The disease that wiped the earth of mankind has returned, and it's starting to change its hosts somehow. Reports of unearthly powers are arising all over Toren while more and more become infected.
updates
< 11 JULY 2017 > The staff auditions and OTMs are officially OVER. I'd like to welcome our two new staffers - Lutheus and Crowenth! There will be some new events soon, as well as a big announcement - so watch this space.
< 20 JUNE 2017 > ATTENTION! Staff auditions are up and running. Please click here if you are interested in helping me run Clash.
< 06 JUNE 2017 > It hasn't been too long since we've opened - but we've already got a fresh new look. If you find any bugs in our new skin, please let me know so that I can fix it. Old members might have to update their avatar links and profile info! x
< 07 MAY 2017 > CLASH has officially been reopened and is ready for action! The plot, rules and canons have been revised - read more about it here.
and not just because it made hunting large prey near impossible, but because wolves - in greer's opinion - were social creatures and they weren't meant to spend the warming spring nights alone. wolves weren't even born alone, there were supposed to be siblings to play with - and if not siblings that shared your blood, then the cubs of another litter. they were your pack brothers and sisters, after all. greer, however, was already an exception to this. his brother hadn't even survived long enough to be given a name and there hadn't been other pups when he had been born. and by the time there were other pups on the new island, he was too old to be interested in them. maybe it was a sign. he was supposed to spend all of eternity alone. greer halted in mid-stride and, with a foreleg, swiped at the bits of damp leaves and debris that blanketed the ground, conveying his sudden fury. no one, not even he, wanted to be alone for their entire life. he wrinkled his nose, not at the thought, but from the stench of mould that came from the leaves that he had overturned. having been laying there, slowly decaying, since early autumn, it shouldn't have been surprising that it smelled so rotten.
it turned out to be a good distraction, though. albeit a temporary one. greer was unceremoniously pulled out of his depressing thoughts and forced to take a glance at his surroundings. his dark brown eyes took in everything in a second and it took about half that for his mind to process the fact that he truly didn’t know where he was. he knew that he was somewhere in the heart of gypsy forest, but that was about it. not that it really mattered. there wasn’t a soul on this island – equine or canine – that would be missing him. nevertheless, greer lifted his head and inhaled deeply through his nose, figuring that getting to know his surroundings a bit better wouldn’t hurt. he wasn’t ignorant to the fact that he may not be the only predator in these parts, and he didn’t want to be caught off-guard. as he processed the scents in his brain, greer simultaneously studied the towering trees that surrounded him. pine, oak, aspen, and others that he couldn’t be bothered to identify. their roots were hidden beneath soft, smelly earth that was covered with a layer of damp, mouldy leaves from last fall. the sharp scent of mould mingled with that of small prey and their droppings, making the tall wolf wrinkle his nose again.
not only did everything look the same, but it all smelled the same, too. the only good news was that he didn’t detect the scent of any animal that would potentially pose a threat to him. part of this news disappointed him, though. greer would have enjoyed getting into a fight. he was still young and despite being highly intelligent, he was still headstrong and reckless. always looking for danger. but it was just as well. fighting was yet another reason while wolves shouldn’t be travelling alone. pack wolves always had each other’s backs in a fight. if you were injured, they would look after you. if you were killed, they would avenge you. you didn’t fight one wolf, you fought the whole pack. his large, rounded ears flattened slightly as his previous thoughts came flooding back, bringing with them the loneliness that he was trying so hard to escape. "you’re a fool, greer." he growled to himself, just to hear the sound of something that wasn’t a buzzing insect or a chirping bird.
words: 617 tagged: open comments: it's been a while since i've written anything of a decent length, forgive me X3
Khan tottered happily into the forest’s arms, inhaling deeply as the scent of earth met him like a wall. Everything within this magical place seemed to be … more. The smells were stronger, the birdsong louder. The slate grey wolf took pleasure in these things, smiling innocently as he moved through the undergrowth. Broken rays of light filtered through the tree tops, falling in spots on his fur. Today it wasn’t cold. Or windy. It was simply good. A perfect day for wandering around. Unfortunately – he wasn’t just wandering this time. No. As he moved his stomach growled and gurgled in displeasure. He hadn’t eaten in a very long time, and he had finally set his mind to predator mode. Or as close to it as this loving creature could manage.
