INOLO

Black Fox. Symbolic of the Night Sky.

Birth Stats
SpoilerBought 11/17/23
Strength: 50
Speed: 87 *
Agility: 99 *
Wisdom: 51
Smarts: 60
Preference b/c of stats: Chaser.

Personality: Aloof
Bought for 900sc


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LORE

"THE SKY, HUH."

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A comet struck eons ago. Littered the Earth with bones no pup could dig up. What's the point of having bones if you've had yourself too far down to be dug up? Just stupid. A tail slapped the pup's head. He winced, craning his head downward as he side-eyed his mother. A small smile, which she'd attempted to hide, shined through. Inolo frowned, shuffling his paws sideways for an obsessive moment before he stood and trekked a shuffle backward. Best to keep his spacings. Wouldn't want to bother. Besides, acts of play were beneath him. Couldn't say for his siblings, no, no! Inolo's littermates pranced around, getting muddy as tackles happened left and right. Inolo stared. Always did. Seemed to be the only tolerable response he could give when one of his siblings came bounding up with their tongue lolling.

His ear perked, shifting backward. The wind dragged forward the smell, and the pup turned his head, looking upward. Staring too, as always, up at the grey-furred, rather rounding wolf. Eh, well a some-what wolf. She looked rugged, with clumps of fur unforgivably tangled, and halfway through its matting process. The she-wolf, which, from his guess, must've been a crossbred of some mutt, sat beside him. She stared too at the pups ahead. Spared a glance his way, then back at the bundle. He stood, shifting a step aside. The wolf-thing scooted closer.

"...Excuse me." The she-wolf's skin twitched, and she looked down. Inolo had spoken. Quite a first! "I'm... er, sitting here." The she-wolf blinked, her heavy grey eyes just... staring. Is this how his littermates felt?
"I know that," She replied, shifting her head back to watch Inolo's littermates, "You just seemed awfully well, lone, so I decided to take space with you." Inolo cringed. "There's.. no neef for that," He assured. "Need," She murmured. Inolo scoffed, confused. "What?" He replied, beginning to move moreover. "You said neef. It's pronounced n-EE-d."
Inolo's face felt heated. He stood fully, turning on his heels to simply trot away, but the she-wolf snagged his tail, making him yelp and whip around. His face scowled. "I'm Isi." Inolo blinked. Quite the introduction, am I right? "Inolo," He murmured. "Hmm... is that your mother, Inolo?" Isi asked, grey eyes prying off towards the adult. Inolo satisfied her question with a nod. "Right! Then, Inolo, I have a proposal for you."

"Go ahead," Inolo said, sitting.
"My pack's pups have all dispersed, and it nots like our elders our busy bees!" Isi said. She cleared her throat, trying to ease in her beating around the bush. "It's quiet, it's lone-like, and... it's perfect for an Inolo. How about it?"
Inolo... blinked. Stared, too. Always as. "You want me to... join your pack? Be what... adopted?"
"Why of course," Isi woofed, beginning to rise. "And, if not, I suppose one of your littermates might d-"
"Wait!" Inolo exclaimed. Surprise, surprise! A quiet vaca doesss sound nice... To the Gods with it, right? "I'll... take you up on that offer."
Isi grinned. Her tail wagged, and Inolo's did too.
Family, am I right?

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THE ERA OF INOLO

Snow fell from the skies. The brewing of snow had finally slowed, easing in the presence of anticipation and anxiety. Although it was a cluster of emotions smushed together, kept internal by the bodies keeping it calm. A gathering of fifteen wolves had arrived since the announcement Onaya made just the previous night.

The she-wolf stood surrounded by the adults and yearlings of the Taqqiq Yolotl pack. Together, glued to the flank of the pack's beta, Isi, Onaya spoke. "Silo illness has taken a turn for the worse." Nobody breathed. Only her. "The Gods decide his faith... it is unlikely he'll live past tomorrow."

Everyone here held their tongues, but Inolo was certain they were all collectively thinking one thing. Unfortunately, by the pained looks painted on their faces, it seemed only he was thinking through scarce rationality. Silo was elderly. Nearly eight years. Never had Inolo met a wolf live longer.

The wind howled and the moon pierced through the grey clouds. It shined down on the den Domum Sanatus, bathing the emerging entity as it walked through the twists of tree branches and roots.

Red eyes reflected the moon's paleness.

It was Onaya. Inolo's chest tightened. The Herbalist moved silently, paws gracing the accumulation of snow with a pattern of pawprints. She cleared her throat.
...Then, she spoke.

"It is with great grief I announce this," she started, but before the continuation of her words left her lungs sniffles and whines filled the Mountains. She cleared her throat. "...but Silo, Lead Wolf of the Taqqiq Yololt Pack, Wolf of the Eastern Mountains, has passed."

The eruption of emotion almost swallowed him whole, wails breaking out. It was clear to see even Onaya was at her breaking point. How she managed to keep her voice steady was beyond him. The one cry of anguish that stuck out to him was Isi's. She was the closest, the savior of Silo. She'd broken him free from his captures, his degrading origins as a breeder wolf for the wolf-dog market. They escaped by the furs on their hackles, leaping off a ledge that was lightened by the Moon itself into a river just below. It was through the Moon's guidance that Silo and Isi managed to see where they were going while being swept down the current.

