted, if the scent of fresh blood from a hare was of any indication. Her nose twitched, a sudden stab of hunger distracting her. She wanted to hunt, but the unnerving silence from earlier made her hesitant. She could defend herself, without a doubt, but what if it were something worse than some other predator... The thought made her nestle unto her haunches once more, to wait until one of wayward wolves returned from the forest with some note of confidence or a telltale sign that not all was well. Until then, she let her eyes unabashedly study her pack mates as if she wasn't already acquainted with their appearances.

__________《♤》__________


Source

Hyuna|F|Combatant|Mentions: Magnus

Hyuna pricked her ears forward at the sound of a new voice and was roused from her snooze. The combatant shuffled to her feet, blinking slowly in confusion before casting a sleepy gaze at the infiltrator who had so suddenly intruded into the hushed conversations of the pack. At first, she could only hear his voice and the sound of his exhausted breathing, and as her mind cleared from it's half-asleep haze, she heard his words.
The disease is back.
Hyuna was tugged harshly from her state once the realization of the male's words dawned on her, enclosing her in a suffocating grip. Panic came to her in strong tremors that shook her uncontrollably, and she stared at Magnus in disbelief, her jaw slack in what you could call a comical expression if it weren't for the fear in her usually so carefree eyes. The cave was dim with silence, and Hyuna spoke softly, a nervous laugh forced from her constricting throat. She felt like she was choking.
"Don't joke about that, Magnus!" The female's words escalated to a yelp as she tried to convince herself that he was either lying or kidding with them. "I mean, I do like pranks but that's kinds scary... Right, guys?" She looked around frantically, an eery grin plastered on her expression.

__________《♤》__________

kiyoshi & aka | male & female | reaper & caretaker

location ; somewhere in camp| mentions ; magnus.

the heavy and rapid footsteps caught kiyoshi's attention, for a moment he believed it was a rabbit. his questions were answered as the scent of magnus filled his nostrils, but along with him was the stench he believed he forgotten. listening to the wolf speak caused the hairs of his neck to rise as the blood in his vaines turned to ice. his dull olive eyed stared at the wolf with confusion and anger. his black lips curled into a snarl as he rose onto his large paws. approaching the wolf, "you better not be telling lies, if I find out tou are, your throat will be under my teeth fastet than you can speak." he threatened the wolf, as his eyes narrowed down intk thin slits. kiyoshi wasn't going to let any type of joke slide, at least nothing so serious as the disease. a deep growl rumbled in his throat before he was pushed back against his paws. there between the wolves was pure white female. though her paws were dirty, her pink nose and dull pink eyes struck out most. "no, kiyoshi-san. no bite." she growled at the reaper, who only stared down the albino wolf. aka held a very thick japanese accent, often letting out small slang from her homeland escape. she turned away from the reaper and approached the wolf, rasping her tongue over the wolf's head. "ganbatte, magnus-san, ganbatte." (ganbatte = cheer up, be courageous, do your best.) she murmured to the cream pelted wolf, lowering down to her hunches as she tried to calm the wolf down for a moment. "no more wolf sick, yes? only ichi, magnus-san?" she questioned, hoping it was only that last diseased wolf. kiyoshi let a deep growl at the caretaker, "you're interfering, aka-" he was cut off by a quick snarl from the albino wolf. aka knew kiyoshi knew better than to use fear to get his answers. aka let her lips fall back into a frown, her pink eyes holding disapointment in the reaper. she turned her head towards the wolf, giving him a comforting lick on the top of his head once more. "ganbatte."

| |Leora/Echo|Female/Male|Combatant/Infiltrator ||
| |Location: camp|Mentions: (i) Magnus, Aspen, Everest (d) each other| |

◦◦◦

| | Everest/Aspen|Female/Male|Rookies ||
| | Location: just outside camp/in camp|Mentions: each other, (i) Echo, Leora | |