Truth be told – Earos hated killing. He despised it with every fiber of his being. Everything about it felt wrong. It was for this reason that he hadn’t eaten in so long. He had yet to come across a wounded, maimed or old beast that he wouldn’t feel completely terrible consuming. I should have tried my luck with that deer… He thought woefully to himself. But the deer had bled out with no wounds – an obvious sign that it had been infected. Since Khan knew so little about the disease – he knew not if it was safe to eat the flesh of the deer. So instead, he had dug a shallow grave and buried the poor thing. Saying a few kind words for it in the process.
All around him life was happening. Birds darted in and out of the trees; every now and then he caught sight of a small reptile too. But nothing food sized. His stomach was having a full on solo round when he caught the scent of another wolf. Automatically, his tail began to wag like that of a puppy – and he trotted off in the direction of the scent. As he grew nearer, the scent spoke to him more. It was a male. He was alone. It didn’t seem like he was going anywhere either. Regardless – Earos wished to meet him. Many a time this … lack of respect for the privacy of others, had landed him in heaps of trouble. It seemed that Khan just never knew when to approach or not. And because of this – he went right ahead and approached anyway. He loved company and couldn’t understand why others wouldn’t feel the same.
When Khan burst upon the unsuspecting other – it was he who was taken by surprise. This wolf was no wolf at all! Or, yes… it was. He stood stock still, tail and ears perked up in confusion. He was… the color of a bloody sunset. Legs like stilts held him up and he had ears like those of a bat. Never before had Khan seen such a creature. It was beautiful. Slowly, his tail began to wag again, and he sat down, smiling. “ Sorry for staring.” He blurted out – not yet taking note of the others body language. “ Never seen something like you before.” His tail wagged still, swishing leaves and dirt below it into the ground.
talking to himself had achieved nothing, the birds still sang in the treetops and insects still buzzes annoyingly. greer whisked his tail from one side to the other, bringing himself up to his full height, not knowing exactly what he had expected to achieve. lunacy, maybe. greer sighed and slouched his shoulders again, momentarily hating how his height made him look like a freak to others. he was trapped in a dilemma, really. he didn't want to be alone but he didn't want to be judged by his appearance. eventually push would come to shove and he would have to suck it up and choose one or the other. he sighed again, then paused and tilted his head slightly to the right, wondering if he was just imagining the scent of another wolf nearby. he inhaled again, deeper this time and his posture straightened again. no, he wasn't imagining it. but nevermind being judged � what if this wolf was infected? a low growl escaped greer�s throat before he could help himself, but it was too late to leave. the other wolf was close now, and surely he knew that greer was standing there. it wasn�t like his red-orange coat blended into the vivid greenery of the forest.
and then, just like that, the other wolf stumbled onto the scene and promptly plastered his mug with a look of surprise. greer had to resist the urge to snap at the stranger. he settled with a dramatic roll of his eyes but didn't take anything as the storm-coloured wolf took in his physical features. everything from his long, slim legs to the fiery colour of his coat to his oversized ears. no, greer wasn't exactly the kind of wolf that you would want to meet in a dark forest. it was a good thing that it was still daylight and that gypsy forest didn't have a reputation for being a place of terrors. "sorry for staring," the other wolf spoke, seeming to mean what he said, never seen something like you before.. greer, however, just shrugged his bony shoulders instead of tactfully accepting the apology. "most haven't." he replied shortly, not really caring whether or not he was being rude, but he did manage to force an introduction past his lips.
