To the lost, sanctuary... (MB)

Only two? The pack had dwindled down. Never had these lands seen a particularly powerful assemblage of wolves, at least not as far as she had heard. Perhaps it was a curse of the lands. Perhaps it was a fluke. There was really no way to know. With a small sigh she looked at them in turn. She was glad to see Dyrim, for she recognized the fem. Tellika, however, was unknown to her.

"Yes, Dyrim, I am planning on taking the role, though how well I fulfill it is up to fate. She can be a fickle master at best, so we shall see, shant we?" She smiled, then turned to Tellika. "Any and all are welcome, whether returning or new to the area. We really aren't in any position to turn anyone away. Greetings, Tellika, I am Kaia. I have taken over the role of leadership as a result of Serien's death.." She looked at the fem sadly.

So... what now? She looked at the two of them, then sideways. Why was it that whenever she had a decision to make, her mind automatically seemed to turn to him? Dwelling in the past was the last thing that she should be doing, and 'maybes' and 'what ifs' would get her nowhere now.

"I have to say, I am new at this, but I think that the first thing that should be done is ranking? Or did you already hold rank with Serien?" Kaia looked at them, her twitching tail the only thing that betrayed her unease. She was unused to authority, and therefore did not speak as an alphaess yet. She felt as though she lacked the decisive air that most leaders seemed to wear naturally. Maybe that was something that came with time.

Slowly a lone wolf made it's way through the tall pine trees of the expanse of forest, it's pawsteps leading it to a small stream in the heart of the sheltering conifers. Upon reaching it the wolf paused, as though deep in thought, then lay with it's head upon large paws. Kaia had the past few months weighing deeply on her mind, and she needed to clear some things up through a session of thought. She had thought to achieve this alone, out in the lone lands, but he had come. Sephiroth. Why did that name do this to her? She closed her beautiful golden eyes and sighed. She had promised herself long ago that she would save her heart, that she would never let herself be hurt as so many others did. Ha, how wrong she was.

Who was he really, though? Murderer, or savior? When she had met him, she had thought the former. Yet still she had followed him, her misguided view that she could change his mind foremost. She had told herself that she was lost, she needed to find the packs, but that wasn't true. Throughout her whole life, she had never helped another wolf. Her presence had never even made a ripple in the charging river that was time. She had thought that maybe she could redeem herself by doing the right thing for once. She was wrong. Now, however, with all she had seen, she was starting to see his point.

What would life be like, all the neighboring packs united as one under a single alpha? Sure, his way of achieving this she still thought of as wrong, but the main principle she was starting to like. In her time on these lands, Fire and Ice, she had seen so much bloodshed, so much pain. The packs had no peace, as much as they tried. Pups were stolen, the alphaess of these very lands killed right in front of her eyes, wolves on all sides falling to the jaws of their enemy packs. All races fought amongst themselves for dominance. The deer in the spring made the forests echo with their calls and the thunder of clashing antlers. Even the birds in the trees squabbled, attacking one another for territory, mates, protection of their way of life. But to kill? Was it really necessary? It wouldn't be, if only one ruled. Sure, there would be disagreeing views. Would the end justify the means?

She couldn't bring herself to say yes. Nothing justified a genocide. Wolves had tried many times to explain their actions through doing what was 'good for others'. but it was all lies. There was always an alternative. Maybe she had just been lost that day. She knew that, try as she might to find her way, she was still hopelessly lost. Why can't there be a clear path, one to lead the way? she thought dispairingly. No, that would be too easy, wouldn't it? Until now her views had always been objective, never really taking a side. Now, though, she knew she had to start forming true alliances and opinions. Her new rank as alphaess of these lands would not let her do any differently. She had to find a solution that would be best for her pack, her newfound charges and family.

For a moment, she wondered how many others out there were just as lost as she was when it came to things larger than she. There must be many, and the thought that she was not alone in her confusion was heartening. Instantly she smiled, inspiration lighting up in her eyes. Every pack needed a credo, a main basis for what they believed. Hers would be sanctuary. She would extend her protection to those still trying to find their way in this world. It was similar to Serien's view of acceptance no matter what one's past mistakes were, but she had no way of knowing this. All she knew was that now she truly felt at home in these lands, for the first time in a long time. Standing, she knew that she had to get back to her pack. At an easy pace she loped back towards the place where she knew her packmates were accustomed to gathering, eyes shining now that she had some form of a purpose. Today would start a new life for her, one in which she was no longer the frightened, misguided fem she was before. Her path was now set, and she had to follow.