◦◦◦

_______________▪¤▪_______________


Source

Yifan|M|Sovereign|Mentions: Aspen, Everest, (Indirectly) Everyone

Yifan inhaled deeply, his broad chest rising and falling like the ocean tides he had once sighted as a pup. He was just outside the campsite, his dark fur standing out from the lush, healthy green of the shrubbery he was near. Everything was peaceful. The clouds that rolled lazily across the vast sea of deep blue, and just below it, the faintest trace of the tallest pine trees poked at the skyline. The smaller critters that peeked out from their homes stared at the still sovereign curiously, his musky, eucalyptus scent overpowering that of the natural crisp ones of the forest. He looked... Unnerved, to say the least. Yifan sighed softly, hesitating once again. He kept glancing at the ridge that bordered the main territory, steep with crumbling rocks that occasionally broke and slid down with a sharp noise. Yifan was used to do this, and yet the sound kept surprising him due to the immense amount of focus he put into thinking.
What are you doing Yifan? Give them orders like you always do! Assure them that everything is under control!
What are you doing?
If the tall canine were to be honest, he didn't know what he was doing or what he was going to do in order to prevent the infection from reaching them.
For the first time, Yifan came up blank. For the first time, everything was not in his control.
The leader closed his eyes and trudged forward, forcing his gait to be confident. He tensed his posture and crouched low before leaping strongly to the top of the small hill in one smooth, fluid motion that held the remaining power he had. Once he made it, he took the time to scrutinize the campsite, just to make sure everything had not erupted in chaos from Magnus' words. Satisfied with the outlook, he reluctantly made his way down, his long tail bristling tensely behind him. He caught sight of their two only rookies first- The twins, Aspen and Everest, approaching their usual napping spot. Swallowing, the sovereign trotted after them, remembering that they had snuck off the day before.
A cold expression that he was used to wearing settled over his face.
"You two," Yifan snapped, flicking a tail in front of the twins to halt their pace. His tone was stern and reprimanding as he stared down at the smaller wolves. "Rookies shouldn't sneak off like that, you would learn better with adult supervision. Or at least take one of the combatants to monitor you two. Who knows what might happen outside?" A growl laced his words, escaping his patched mouth despite his generally calm behavior. Although Yifan was used to their sneaky techniques to slip off from his vision, today was not the day for him to endure their troublemaking ways. No, not with what he had witnessed earlier. With one last, low snarl, the sovereign left them alone, instead heading towards the large cave just by the twins' napping spot.
The combatants' cave. It had been intended for the warriors, hence it's obvious name, but alot of other ranks tend to visit it to take a short snooze, a rest, or even sleeping overnight with the young warriors, as it was warmest there. He pushed through the vines that hung from the entrance, and was met with the sight of a seething Kiyoshi, and unsurprisingly, Aka who clung to Magnus.
"What happened here?" His already baritone voice sounded gravelly, hoarse and tired, but rang out clearly across to the wolves.
_______________▪¤▪_______________

Fell | Male | Combatant | Mentions: Magnus, Yifan, Kiyoshi [D], Everyone at Camp [ID]

Fell had zoned out from the conversation around him, only vaguely aware of the differences in voices between Hyuna’s chattering and Kiyoshi’s gruff speech.

He heard the frantic pawsteps of Magnus before he picked up the scent, and he kept his one good eye trained on the opening where the noise was coming from. He didn’t move - aside from his ears, which were pricked attentively, twitching to the side every time they picked up some unknown, far-off sound. Something was wrong.

He padded a forward a couple paces to meet Magnus as he came bursting into the cave, a fearful expression on his face that was unusual for the staunch Infiltrator. Fell hadn’t seen this kind of panic since… since the Disease. As soon as Magnus had said the word his heart dropped to his stomach. Accusations started flying, implying Magnus was playing some sort of sick prank. Fell wished he could believe them, but looking at the usually cocky, bravado-filled male now - breathless and dismayed - he didn’t see it as a possibility. “I don’t think he’s lying,” he said solemnly, more to himself than those around him.

He could feel his racing thoughts beginning to take over his body, and the all-too-familiar tightness rising in his chest, but he closed his eyes, taking in a long breath. ’No,’ he told himself, ’not now.” He needed to keep his composure. He kept his eyes closed until he could feel his swirling thoughts unfurl into a more rational, coherent plan - always coming back to the same, important point: ensure the safety of the pack first.

When his eyes opened again he was greeted with the sight of a snarling Aka driving off Kiyoshi, who looked more than displeased with Magnus. She handled him well, but Fell still gave a low growl in warning. “Enough. I think we can trust that everyone in this pack is reasonable enough to not joke about something so sensitive.” He turned his attention to Magnus. “Is Yifan alright?”

As if to answer his question, the familiar black figure of their Sovereign pushed through into the den only moments after the words had left his mouth. The exhaustion in the leader’s voice further added to Fell’s dismay, seemingly confirming his suspicions that Magnus had been telling the truth. Still, he felt that they could use a confirmation from Yifan to quell the accusations. “Magnus just told us that the Disease is back,” he replied, “is it true?”