The beta crumbled onto her stomach, unable to stand it - physically *stand* - the grief. The Moon shined, and she cursed it. Inolo looked away, out of respect. He sniffled, heaving and swallowing his own emotions. It was uncomfortable being around such an eruption and he skidded to the sidelines to escape the embrace of mourning.

From this position he could see Onaya clearly. The elders had dispersed from the group, accompanying her and licking her pelt clean. Tufts of fur had been ruffled out of place and she looked ruined. Guilty, too. The elders persuaded her back to the Domum Sanatus den, and the small party disappeared into the darkness. It was only after a spare of two minutes had passed, that a duo of Guardians finally noticed their disappearance and approached the den, both taking either side of the entrance and sitting on their haunches. Doing what they do best, I suppose: guarding.


The moon bathed them all in pale light. Finally, after a jumbled number of minutes had passed, Onaya appeared. She led first, the Elders behind her. They were dragging Silo by the skin of his hide. Some wolves shrieked in terror; others continued to sob. Isi was the first of many to step forward, coming to the Elders aid to assist in dragging Silo. I came second. Together, I, Isi, and a few Guardians grabbed ahold of Silo's skin and drug him to the clearing of the pack's camp. There he was laid down and, as if the Moon were mourning as well, the light of it followed and shined specifically onto Silo's body.

Snow fell, decorating the wolf's body in white softness. Inolo shuddered. Tonight, they'd need to do two things - hold a vigil for Silo and decide who'd succeed him - and Inolo looked to Isi with the assumption she'd be leading. However, she was clinging to Silo, burying her nose into his flattened fur and sniffling. Inolo shifted his gaze once more out of respect, and they landed on Onaya's. Onaya's red eyes singled onto his gaze as well. They stared, exchanging this comforting connection of grief. She looked away first, whisked just aside from where Silo was, and stationed awkwardly in the middle of the clearing.

She was going to make an announcement.

"Everyone!" She shouted. "There shall be a vigil held in Silo's honor. His burial will happen at sunrise." Murmurs echoed, a few nods catching Inolo's attention. Onaya gulped. "However, we must act swiftly with deciding a replacement for Silo now that he has... graciously left." A few wolves howled in outcry and disagreement. Perhaps, in their eyes, it was too soon. It was for Isi who didn't care enough to keep her poker-face, scowling up at Onaya. The Herbalist sighed heavily, feeling the pressure, but if there were one thing Inolo knew best it was of Onaya's independence - and her callous indifference too. "I call upon our ancestors, Silo, and The Moon for guidance in my decision and pray they accept the decision of I and the Elders." Despite everyone's anguish, this ceremony was sacred. No one would dare interrupt, move, or practically breathe during its session.
The moon glowed. Its brightness poured specifically onto Silo, mourning his lack of movement, and gradually moved. That's right, somehow the Moon was celestial, animated and seen as a damn God. Inolo looked up, admiring her look. How beautiful she was, and how connected she felt despite being so far up. He exhaled, a soft sigh, as his heart finally sunk with emotion. And, strangely enough, the Moon seemed brighter.
Onaya cleared her throat.
"The Moon has spoken," Onaya announced, catching Inolo's attention, of Onaya, the stares, and the glow around him. Bestowed by the Moon. He sucked in a gasp. Onaya glanced back to the Elders who nodded, and Onaya copied the movement, confirming. Finally, she perked her ears, listening. One thing Herbalist's sometimes had was a 'blessed' ability to commune with the dead. And, every Lead Wolf's passing, did one get to witness it. Onaya's red eyes glowed, her pupils getting swallowed by the devilish glow of beaty red. Her ears pivoted, flicking rapidly back and forth, and her mouth moved as she spoke in runes. Several seconds passed and she was done. Efficient in every way, even with communicating with the passed souls. Her pupils dilated, her head must've been spinning because she stumbled, and her gaze fell back onto Inolo. She glanced.

"Inolo," she stated. "It has been through the unanimous decision of the Moon, I, and our ancestors that I say these words and bestow this rank onto you: Inolo, you shall be the Taqqiq Yolotl Pack's new Lead Wolf - you are now Inolo, Lead Wolf of the Taqqiq Yolotl Pack and Moonspeaker of the East."

Murmurs, scarce cheers, and a nearly life-chilling glare from Isi kept him frozen. Inolo nodded slowly, glancing to Silo's body. Usually, the leader passes on the role to an heir, retiring soon after. His brow twitched. Silo wasn't able to do that. He stepped over, not minding the shallow growl from Isi, and buried his nose into the wolf's scruff, whispering thanks.
He turned, stepped to Onaya, and dipped his head as the Herbalist's eyes once more glowed and she placed her dried nose to his temple, blessing him with fortunate and the rightful, permanent-until-death title as Lead Wolf.

The Era of Inolo has begun.