"my name is greer." he relaxed slightly as the other wolf seated himself, his wagging tail sending small clouds of dust into the air. greer couldn't deny that the other wolf was massive, maybe even close to his own height at the shoulder if they stood side by side. khan wasn't, however, as hefty as wolf of his size should have been, but he wasn't entirely devoid of muscle. a curious combination of traits. otherwise there really wasn't anything of note about this new acquaintance. like all wolves, there were little things - there was a scar wrapped around a foreleg and his eyes were two different colours - but greer dismissed them as insignificant details. "so where do you come from, khan?"
words: 503 tagged: khan comments: it kind of sucks lol, sorry .__."
Not even slightly aware that his sudden intrusion had probably upset this magical wolf, Khan plastered his signature grin on his face and kept his tail a'waggin. There was little that could upset this guy, and even when the other had a slight hint of irritation in his voice, it just rolled off of Khan like water off a ducks back. Truthfully, you would probably have to bare your teeth and strike him in order for that innocent smile to waver - and still then, he wouldn't completely understand.
Because of this - many thought of Earos as a bit of a fool. But this is far from the truth. Seeing only good in others was a curse, yes, but it was also a blessing. And despite how he was often taken for granted, Khan had a sound mind, filled with knowledge that some could only wish for. He had been places that felines feared to go. Seen things that can never be repeated. Such is the spoils of a lonely explorer.
“Greer.” He repeated the name, mostly to himself, testing it out on his own tongue. Bi-colored eyes searching the odd features of this new and wonderful creature. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Greer.” In both respect and nature, Khan dipped his head low to the other. He meant no harm and was looking for no trouble - and needless to say he was raised well enough to know his manners. Even though at times he forgot many of them.
So where do you come from, Khan? At this question, Earos's ears shot backwards and his tail slowed to a rhythmical thud instead of the fast swish swish he was inclined to. Others very seldom asked him of his past, and when they did - it made him rather uneasy. He wasn't comfortable talking about it at all, but he simply shook off his nervousness and smiled once more. “I came from across the ocean crossing. Far beyond the shore.” He had traveled for almost six months before finding Toren, but he left that part out. This wasn't the time for oversharing.
Before he could even ask Greer of his origins, his stomach belted out a growl that shook the very dirt below him. Utterly embarrassed, Khan hung his head and whimpered pathetically. “I'm so sorry. I was in the middle of a hunt before I stumbled across you. Forgive my belly for complaining so.” He stood again, hoping that perhaps it would help to silence his blasted organs. This was no way to make a first impression.
the muscles in the maned wolf’s forehead tensed as he forced himself to keep an impassive expression on his face – how was it that this khan was still smiling even though greer was clearly being less than friendly? he wasn’t being completely hostile, but he was guarded. the grey wolf didn’t even seem to notice, and the silly grin that was plastered on his mug didn’t so much as waiver. snorting softly greer folded his awkwardly long legs beneath his lean bodice and seated himself as well, not liking how he towered over his new acquaintance. khan may have been a huge wolf, but greer was definitely lankier and appeared to be way taller than anyone that he stood near. sitting wasn’t much better. his shoulders slouched unattractively and his head hung low, yet comfortably, between them. his limbs seemed to stick out at all angles no matter how hard he tried to tuck them closer to his torso. once seated, greer let the frown he had been holding back grace his facial features. he knew he looked stern and unhappy, but it eased the situation for him and he was able to further scrutinize the grey wolf.
khan must have been younger than greer originally thought. only a surplus of innocence would keep a grin like that from faltering. it was the most plausible idea that the maned wolf could come up with.
politely, greer let the frown ease from his face and he dipped his head to his new acquaintance. his brown-eyed gaze didn’t falter, though, and he didn’t miss the signals that khan’s body sent him. the smile on the other wolf’s kissers finally waned and his ears flicked backwards. apparently greer had asked a taboo question. he shouldn’t have been surprised, though. they lived in dark times and as young as khan might have been, he had surely been subjected to the terrors of the world. greer, himself, had suffered more than any young wolf had the right to suffer. he hadn’t been more than a few days old when his nameless brother died in the clutches of the disease. maybe the grey wolf had lost loved ones to the disease and simply didn’t want to talk about it. greer mimicked khan’s actions and flattened his own ears in way of short apology and then nodded, accepting the answer. it seemed to be a fairly generic response – many of the wolves on toren had come from across the ocean. technically, even greer could say that he came from across the ocean.
