Choose Your Adventure! (Lead-A-Pack)
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Posted 2024-04-24 15:55:18
"I don't take too kindly to threats." You grumble, "Now, let's stop this nonsense and let me get back to my rather urgent business." You stare down at Fremder, glare unwavering for a moment before he surrenders. He averts his gaze and goes limp, offering up a wobbly sort of truce. No sooner do you step off of him than you are tackled from behind. The sour stench of Iya fills your nose and the Woohpe pack alpha latches onto your ear, you howl in pain and scrabble to get from underneath him. A round of rough hacking from Iya causes him to release your ear, though you are sure by the trickle of blood that's trailing down your face that it's torn. You use the distraction to headbutt Iya, further knocking the wind out of him with a wheeze. As he is trying to catch his breath you glance over to Fremder. The younger male is still on the ground, watching the scuffle intently. "What a dirty trick you pulled, Iya. Pouncing after me when my back is turned." "I fight to win, not to be fair." He spits. "This isn't the Wild Before anymore, Iya. We are in a time of armistice, there is no need for all of this." A voice just behind the panting alpha has you almost in tears of relief. Tashunka steps forward accompanied by Nakamo, who takes one look at the state you are in and rolls his eyes. "I've never been so relieved to hear your voice." You relax a bit, glad that another voice of reason has joined the fracas. "Why is it every time we meet you are in some sort of peril?" Tashunka has a soft smile on his face as he shakes his head. "Peril? This? Hardly." You brush off the description of your current predicament with a wave of your paw. "Why don't we head back to Hanwi territory and discuss your vision troubles, hm?" ------------------ A) Request treatment for your ear first, it's the least the Woohpe pack leader can do. B) Retreat to safer grounds, you've had your fill of Iya's drama. |
 Kailani #719 |
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Posted 2024-04-24 17:19:13
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 katastrophic #12334 |
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Posted 2024-04-25 12:12:35
"It would be nice to get this patched up before we go." You shoot a scowl Iya's way. "You better be glad that scratch is all you got," Iya grumbles but relents, leading the way back to the main pack den site. Before you reach the threshold though the old leader spins around, "You wait here, I'll bring Hotah to you." You roll your eyes but comply, figuring you might as well get to business with Tashunka as you wait. He listens patiently, giving the occasional hum or tilt of the head. About halfway through your retelling Iya returns with the Woohpe's medicine wolf. Hotah sets to work cleaning and treating your ear, which turns out to be a bit more than a 'scratch'. By the time you finish, your ear has stopped throbbing and the small group of wolves is looking at you with varying degrees of horror. "That is quite alarming," Tashunka's face twists into an apologetic look, "and I must admit it doesn't exactly leave much room for interpretation. I can see why this has upset you, friend." "So have you had any strange visions lately? Anything off?" You try to keep the desperation out of your voice but if your fellow soothsayer is also having issues with his visions that would be a relief, even if it would be indicative of a large scale problem. "No, I can't say I have…" You deflate at the admission. "So that's it then." You mutter, trying to keep your voice even as the thought of saying goodbye to Skah breaks your heart. Hotah puts a gentle paw on your shoulder for comfort, her cloudy eyes still managing to express her pity for you in the moment. "I know it's hard to say goodbye to a packmate, but from the sounds of it it's really for the best. It's for the betterment of your pack, Chatan." Tashunka's words do little to pacify your worries. ------------------------ A) Go back and break the news to Skah, it's not fair to keep her in limbo. B) Stall for a little longer, there has to be something else you can do. C) Go back to the Great Sacred Tree, maybe you missed something. |
Kailani #719 |
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Posted 2024-04-25 12:43:59 (edited)
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 ☽ 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽☽ #130366 |
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Posted 2024-04-25 12:57:47
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katastrophic #12334 |
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Posted 2024-04-25 14:07:22
"What about her father?" Iya interrupts gruffly. That stops you short. "Her…father?" You think about the pale wolf Chumani introduced to you in passing. "Harmless mostly, if not a bit out there. Though we only met briefly to be truthful." "I'd start there if I were you. Usually if the mother isn't the problem it's the father." Iya shrugged. He would know of course, most of his offspring are somewhere between a nuisance and a menace. "He's in the Far Beyond, last I heard. But maybe if I go back to the Great Sacred Tree I can get a glimpse into his earthly life." Tashunka looks like he wants to voice an opinion but purses his lips instead, you know you're grasping at air for any explanation but you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you didn't explore all of your resources. Nakamo isn't as polite as Tash though, he hops in front of you and puffs up his feathers in irritation. "And what if this glimpse only confirms your fears? What then? Will you accept that Skah is a dangerous entity or will you conjure up some other excuse to keep her around?" The raven fixes you with a hard stare. "Okay how about we head back to the pack and you can tell Skah she's a danger to the pack and isn't welcome anymore." You growl, anger flaring at Nakamo's prodding. He has the manners to look a bit shameful as he mumbles something about 'just trying to be helpful'. "Would it be easier for you if you knew she was going to be taken in by a friend?" Tashunka speaks up. "I-" You stop short. Depends on the friend. "Look, your visions show Skah laying waste to your lands and way of life. She can stay here in the Woohpe pack, with me," Tash emphasizes that Iya won't have any paw in Skah's rearing, "We'll make sure she never crosses into Hanwi territory." "You'd take her on as your apprentice? Even though she doesn't