Forever Searching.., For loyal followers

[Shinji]

Shin huffed a bit, grumbling in slight when the answer to his question was completely disregarded practically. It was simply a question that he was curious about, and apparently it enacted a seriously grumpy reaction from his Alpha. Ears pinning back, labrums curling over glossy incisors he growled in response, though he wasn't challenging his leader. "Don't get all pissy with me just because I was asking a damn question, Alpha!" He snarled, bristling in slight before suddenly quirking a fake brow when ordered to 'clean up' the mess. It was an authoritative tone that wasn't meant to be disregarded by any means. And the commentary before said order was mildly disturbing. "I never said that you didn't have a right to revenge, Alpha. And I didn't mean to completely and totally offend you when I asked a significant question pertaining to the health and life of this pack. But here you are, letting blind hatred get the better of you! If you keep this up, you'll drag us into ruin! And once again, I'm not saying that you have to listen to me completely, after all, I'm the new guy...but just think about what I asked you. Think about why you are fighting this war. I know they killed your pack, I realize this....I really do...and I'm sure it's killing you on the inside...but...ultimately...what are you fighting for?"

[xxAsta.Rael.]

Ooc: --- Pride... A uncontrollable shiver ran down his spine, but still he sat, and it was obvious by the severe tilt of his head and the turned down corners of his mouth that he felt he looked rather swell. "I'm aware you were asking a question, Second," he snarled, rising again to his feet. "But of course, I am First here, Alpha of this lost pack. Perhaps you have noticed that you come second?" His tone was now calm, with a little sarcastic humor imbedded in it. "You're new and rather foolish in our ways, but you must understand--we were betrayed. All those years ago, the wolves of Stelle turned on us, and the battle must go on, to the death and conquer. One must prevail, you see, or all will die. He turned now to face the flooded river, almost visible even from so far, rushing and roaring; it was truely mingling waves of load, angry water, covering up the blood, the guilt.. The lies. His tail swished uncomfortably, as if aware the words spewing from his trained mouth were but lies in themselves. "It's them or us, mate. Or a bloody bunch of rag-tag loners. I do believe you have chosen our side. Do you wish to turn that choice on us? The lives and health of this pack is my goal, but Frith, it seems, has joined in the betrayal. He has plauged us, forced us down, ground us into nothing, and led them across the barely frozen water to destroy us completely. Who is in the right or wrong, you may ask. The truth is.. If anyone, we are. We know our damned history, and our damned present too, thank you very much," He uttered these last words in a hissing breath, turning his head to the heavens above. [b]"But," he continued, glancing sideways at his new pack.. uhh, member, "We do not wish to have our future be damned as well. Fight or burn, Shin, mate. That's all the choices we got left." He spat at the ground, the clear mixture dotting the leaves amoungst the splatters of blood. Apparently, besides his schizophrenia, he had paranoia as well. Not a great thing to have, as leaders go.. But there you have it. A psycho was leading these five lonely wolves, and it definently wouldn't turn out good.

[Shinji]

Shin listened as the other began speaking, though as soon as he started to freak out at him, he bristled in irritation. "I damn well know that I am Second, Alpha. I wasn't questioning your actions, so much as trying to figure out why you were making them. I'll follow you, like I said I would, so quit acting like I'm the bad guy, here! You're too f**kin' paranoid, as far as I'm concerned." He growled a bit, only to pace after him, though he soon sat a little bit behind him once he did so as well. "Now, y'know that I chose your side. So stop askin' dumb questions. It's irritating. Plus, because I am your Second, you need to trust me. Otherwise, this pack will not function as you want it to. And for the record, this pack is not completely hopeless. As far as I can tell, it's got you, me, Lela, and Nightsong. I'd say that's as good a start as any." With that, he nodded to himself, only to then roll his eyes. "Looks to me like you're just too paranoid to think of the other choices that we do have. Fight or burn, that's ridiculous. Ever heard of running? That's always a wise choice if you're about to die." Heh heh, you can definitely tell that Shin's fight or flight instincts were in tact. He knew that if a fight was hopeless, he would run. He didn't care about honor. He cared about life so that he could repent and regain said honor in another way. xD

[xxAsta.Rael.]

