2. Venandi factio 3
Domus Bellatorum
House of Warriors
Following the path it winds and whirls, circling all over. The once loud calls of life were now gone, restoring the Forest to its natural, eerie silence. The wind brushed, the trees danced, and your paranoia grew. Eventually, you're met with a fork in the path. You crane your head, nostrils flaring as you catch a whiff of the separate paths.
Your brows furrow. Too many scents to decipher. After a subtle shake to release the anxiety from your body, you continue forward to your right. The path only wears more, obvious of its continuous use, and the feeling of eyes reappears.
A stretch of trees round about a large stone entrance that descends into a dim cave. You're a few body paces away and eye it. Do you sneak in? Discover as much as you can of this oddly located 'pack.' Not that you were too sure it *was* a pack. The only live soul you've seen with your own eyes is Onaya and she's not exactly warm company.
The wind howls, brushing past your body and forcing you a step forward. You blink. Decision made.
You descend the uneven Earth. You pause, glancing back at the pour of sunlight which you know will only disappear soon enough. You sigh, wishing yourself well, and continue. Water trickles down from the rocks above you, causing ripples and raindrop noises to echo. Your ears pivot and flick, fur on edge, and your eyes flick around to take in the dimming area
True to your clumsy nature your front paw slides out from under you. Damn wet floors! You yelp, listening to your voice howl and echo off the stone walls as you blindly tumble and scramble for something to grab. Wildly flailing your limbs, you bump, crash, and slide down the layers of rock, coated moss, and dragged in foliage until sunlight resurfaces and shines through a few patches in the roof-work.
Just as strangely magical as Onaya's cave, the rocks rise in formation, reaching upward towards the sunroof. A small pool of cave water lays tame, reflecting the beauty before you, and the scattered bodies of snarling or cowering wolves.
You stumble up, swallowing your weak winces of agony, and manage to fumble into the shallow waters, creating ripples that morph the faces of the stranger wolves into hideous beasts. You heave, heart racing once more, and you cower slightly. Your tail and lower stomach become wet with cave water as your lips curl back to a defensive snarl as the onlookers glare and bark in alert.
Eventually, the tension simmers. Slightly. A wolf approaches - causing eyes to fall onto them instead of you - and the water ripples once more as the wolf, who previously was standing firmly atop the rocks, leaps down and makes a small splash. The wolf, eyes pale and deep all at once, stares at you, reflecting your fear and reflecting simple emptiness.
You shudder. The wolf speaks.
"You made quite the entrance," the wolf murmurs, his voice honey-soaked, "do you have a knack for being clumsy?" The wolf blinks, motioning downward to your bandaged body. Your head lowers, bashful.
A wolf from ahead scoffs, licking at their curled lips. The wolf in front of you emits a low growl to instinctively silence the others. Seems you've found the leader of this group. "Don't mind them, we're naturally wary."The wolf clears his throat. "I'm Tahoma," the wolf introduces, tail beginning to wag, "Welcome to the Taqiqq Yolotl Pack."
The Taqiqq Yolotl pack. Woah. You glance past Tahoma, staring and trying to count. Of course, you're interrupted by the sound of paws thumping rhythmically against the Earth and heavy panting as a group from behind you closes in. You instinctively stumble forward, spinning on your paws, and the sudden movement was enough of a stimulus for two wolves - pale-furred and pale-eyed - to rush you and wrestle you onto your flank. Tahoma doesn't budge.
The noisy group finally makes its awaited appearance, a dark-gray-furred wolf walking in with their head held the highest. Tahoma moves forward, lowering his body and submissively licking at the wolf's jaw to appease and welcome their arrival. <.
The wolf takes no time in waiting to ask questions. Immediately, once spotting you, they shuffle forward. It's then that you begin to notice (with the help of sunlight) the gray furs sprouting out sporadically on the wolf's face and scruff. Icy eyes glare down at you. Arrogance, authority, and wisdom practically seep from them as their aura chokes you.
The wolf sneers down at you then turns their attention to the two wolves pinning you.
The wolf's lip rises to a low, commanding snarl. "Kayaani. Awanata." The two wolves - Kayaani and Awanata - flinch at the sound of their names slipping from the wolf's lips. Almost instinctively their heads crane to a respective dip. The wolf's face doesn't budge from its scowl. "Do you expect *me* to greet you?" He asks. The pair quickly move off you, slinking over and greeting the wolf with submissive licks at their jaw and whines slipping from their throats. The wolf seems pleased and returns their focus to you.
"Tahoma, who is this." Tahoma is quickly at the wolf's side and whispers into their ear. To think *Tahoma* was your first guess for a leader... The wolf nods slowly, taking in the information flying out of Tahoma's mouth with complete attention. After a share of words, the wolf clears their throat.
"Welcome to the pack. I am Losi and you are an intruder." Losi licks his teeth. "I think it's time you leave." A low growl grows in Losi's chest which spreads and soon enough several other wolves begin to snarl, growl, or glare.
Losi stretches their neck out, snagging your scruff, and hauls you up. Without another exchange of words, he begins to drag you up.
You pant, limpy, and struggling with the suffocating aura Losi brought.
Losi clears his throat. "I don't know who allowed you just freely wander into the Domus Bellatorum but I'll be having a stern talking with whomever it is." You scoff. Like this guy would be able to have a conversation with Onaya. Losi reacts quickly, snapping at your ear and forcing you down to a cowering position.
"Something funny." Doesn't sound like much of a question. "You're not *from* here so I don't expect you to understand, but I'm Head Hunter." Losi shifts, dragging you back up onto your paws. "Which means every Hunter listens to *me*. I'm the Alpha, the leader of every wolf who goes out there to provide for this pack," Losi sniffles, glaring fiercely at you, "*You* do not get to laugh."
The walk was quiet after that.
After resurfacing and mentally kissing the solid ground, Losi cranes his head and snaps at your haunches. You yelp, alarmed by the bruteness of the wolf, and skid a pace away. Losi eyes you. Although this encounter wasn't as enjoyable as Onaya, the same eerie coldness was there. You cower, side-stepping until you are a full sprint away. Once a good distance had been gathered you spun on your paws and cantered off.
To hell with this pack!