Time Together Whilst Time Lasts (Monkey)

[Relairah]

Once more the pale wolfess found herself listening in silence as Hawke spoke, this time filling in more of the blanks. On and on he went about their pasts intertwined with the implications, the depictions... it seemed Icewulf voiced the very thoughts the resonated in her heart as the story and ideas spilled forth. When it came to the topic of the mark... the golden symbol brazened on every member of the group, she felt a slight chill in her spine. And then at last... he got to Gjelu. Hawke had a point... there was significance. But she drew comfort as her gaze met her mates and he spoke his word. No part for Gjelu. They must keep him out of it. She couldn't bare to lose her baby again. She nodded confidently at his words.

But in the pit of her stomach... she pushed aside any gut feelings that might whisper of something different. She knew more than anyone that fate could not be stopped.

Once more, Antarctica moved away from the spring in the center and toward the etchings on the ceiling of runes and wolves that all lead to one final destination. She wondered one thing. One thing that mattered most to her. Even as the question escaped her lips, she locked gazes with her mate yet again. "But Hawke... if it's true... if you were all gathered to bring back your so called god..." she hesitated, her voice breaking. She wondered if she could even ask the unspoken question. The implication all of this had. Hawke spoke about the situation like it was glorious. A good thing. And yet there were undeniable ominous undertones to the tale. The very depictions on the wall told of some horrible yet unknown part to the story. "What does it mean for you?" Her gaze never wavered from Icewulf's, and she fought back tears welling at the very thought of what she was suggesting.

But if what Hawke explained was true... she had to ask it. Because if it what he said was true. She was certain there was some enormous fate they were soon to face.

[Mokobo]

For some time after the question Antarctica posed was asked there was nothing but silence. As the couple stared into each other's eyes deeply, Hawke grew somber as he contemplated how to answer the inquiry. For the first time since the outset of their excursion, the golden wolf began to appear his age. The energy he had before seemed to deflate from within his chest, causing his shoulders to slouch slightly as his gaze lowered to the stony floor. In truth he had not come to a conclusion as to the implications of their part in the events to come. The arctic female had cut down to the heart of the matter so swiftly he found himself struggling to find the proper way in which to answer.
When the answer did finally come, he voiced it in tired tones much like the weary demeanor of his friend. The words were uttered in halting phrases, almost as if he had as much difficulty in letting them loose as he had in conjuring them. "After our moderate success in recovering some of Gjelu's memories I had the idea to recover some of my own. I had myself put into the memory-sleep, and the account I was told has brought up more questions than answers...I described a bright light- so bright there was nothing else. The one taking the account said I grew violent as I cried out to be left alone. At first they thought I was coming to. That is, until my voice changed to one not my own and I spoke. 'The gods' grip had loosened on the realm of mortals. Soon they will bleed, as will the land.' After those words I described water before waking from the memory-sleep. The rest I already knew."
During the silence leading up to Hawke's short story Icewulf had held his mate's gaze. He could see the fear and concern welling at the corners of his eyes, and her distraught brought a pang of suffering to his own heart. It was for her sake that he had forsaken the duties of the Vorlfur. Already he had passed from the land of the living once. For him to be returned to her had been a blessing he had not wished to squander. True, he had not entirely forsaken the responsibilities that had once been his, but he had avoided any needless confrontation. It was his intention to spend the rest of his days among the living doing his best to comfort his mate, and thus spare her from any more grief.
However, as Hawke began to speak, Icewulf would turn his gaze to look upon his friend in shock. This story was new to him, and startled him more than he would ever have expected. Often the arctic male had wondered how they had been returned to the living. Hawke had told him long ago of his own rebirth, and how a shadowy figure from their past had appeared to foretell of great things to come. So many questions had been brought up by their resurrection. Why had only some of their number returned from the realm of the dead? What was the purpose in bringing them back to the living? That Hawke had not only made attempts to learn the answers to these questions, but had also hid the findings dumbfounded Icewulf. His mouth opened to speak, but all words caught in his throat before they could pass his lips.
"We must do all we can to prevent it."

[Relairah]

Even as Hawke finally managed to speak, Antarctica's gaze remained on Icewulf. They had both certainly had their share of joy and loss, of greatness and tragedy. Her life had been full already and she was grateful for what she had been given. When Icewulf had first died she had somehow managed to move forward, getting up each day and had still found her inner strength - mostly for her children. When they had lost Gjelu, not once but twice... he had never actually died. Though the risk of it had been great and even then, she had somehow managed to remain an optimist.

For the first time, Antarctica was realizing the shadow of doubts in her mind. The uncertainty of what the future may hold and what it all might mean. Icewulf had been returned to her - by the grace of the gods. Or was it? The war had plunged again into war and chaos. It seemed these lands were ever doomed to some sort of calamity despite all the efforts of those who remained to prevent such. Finally, they had found peace again, looking toward a brighter future. And she now realized how desperately she was clinging to that notion. What if the future wasn't so bright after all?

With Hawke's tale... it indeed presented more question than answer. Something about the words he spoke that had not been his own resonated even more soundly with the idea of a prophecy. Antarctica finally turned her gaze away from her mate and looked intently on Hawke with his last words. The way he had been talking up to this point, one might have thought he was excited for this prophecy. This fate to come. But now she saw that it was all a front. Much like the one she was used to from her mate. The icy cold exterior to hide the rage of emotions and thoughts beneath the surface.

