WELCOME TO SM

[Dark]

Naked trees surrounded the Crimson Valley Beta as he wandered. The sun was gone, but everything glowed with the brightness and purity of the freshly fallen snow. The flurries had stopped for the moment, though a wind reminded Dark that they would return soon. The brute sighed. He had just spent the last few days searching the borders, but no one was there. He felt Crimson Valley was beginning to dwindle in numbers.

The black Beta exhaled heavily and watched his breath dance in circles before it broke apart and left him alone. He wished to see Jeita again. He hadn't seen her since they parted ways the morning after their long awaited union. Dark missed her, but was holding together quite well, despite having split with Rika and lost his daughter. Aneyu was old enough now, however, that he trusted in her ability to reason and come home when she was ready. He did not know that he would have to fight for her return in the coming weeks.

A change had come over the younger Novias since the social meeting, but he was enjoying it. He no longer felt quite so insecure. Instead, he replaced the time he would have spent mourning over the loss of his family watching over the pack and its borders. He hadn't socialized with anyone in a while, though, and was beginning to feel a bit lonely. Dark thought it strange that he actually didn't mind being around others anymore. Perhaps it came with his rank or with the love he felt for his little family- one that would soon expand by a great deal, though he was unaware of this fact. Dark, for the first time, felt up to the responsibility of protecting the pack and watching over the lands. He was confident in his ability to stay strong in times of sorrow now. Before, the Novias would have secluded himself and been an emotional wreck. He liked the new Dark.

Pale eyes began to focus once more and Dark realized that he had found the pond that had seemed impossible to find before. He'd been told that the forest was home to one, but never really believed it, as it had been nearly invisible before. The wolf grinned. It seemed rather symbolic that he should find what he had long been searching for when he was not, in fact, searching for it. The black brute sat at the edge and pawed at the ice, sweeping the dusting of snow off its surface.

This moment felt right and Dark felt more good would come from it if he simply sat and waited.

[Felthenine]

Felthenine’s mood had become rather dark as of late, she was feeling grumpy, another autumn had gone by and she was still with out a mate, with out young and with out love or family in her life. Not only that but her pack was about as bonded as the snow flakes were to the clouds right now, she looked up through the scattering of trees above her, she was fed up of the purity of the fluffy snow. Grumbling she turned, walking into the darkness, she knew the forest well, but it always held surprises for her. The surprise this time certainly wasn’t an unwelcome one. She caught the scent of her rather peculiar beta, it really was a bizarre life he lead. He was desperate for his love back, then they decided it wasn’t right, then his daughter disappeared and not long ago he disappeared from the pack land for a while too. She had found his scent crossing the boarders, but she didn’t pursue him, she felt that he could be trusted not to go organising an invasion or something silly.

When she finally found him after following his roaming scent she saw him sat by the pond, now frozen over for the rest of winter until the thaw. Plodding up beside him she sat with him and looked up at the opening through the trees a moment before looking at him, she had before thought about giving him the rank of alpha, but, she decided at the social meeting, his life was just a bit too off the rails, he could still have a chance at it but that all depended if he had finally pulled himself and his life back together and was ready for a new beginning.

“Hello Dark, it’s good to see you again, how are you?” She started, unsure of how delicately she should be treating him, though, he didn’t exactly look like he was incredibly unhappy, so she gave him a smile. “You’re looking well!” She did hope he was, she was starting to get a little tired of this job on her own, even though there wasn’t much happening she still felt like everything was relying on her, she felt she had to share the responsibilities. Not only that, but she felt like chasing her old ways again, that and the boys. She looked back toward the pond with a cheeky smile on her face, she couldn’t wait, there was nothing like snagging males all over the place to fill a day full of fun. But, for now serious business, she would check how he was doing before she sprung her proposition on him.

[Dark]

Black lips pulled upward in a grin as the Crimson Valley Alphess approached the Beta. Dark offered the she-wolf a subtle nod of the head, inviting her closer to him. He couldn't exactly read the expression on the female's face. She offered him a smile, but she was giving off a vibe of being slightly frustrated. The brute decided he would ask about it if the appropriate time came about. For now, however, he would simply greet his superior and answer her question before she thought he'd gone completely daft.

"Hey, Felth," the Beta offered sheepishly. He wasn't sure if the greeting was a bit too casual, but somehow, he didn't think Felthenine would mind too much. "I'm actually doing well given the circumstances. I'm not on the ground blubbering like an idiot this time, which is a plus." Dark chuckled, recalling his rather embarrassing meeting with the Alphess back in the denning area quite a long time ago.

“You’re looking well!” This was good. Perhaps she was seeing the change he felt so strongly. "I feel much better... I took care of the things that needed taking care of and I think life might be turning around. It's a good feeling. But anyway, how have you been? I've been on borderwatch for a bit so I haven't been in the packlands a whole lot. There seems to be a lot of tension, but from where, I'm not sure." With that, the dark Beta cocked his head to the side, muzzle lowering slightly as he realized that he had rambled a bit. But lack of socialization was beginning to take a slight toll on him. It had been a while since he'd last had a conversation with anyone but himself...or the occasional creature that crossed his path, though they never spoke back at him.

Times were changing, though, and Dark knew that his duty was clearly laid out before him. He had to protect his pack, his family, and the small bit of dignity he had left. Perhaps he had made a bit of a fool of himself at the last meeting by attending to personal business, but he hadn't felt he had much of a choice at the time. So many things had changed already, and Dark had unknowingly thrown himself into a dangerous plot that would soon unfold. He would become a father for the second time- this time to a much larger litter, though first he would have to fight for the freedom of his packlands, his daughter, and the mother of his latest litter, Jeita Tenauri. So much would happen and Dark could never know that the clock was ticking its way toward disaster.