possess the second sight?" You tilt your head as you mull over the possibility. "There are plenty of soothsayers that don't have natural gifts. She'll make a great shaman." The thought isn't immediately rejected in your mind, you turn to look at Iya who seems to anticipate the question on the tip of your tongue. "Doesn't matter to me but she'll have to work for her spot in the pack like everyone else." The old yarrow fiend shrugs. "Let's put a twig in that for now, I need to see if her father's life holds any answers. Nakamo, let's go." You turn to head back to the tree. Mulling over Tash's suggestion. -------------------------------- Trudging through the marshy swamp you reach the gnarled base of the tree. You sit at the tangle of roots and take in a deep breath, letting the thick mist fill your lungs as your vision goes dark around the edges. You picture the alabaster wolf you encountered two summers ago. You close your eyes, waiting for the lifeline of Skah's father to appear before you. Minutes pass with nothing but darkness surrounding you. Eventually the crack of a twig startles you out of your trance. You've never not been able to see a wolf's future (or past), as long as you've encountered their aura at least once you can connect to their spirit. "There you are!" The exasperated voice of Chumani catches you off guard and you spin around to face her, eyes wide. "Ch-chumani, what are you doing here?" Your voice sounds strained, like a mouse caught between the paws of a lynx. "I came to find out what's going on. You ran away so fast you didn't even take off your cloak. What's wrong Cha?" ------------------ A) Ask Chumani about Skah's father, just who was this mystery wolf. B) Send her to bring Skah here, then run off before she returns. C) Spill the seeds, maybe Skah going to stay with Tashunka isn't so bad. |
Kailani #719 |
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Posted 2024-04-25 14:36:45
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katastrophic #12334 |
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Posted 2024-05-10 09:57:44
"I-You-Who is Skah's father?" The words come out in a rush and a bit accusatory but you relax your posture to show Chu that you mean no hostility. "Rúhig?" She tilts her head in confusion, "What does he have to do with this?" "I'm hoping some insight into his past will help make sense of Skah's future." You omit the fact that Skah's 'future' is quite bleak but Chumani doesn't need to know all of the details. "He is-was the leader of the Wolken Pack to the far north. I met him when I did my Great Voyage for my apprenticeship." "Really? I didn't realize he resided so far from here." If your memory serves correctly, Rúhig came down into your territory to do the Joining Ceremony. It's unusual for an outside mate to willingly travel that far for a one time coupling. "It's actually a lovely journey in the spring-" "Skah was born in the fall, bordering winter in fact." You interrupt, suspicion only growing. "It was a dry winter." Chumani counters. "It was not." Now your irritation spikes, and you're not sure what game Chumani is playing. "What does it matter?" Your eyebrows shoot up, now that was outright hostility. Though she managed to keep the growl out of her voice the threat for you to drop the subject was still there. ------------------ A) Demand Chumani reveal what she is trying to cover up about Rúhig, you're the alpha here. B) Try and coax more info out of Chumani, you catch more flies with honey after all. C) Reveal the details about Skah's future to scare Chumani into spilling the acorns about Rúhig. |
Kailani #719 |
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Posted 2024-05-10 10:02:33
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katastrophic #12334 |
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Posted 2024-05-15 10:30:43
The way I fully thought I posted the next part of this, I am losing my mind.  ---------------------------- "Look, I really can't make any sense of what I saw at the ceremony. It's all a jumbled mess", While not exactly a lie you still feel a small twinge of guilt misleading Chu, "So please, any information you have on this Rúhig would be helpful." "I don't have any to give you." Chumani finally admits, deflating a little, "In fact, it's hard to accept that the wolf I met on my Great Voyage was the one who came down for the ceremony. He was so vastly different from the brash young wolf I knew." "In what way?" You push. "He was cold and aloof, I mean you met him. He barely said two sentences to me while he was here. It was like this was a task for him, when he made the request for the pairing-" "Wait he made the request? I thought you did." "No, his arrival was not prompted by me." "I see." The irony of the phrase isn't lost on you. "I'm sorry I don't have more information to offer you. All I know is he died last winter, fell through the ice on a hunt or something." Chu sighs, her worries over her only daughter written all over her face. "It would be great if I could get a more thorough account of his life, and death. But I'd hate to send you or Tokala's boy all the way up there. And it's too far to send Nakamo or another messenger. "I might be able to help with that." You jump sky high at the voice, spinning around to face the intruder. Fremder emerges from behind one of the trees surrounding the mass of roots, the dark wolf's eyes seem to glow in the low light. Your hackles rise, you didn't sense him at all, not even a whiff of his scent until the moment he spoke. Chumani gives a low growl in warning, baring her teeth and moving to crouch next to you. "What are you doing here?" "I mean you no harm. I was curious…" Fremder has the manners to look ashamed at the admission. "Some leaders kill nosey neighbors." The reminder isn't gentle but you signal for Chu to tone down the aggression. "Please, I promise I was just concerned about the problem with Skah." "What problem with Skah?" Chumani turns the aggression back up to ten at the mention of her pride and joy. "There is no problem," You try to cover for Fremder's slip-up, "You should leave now, intruder." "Wait, I can tell you about Rúhig." "What. Problem. With. Skah?" Chu repeats harshly, her gaze flickering between you and Fremder. --------------------------------- A) Send Chumani away, she's far too emotional to be helpful in this situation. B) Send Fremder away, no way will you accept help from Iya's lackey. C) Send them both away, neither of them will be helpful in this situation. |
Kailani #719 |