he had no chance to reply, though, because khan’s stomach took it upon itself to interrupt them. greer let his lips curve into a fleeting shape that was a cross between a smile and a smirk, and he appeared to sit up a little straighter in amusement. the grey wolf’s reaction was a bit over the top, greer thought, but he couldn’t be blamed. everyone had to eat and when one travelled alone there tended to be a greater span of time in between meals. not to mention that eating small prey such as mice and squirrels quickly became tiring and the meals tasteless. "no apology is necessary." he stated, shaking his head. "you’re not invincible, you have to eat. maybe we should hunt?" greer could scarcely believe what he was offering, but, then again, hadn’t he just been bemoaning the lack of hunting partner? or something like that.
As Greer seated himself, Khan noticed the stern expression that passed over his face. Kind of as if he were looking upon an annoying pup. Almost ashamed, Khan let slip the smile and tried to 'gather himself up' just a little bit more. It was no use running into a possible friend only to chase him away with his overbearing happiness. It was a trait of Khan's that he had adopted at a very young age, and now it was hard to shake. A defense mechanism of sorts - born to help him deal with his family life. But even though it couldn't be turned off - it could still be stifled, if only a little.
But the frown slowly eased from Greer's features, and Khan relaxed as it did, his tail moving slowly from side to side. He listened attentively as Greer spoke, his nerves prickling with excitement as he mentioned a joint hunt. It had been many a season since Khan had hunted alongside another wolf - and even though this one was the color of fire and had legs that never ended, he was no less of a wolf. “I would be honored!” He smiled again, his tail working double time as he thought of what was to come. “I know of a small family of deer that live somewhere around here. If we look long enough for them, we'll probably come across something else.” The bigger the better. He thought. It was against his better judgement to take a healthy beast down - so he secretly hoped that when they did come across a herd of whatever, that there would be one that was wounded, or possibly sick. Even old would make him feel better. But he held his tongue against these thoughts and lifted his mug into the sky, sampling the air like a hunting dog.
Nothing jumped out at him at all. The air was thick with old scents of what had been through the forest. The only new, strong scent was that of the two of them, but lingering in the air, ever present, was the promising smell of water. The life giver. Where there was water, there was bound to be something near it. “You smell that?” His lips parted in a toothy smirk. It was probably no larger than a stream or a big puddle, but it was a start. As if voicing it's approval, Earos's stomach rumbled within him, gurgling like a starving child. All he could manage to do was laugh.
the other wolf's excitement might have been contagious to anyone else, but greer merely flicked an ear and stood, unfolding his long legs with a practised ease. the stern expression had vanished from his face, at least, but not to be replaced with a smile. the maned wolf seemed impassive, but he did appreciate the information that khan shared with him. it had been far too long since he had tasted venison and he felt his mouth flood with saliva at the thought of so much meat. his stomach was near ready to raise its own cacophony in symphony with the rumbles from khan's belly. greer didn't say anything to the large, grey wolf, but he managed to acknowledge the information with a slight nod of his head, trying not to give away how eager he was for the hunt. he didn’t mind letting khan take the lead, either, figuring that if the other wolf knew the area better, then their hunt would be more successful if he didn’t let his ego get in their way.
the tall, lanky wolf took a couple of short, quick sniffs, letting the scents of the forest flood his mouth once again. damp loam, dry leaves, fresh verdigris, and there – water. where there was water, there was life, and both wolves knew it. water greer panted, letting his tongue loll from between ivory incisors. without waiting for a response from the slate-coloured wolf he began carefully stalking his way through the undergrowth, ignoring the tickle of ferns against his belly and the scratching of thistle bushes against his paws. it didn’t matter how far away they were from this oasis in the forest, silence was the secret to their success. well, that and teamwork. greer cautiously slipped through the vegetation, letting his instincts take over. he kept mostly to the shadows, aware that his red-orange coat didn’t give him the same camouflage that other wolves were blessed with.