[Felthenine]

Felth sighed in relief when Dark stated that it was all going well so far, this was good, she needed some time off after all, so long as he wasn’t a mess as he was before, she could see that he would be just right for the position… well, there was always the issue of physical strength and battle expertise, but that could be easily tested. “I’m glad you’re doing so well. I’m not doing too bad myself I guess, but, that does lead me to a proposition for you.” She paused a moment, staring at the frozen pond, she would have to ponder this well, or it might sound a bit desperate.
“You see Dark, it’s all well and good me leading this pack on my own, I can do it by myself, but it doesn’t leave me anytime for myself… I feel my life is running away from me these days and I’m not getting any younger.” She smiled, pups were on her mind really, she had become very lonely, no mate, no family, no young of her own, no one she could really call friends or allies, she had lead herself down this lonely road but now she wanted to take the next turn off and gain back some of her lost time and use it better than she had done. “I would be greatly pleased if you would step up beside me Dark, as Alpha male and help me lead this pack to a brighter future and gain back its lost strength.”

She let it sink in and pondered how she could test his battle prowess, the only way really was to actually enter combat with him, but she wouldn’t just pounce on him. “However, I would ask that you can prove to me that you could keep the rank if you were challenged… I’m sure you know what that means.” Felth grinned at him, but decided to let him decide when they would start, or even if, though she was fairly certain he wouldn’t turn the offer down, she didn’t know anyone else so dedicated to the pack, perhaps excluding herself… well, these days she was feeling a bit under the weather, she didn’t get a lot back despite giving so much and she was feeling a bit under appreciated, but hopefully she could gain some of her old life back.

[Dark]

Dark Novias was looked down upon for the majority of his life. His father had always shamed the way he adored solitude. His mother scorned the way that he felt every wolf needed to fend for itself. Sebastian walked all over him because he was the mighty first born and Dark would always only be second best. Dyre left him for this very reason, going off with Sebastian to "become something" because, apparently, Dark never would.

Given these circumstances, Dark Novias was not always the most pleasant, nor joyous of creatures. He found his way by chance into the Crimson Valley pack where he sat back, feeling a bit unnecessary. After all that had happened with the great destruction caused by the two-legged murderers, it came as a huge surprise that he, of all wolves, was appointed Beta. Dark never expected to advance any further in the ranks, nor had he ever suspected that he would one day be second in command.

So, when Felthenine sprang forth her proposition, the first thing Dark Novias' brain told him to do was burst out laughing...so he did. The black brute let out a cry of hysterics, trembling with the force of the laughter pouring from his widely open muzzle. It wasn't for a few moments that he was able to compose himself enough to look the Alphess in the eye. She wasn't joking.

Pale eyes widened in complete shock as the Beta shook his head in disbelief. "You would actually....me...I....wow..." The wolf had no idea how to reply. Of course he would step up beside such a noble she-wolf. There was nothing he would love more than to watch his pack thrive and grow back to its original state. But how the hell was he supposed to put that into words when his brain had turned to mush?

"Felthenine... I...would be greatly honored," The Novias managed, listening to the last bit of his superior's request and returning her grin, though the look was almost apologetic for having laughed at the seriousness of her proposal. "Of course," was all the brute breathed before springing into action. He might as well prove himself now rather than later.

Hoping for the element of surprise, the black wolf lunged, diving low as his right forepaw hooked at the female's front legs. He was aiming to knock her off her feet if his swat caught and pulled Felthenine's front legs out from under her. With her on the ground, Dark could have a clear advantage, though he'd learned from his spar with her before that she was quite skilled and obviously experienced.


|ooc|Sorry for so much rambling. My brain is all over the place.

[Felthenine]

Her rich eyes watched him with a rather sly look, tense and ready for action, she was well warmed up from getting here in the first place. Her life had revolved around fighting, but rarely was it so casual as the fact she was still sat down. Although he hadn’t even answered yes or no to her rather tremendous decision she had just thrown at him. However huge this decision was, she in no way expected the hysterics that suddenly cracked the air. She jumped and looked surprised at first, then, as it went on an eyebrow raised up that looked like she was scolding a pup for doing something a little bit daft. However, she wasn’t with out a glint of amusement in her own eyes, more at the rather absurd laughter coming from a wolf she last saw in the depths of family turmoil.

When he realised she was serious and retrieved his voice, she nodded, she could see he probably wasn’t expecting it, after all, he hadn’t long been beta considering his age. “Yes, you, there isn’t a better male for the job in this pack.” She smiled as after a while of what looked like working out what to say, he accepted. Felth couldn’t express how relieved she was to have some of the weight off her shoulders. Barely a night went by with out the nagging worry that she was doing the wrong thing, that the pack was going to fail or that she could do so much more to help the pack. Now she could share the burden and get a life!

She didn’t have much time to revel in her relief however as he quickly jumped to the battle, it was a bit of a sneaky move but it showed he was thinking about what he was doing. Felth reacted fast, but not quite fast enough as he hooked a paw round her front legs and whipped them out from under her. Rather than trying to save herself directly she shoved herself forward with her back legs to try and ram her chest into him, balancing herself and pushing her weight into him to knock him down. They were quite closely matched, she was a little smaller however, in height and length rather than general bulk, it would certainly be a battle of wits and experience rather than size and strength. However she was confident enough to even divert a little bit of attention to comment cheekily "I don't mind rough, don't feel you have to go easy on me." She laughed in her taunting way focusing down on putting him on the floor, even going for a ruff grab to pull as well as push him where she wanted him to go.

OOC: ugh, terrible, sorry it’s late night for me XD