Ooc: Hee... This post sucks. Ah well. I'm really hyper. Pride... His eyes flickered with emotion. "I'll trust you once I know I can," He said after a few lond minutes. How.. annoying. This wolf just being so, so irritating. Obviously it was getting on his nerves. Stolz kept listening, though a buzz rang in his ears. Shin continued on, calling him paranoid. Paranoid? Stolz blinked, his heart speeding up slightly. Him? Random bits of words and thoughts tumbled around his head, failing completely to make a decent sentence. "Ehh..."he said, rather intelligently under the circumstances. He decided not to answer the wolf's loyalty questions. After all, if he wasn't loyal, there would be him to meet. And that, even on a good day, wasn't such a great idea. Stolz groud his teeth, sonfused by what this wolf was implying. It went against everything he had been taught about this life, and he couldn't handle it. One ear flickered; he was uncertain. He heard those words as if from a great distance, so far away they were but a whisper on the wind.. Something he could pretend didn't exist. Or could he? Taking small breaths, he stood a little back from Shin, the wolf now as almost in his face as he had been in his just a moment ago. Uncomforatable, he looked around at the destruction. All this, because of some thing hundreds of years ago. "We cannot leave this land," He murmered, shifting his weight from paw to paw. "It gives us what we stand for... We cannot run from it when there is still hope," He finished, a glint of a plan dancing in his gold eyes.

[Shinji]

Shin was totally getting ready to say something else when his Alpha spoke. Blink. Glancing to him, he tilted his head to the side and observed - listening intently to the other's words. "Hope? What kinda hope, huh? This is slaughter, Alpha. I don't see any hope. All I see is one shabby pack attemptin' to make a life for itself...so that they can live as a typical pack. I don't think that......gah, whatever. I don't even kno' why I bother anymore. You're just gonna do it yer own way, anyhow." With a shake of his head, he growled a bit and turned to head off in the direction of a wolf's corpse. Best be getting it elsewhere - gotta clean it up appropriately.

[xxAsta.Rael.]

The alpha gave a twitch, a spasm that almost ran across his entire body. A series of twitches, then. He took a few steps to follow the other wolf. But, Hell, he was so, soooo... Ugh. Stolz twitched. Again. Today was just one of those days, those twitchy days... Slaughter?
Twitch. Yes, they were being sluaghtered...
Could he help it? Twitch.
Probably.. Run away?
Blink. Never; how could he possibly? Besides, that damn pack had to know who was stronger, and better.
Which was them, obviously. Twitch. Really?
Yes, of course, really.... He let out a sigh, seeing it almost fall out of his mouth, brush against the ground... Was he just that idioticly bossy? Well... Most likely. Did he care, wasn't that was how he was supposed to be?
Not if it goes against the rest of the pack, surely.
He spoke quickly, not giving his brain time enough to counter what was about to spill from his mouth. "I need time to think, he rasped. Can you, uhhh.. Take care of the, umm, the, umm.. The.. pack? Pack? Why the hell... It wasn't a pack anymore. Four wolves... Should they realy run away? He started to walk away, looking over his shoulder to see if Shin was actually doing what he wanted him to. Doesn't like, orders, that one, Stolz noted.

[Shinji]

Shin had already begun to get rid of the corpses - dragging them off and placing somewhere unseen and hidden. Namely, he tossed them into a nearby river; letting the frigid waters devour them. He would sit and watch as they drifted downstream - a form of respect as far as he was concerned. After all, these individuals came before him, before this pack was mutilated. However, amidst his efforts, he soon heard Stolz speak - faux brow lifting in question. "Take care o' the back, y'say?" He inquired, curious. "Aren't you afraid that I might steal 'em and leave?" Shin stated, monotone apparent. Clearly, he resented the fact that nobody trusted him. So, when he was told that he was to take care of the pack while his Alpha ran off gallavanting somewhere...he was skeptical. "I mean, I'll do it happily..but are ya sure you're a'right? Ya don't look so good..."

[xxAsta.Rael.]

Stolz looked back, further. He was already taing care of the mess, seeing them off in a strange form of respect as the floated one by one down the river... "Aren't you afraid that I might steal 'em and leave?" The voice shook him out of his daze, staring at the bodies of his pack. Gah, what the hell? Shin was asking him something.. What a weird question, though... He stared at him, his Beta... whom he trusted? Well, no, not yet. Suddenly understanding the other wolf's misconception, he turned it to his advantage. Yes, yes, please do take care of the pack... I just need a little bit of time. Take care of Lela, especially. I have a bussiness to attend to." Ahh, yes, he had only meant the old part of the pack, but with Shin watching Nightsong, who actually didn't need it, and Lela, the poor thing... He may be able to cross the river. There was two ways to get out of this mess, and he wasn't intent on leaving his territory yet. "If anything goes wrong... I'll know." he finished in a creepy tone, eyeing him. No, he did trust the wolf--how could he possibly not?--but even so, perhaps he could make this into a test, watch him if he came back early. He took a glance at the bloated river... How increadibly unlikely. He nodded once more, and leapt toward the trees behind him, not wanting to go straight to the river. There was no need for the rest of the pack to know of what he was doing.. Yet. No need to give them hope...

[Shinji]

(I'll reply soon, I promise. Too tired to do so at the moment, though. Dx)