_______________▪¤▪_______________


Source

Yifan|M|Sovereign|Mentions: Fell, Hyuna, Everyone

Yifan turned an unreadable gaze towards Fell's direction, his heart pounding against his ribcage. Suddenly, all he could see was a black void, filled with their pleads. The whimpering noises blocked out all other sounds, from the softest squeak of a newborn pup to the screams of terror as an ally fell victim to the virus that plagued them all, drumming against his sensitive ears in an unharmonious, unnerving rhythm. A flashback of memories came to life before his unblinking eyes, and a silver female stood before him instead of his pack, her claws sheathed as she defended another victim of the virus... Their own leader.
'Yifan... Yifan please don't... She's our sovereign! You can't betray her. Not even if she's infected, dont kill her you traitor-'
'I'm sorry,' The black wolf murmured. "I'm sorry, J-'
"Hello! Earth to Mr. Sovereign!" A loud, sarcastic voice interrupted the floating memories, rising him from his dream-like state. The sovereign flashed a warning look at Hyuna, the combatant who had humiliated him just then, but she didn't seem to be bothered by his scorching glare. Instead, she lashed her tail and prompted him to answer Fell's question.
Yifan shook the remaining hints of the memories from his head when it began to close on him again. He didn't need to be bothered by it. He needed to be strong. He was strong.
It was in the past, get over it.
"Yes, the unnamed disease has returned." The leader clarified calmly to his pack, watching as a ripple of shock crossed the crowd of curious wolves. His voice weakened with each word that left his pursed mouth. "We'll need to enforce the original rules in order to ensure our safety. The infiltrators will be assigned on a mission to scout the territory for any other sign of a wolf that had been infected today. Report back to me. From now on, the combatants will only be hunting or going out in pairs or groups of three. Rookies will not be allowed to leave if they are not in the company of a group of adults. If ever there are any pups to be born in this state of the forest, or any female that happens to be pregnant, you will protect them at the cost of your life. Do not defy any of these rules," The male's voice lowered to a threatening snarl as he cast an intimidating stare over the others. "Unless you want to meet your death." There was venom on the last word, and he spat it out harshly as if to emphasize the terror of dying.
Stepping back, the sovereign avoided the eyes trained on him. He never knew he'd act this terrible, but it was necessary so that there will be no rebellion.
"This pack survived the disease last time under the reign of the former sovereign, and we'll survive it again."
_______________▪¤▪_______________

Kismet | 20 Years | Female | Combatant | White and Cream Pelt
Location: Camp | Mentions: Magnus, Yifan, Gathered Pack

Kismet was close enough to hear the news, the warning that came from the fleet-footed wraith of a wolf. The disease has returned. Kismet wished she could have been surprised, share the shock of her pack. It’s not like she knew it would rear it’s ugly head again, not definitively. She just knew better than to hope aimlessly. They had been at peace for far too long for something to not happen. An icy chill settled into her marrow. Halting and slowing her anxiety rather than ridding of it completely.

The pale she-wolf rose onto steady paws and moved closer to her pack, unsure of how to console them, reassure them that they will get through this like they had before. How she wouldn’t allow for anything less.

With the appearance of Yifan to shut down any fight the wild accusations might have caused, she flittered forward to listen, velveteen ears high upon the crown of her head. She was watching him closely, listening to the weakening of his voice before the venom slipped in. She let her disapproval swirl within her smokey, whirling amber eyes, the scorching hues focused entirely upon the lead male.

She let his warning sink in before she lifted her own firm voice, keeping it calm and as smooth as possible, a lullaby to push back at the frightening storm that loomed, the death-song that brushed through the trees like a phantom’s caress. “Do your best to stay calm. We will not let this disease split this pack apart. We have come too far. We are strong, and we are healthy.” She let her eyes dart from each wolf that might have turned to listen. “If you need to talk, I will listen. If you must hunt those nerves away, I will follow. We are a pack, and we will act like it.”

She had seen too many instances where fearful wolves split apart entire packs built on trust and strength of community. She would not let that feeling fester and grow. Fear itself was a disease if not treated.

Magnus | Male | Infiltrator | Location: Camp | Mentions: All

The male did not react negatively to Kiyoshi's snarls, he was known to joke. But not about this. This- this was just too terrible. Though he did not rise to Kiyoshi's accusatory challenge, he did not submit, either. His steady eyes held those of the opposing male, the former's glare blazing with anger. But Magnus took a wild guess that this anger was the fearful kind. The anger borne of a sense of a horrifying loss of control, a feeling that the safety net has been ripped away, and the acrobats just might fall. The kind that causes a trapped animal to lash out and fight with its last breaths. The kind that pushes a mother to die for her newborn cubs. Instead, the earthen wolf simply shook his broad head, his breath returning to him. "I would never joke about something so serious." He took Aka's comforting licks and soft, incomprehensible words in stride, allowing her to assist him. He knew that sometimes, helping others often helped oneself.