however, greer had his own unique traits, and he heard the steam long before he laid his dark, chocolate-brown eyes upon it.
the long-limbed wolf stopped, his body submerged in the thick emerald foliage, and flicked an ear back, listening for khan. he kept his narrow muzzle pointed in the direction of the creek, his nostrils practically quivering with the scents that he detected above all the plant life. silently, he licked his lips and swallowed a whine. the forest was teeming with wildlife. it was practically bursting at the seams and greer didn’t understand how they could all find a place to hide. but they would all have to come out sooner or later. water was life, and, like the maned wolf, every creature in the forest craved life and wanted to life. unfortunately for them, his diet wasn’t made up of leaves and grass and roots, he needed meat, raw and bloody, to survive. such was the circle of life and greer had never once felt guilty for it. when you had been subjected to the sort of things that he had, you did whatever you needed to continue living.
words: 516 tagged: khan comments: so much rambling... baah -sheep noises-
OOC: I am going to assume this is still open and come right in, if that's okay? If not, just disregard my post. ^^ ---- Asteria looked up from her drink, as the young horse had stopped to quench her thirst before returning to her adoptive family, the pack. Yes, pack. There were no horses except for herself in the small band of wolves. Interesting story, actually. Anyway, what had caught her interest was a faint rustling of the bushes on the other side of the stream, moving differently than if it had been the wind causing the motion. Ears pricked, she shifted into a slightly more defensive position. One would think that as the fine Arabian creature she was, the white femme would take off in the opposite direction, acting in a more typical manner for an alarmed horse. But instead she watched, intent on finding out what it was, and accepting that her lack of immediate movement may have lead her into a dangerous position. The mare's nostrils flared, and she snapped her delicate head into an upright postion. Brown eyes wide, she alertly eyed the said bush with interest. As she watched, as small bird flew up from the greenery and into the sky.
Asteria snorted softly, immediately losing interest. Having taken her drink from the crystalline waters, she turned, muscles relaxed after tensing at her encounter with the bird. Muzzle dripping water, the young mare picked up a smooth, floaty trot, one that she had learned from her few and far between encounters with other horses. Her white coat glimmered in the soft mid-day sunlight, muscles rippling as the worked in harmony to carry her along the slight pathway through the forest. It was an moment for the filly, a horse-like one. If there was one single word anyone in their right mind would use to describe Asteria, it would be feral. She was pretty tough, all game and no fear. But at this exact second, she looked perfectly normal, a picture perfect example of an Arabian exhibiting a trot common for the breed. She continued to go at this pace for some time, navigating the forest in a way that would make more sense to a wolf than a horse, comfortable taking the tighter, narrower and more winding paths that an ordinary horse may not feel comfortable taking. Eventually the filly slowed to a walk, upon approaching an area that looked like nothing her size had ever ventured. Assuming it to be somewhere predators looked, she switched courses in hopes of avoiding whatever could be found there.
Now picking up an running pace that more resembled a wolf's sort of movement, the white mare continued onward. She looked down, watching the ground move beneath her dainty hooves, when she suddenly found herself amidst a pair of wolves. Curious, she came to a halt, her gaze friendly as she eyed the two like they were her family, very accustomed to wolves. (word count: 470)
Last Edit: Aug 10, 2012 14:34:44 GMT -5 by Deleted
CBOX
CLASH TAG BOX: This little guy is for member tagging purposes only. Any unrelated or guest messages will be deleted. Members - feel free to
tag others or share any updated threads! You can use the [url] tags to link.
AFFILIATES
The skin OTHERWORLD was made by JAWN of WICKED WONDERLAND and modified.
CLASH! was created by OMEGALOMANIAC. Header image created by OMEGALOMANIAC.
Images belong to their respective artists. All codes and scripts belong to their respective coders. Please DO NOT take anything without the owners' permission.