As Aka doted on him and the rest of his pack muttered similar questions, some looking to Magnus for clarification that this was not, in fact, some twisted joke. Others sought out Yifan, and a palpable wave of distress seemed to encompass the pack. He didn't like this any more than the others, but you can't shoot the messenger. When Yifan appeared, as dark and sweeping as ever, Magnus stood up, gently nuzzling Aka in thanks for her kindness. After that soft motion, however, the earthen hued brute stood rigid, ready to accept orders. At the weakening in Yifan's voice a single cocoa ear flickered back momentarily, was the leader faltering? Was the sovereign strong enough to handle this again?

But when that venom trickled back into Yifan's voice, the steady brute was comforted, if only slightly. Yifan would guide them through this. At his last words Magnus once again felt that mild wave of doubt rise up his throat, choking him. That wriggling worm of doubt twisted in his deep, broad chest. Those were bold words. Very bold. There was a small chance that the disease could be isolated this time around, affecting wolves who were already weakened, sick, old, at the end of their time on this plane. But the wolf found through experience with this disease, blind hope was a fool's salvation. He was an optimist, oh yes, and hope had carried him quite far, but Magnus was very careful to never wish for something that could never be.

That writhing insect borne of doubt never showed itself on Magnus' face, he retained his stony facade, listening closely to Yifan's words, even if they were a tad brash. He simply waited, unwavering gaze fixed on the dark figure of his sovereign, ready to leap into action at any given moment.

Maculoses | Female | Herbalist | Location: Camp | Mentions: All

The snow and slate lass lay quietly by herself, eyes half closed, as if the effort of simply looking was too much. And perhaps it was. Her muscles ached, her jaw hurt, her teeth stung with a dull, constant pang of pain. She hated her seizures. Worst of all, she'd received no vision. Just... darkness. A velvety darkness and a dull buzzing. She cautiously opened her maw, shifting her pained jaw side to side as it cracked and popped in protest. Mac pushed those grey eyes open all the way, taking in the darkness of her den, that soft comfort. Then she vomited. It came on suddenly, with a fearful vengeance. With a single lurch everything she'd eaten in the past few hours, insects, some leaves, even some meat from a small rodent she'd managed to hunt, was on the ground. She groaned.

The dull hum of voices outside caught Mac's attention as she settled her tongue, that acidic taste still strong in her mouth, that scent of sick rising to strangle her with every breath. The noises seemed important, especially when the silvery wolf detected the strong baritone of Yifan. Still not trusting her legs, but forcing herself up regardless, Mac rose quite like a puppy first learning to walk would. With small, short, unsteady steps, she made her way far enough to poke her head from the den and listen in with perked ears. Her trembling body remained hidden by solid earth, but those sharp little ears and her angled muzzle were clearly visible.

At the first few words, sickness rose once again in Mac's mouth. But for a different reason. The disease was back? How? That nerdy, wonderful little brain that lived in Mac's domed head sprung into life, dragging itself out of its seizure- induced haze. Curiosity gnawed at her, and she debated with herself. Did she trust her voice enough to hold its strength? Her seizures had always been something she'd tried to keep on the down low. If her voice came out weak or scratchy, or worse, didn't come at all, Mac might be suspect of carrying the disease. Taking a deep breath and clearing her vomit- stung throat, Mac proposed her question:

"Are you sure it's the same disease?"

Khalida | 21 Years Old | Female | Combatant
Location: Camp | Mentions: Kismet, Yifan, Gathered Pack

Crouched in the shadows, hidden amber eyes watched the proceedings with an unholy intensity. 'So it is true, then. The disease is back.' A snarl peeled her lips, exposing gleaming incisors. Dammit, she had hoped the pestilence had halted in entirety, but perhaps that was simply too much to ask for. Now, anyone could be contaminated; anyone could die with only a moment's notice. The question was: who? Who would be next to succumb to the plague? Would it be her? No, no. Of course it wouldn't be her. She would never be so stupid as to allow herself to get infected.

Steps slow and methodical, Khalida rose from the darkness, advancing towards the general center of the commotion. Her head turned towards the sovereign, listening to his words with only half an ear, the other twisted as to determine the reaction of the crowd. It was as she expected: shock, curiosity, fear. She... could work with this.

Moving closer to the white and cream form of Kismet, a fellow combatant, Khalida raised her head high, nodding respectfully in the pale-coated female's direction. Posture straight and regal, she looked every bit the amalgamation of elegance and poise personified. "Yes, it will do us no good to panic," she agreed, dipping her skull ever-so-slightly, turning heavy-lidded eyes to each of her packmates in turn. "I will gladly offer my services to a hunting party if so needed. Heaven knows we will need the nourishment if the disease truly runs rampant once more."