"We will," she said firmly, matter-of-factly. She wondered how exactly they were supposed to go about doing that, however...

Once more, Antarctica moved toward Icewulf. All this talk and darkness made her crave physical contact. As if she needed to cling to him as long as time would allow. Deep within her chest, ever since he had first come back, a quiet whisper that someday he would be torn from her again. It now became a louder stir, one that she fought to push back to the depths of her being.

[Mokobo]

Just as Antarctica shifted closer to his side, so did Icewulf edge closer to her presence. It was more of an instinct than a thought. That he should grasp for that one whom he cared for the most in the face of this new unknown spoke to the weight within his heart. The thoughts in his head held a more philosophical air. All this talk of gods and prophecy leaned toward concepts of fate, a subject he abhorred entirely. Fate implied there was no hope against an inevitable end, something Icewulf refuses to hold stock in. Was it not his guile and collected demeanor that had saved not only his own life, but those of countless others? To insist such were preordained and would have happened either way seemed insulting. A slap to his honor and that of many fallen friends.
A sudden rude chattering broke the arctic wolf from his ruminations. The high-pitched notes and clicks fired off rapidly from behind. Such an unexpected noise started Icewulf. He turned from his mate's side, spinning into a defensive position. The hackles at his neck raised as he landed in a crouch, fully prepared to do battle with this new entity. What he saw caused him to relax almost instantly however.
Standing just outside the chamber the wolves were in, dancing at the edge of the hall while emitting its agitated babbling, was a squirrel. Yet this was no ordinary rodent, marked firstly by the dual bushy tails curled up from its rear. The varmint's entire pelt was black other than white bands which tipped each tails. Fierce yellow eyes glared at the golden wolf as the small creature shook its paws in an almost comical way, never ending in its irrational tirade. Icewulf would gaze over his shoulder to his mate and comrade, a questioning look painted across his brow.
"Oh no." This single utterance was the only answer at first offered to Hawke's companions. With a quick gate and long strides the gilded canine would pass the mated pair with hardly a glance to them. His approach to the newcomer to their midst was swift, and upon arrival he would lean down to face the twin-tailed squirrel on its own level. To add to the curiosity of the situation, Hawke began to hold a conversation with the creature. Rather, the canine whispered while the rodent responded with varying, and occasionally rude, gestures of its paws and body. Despite the hushed tones which he used, Hawke's voice would sporadically echo off the curved walls.
"-long been waiting?...-to tell them where I-...do you mean not-..." Such were the broken phrases of the speech which would come forth from the muffled hum of the brief exchange. With a sigh Hawke would raise himself and shake his head before turning to face Icewulf and Antarctica. For a moment the weariness would be plastered across his face, but was soon covered by a warm smile. "I fear I've kept you two here too long. The dusk has grown to evening and that to midnight. My presence is requested elsewhere, otherwise I would escort you out myself." Here he would gesture to the black squirrel with a nod of his head. "My associate here will be kind enough to take my place. If ever either of you need to return here there is a simpler path from the Hall, Icewulf knows the-"
Hawke was cut short from another bout of chattering from the rash rodent. Angrily the beast pointed at the stone roots behind, stamping a foot on the ground in fury. However, a rough bark from Hawke ended this new offense, the sharp tone seeming louder than it truly was due to the acoustics of the grotto. Quickly the squirrel clapped both paws to its long, pointed ears while shaking its head. After the final reverberation would fade, the dark-pelted varmint would lower its paws and head in an obvious gesture of acceptance. The warm smile would once more appear on Hawke's lips as he turned to face his companions once more. "As I was saying, the rat will show you the door. If  I can ever do anything for you two, I am at your service. For now, pray excuse me." With that the golden-pelted defender would make his exit, never once turning his back and using the pace of one on a hurried task.

OoC: Sorry this took so long to reply to >.> I've been working these days off on a side-project and then Fallout has eaten so much of my free time xD
(Also, edited for content)

[Relairah]

OoC: Well I think I made up for your longness with my own o.o; yikes... also love the edits <3 and now for the long overdue reply... XD Sorreh for shortness ><;

iC:

Antarctica turned her gaze immediately, her brow quirking in a wolfish way as soon as the rodent came upon the scene. She easily pieced together that this rodent was not any ordinary squirrel by its appearance, but even then it was quite an odd scene. Rather than trying to make sense she probably wouldn't get out of the situation, she merely glanced at Icewulf. As soon as Hawke made his leave, she stepped forward. She had a feeling they really didn't need an escort... but she was grateful anyway. It was simply her nature.

As they walked, she would talk in low tones to avoid the echoes from the stone around them. "Icewulf... I must know what it is you are thinking after all of this. You were so insistent that Hawke was wrong... but..." she trailed off, waiting to hear what he would have to say.

[Mokobo]

If the aging arctic wolf was surprised by Hawke's sudden and rushed flight he did not show a hint of so. Rather, a sense of relief had washed through his limbs at this turn of events. Of late this grotto had seemed like such an omen of doom that Icewulf had grown to dread the very existence of such a place. After each visit his heart grew heavier with doubts and wonders. Each season seemed to dash away a possibility of hope, until at last this grizzled veteran felt certain of the feeling that tugged at his gut. Often in the past his intuitions had proven to be true, and he felt certain that this time was no different. Such were the thoughts on Icewulf's mind as he and his beloved began to take their leave of the Grotto. When Antarctica's soft words were spoken he started ever so slightly, due both to the interruption of his ruminations and how closely attuned to his psyche her question was.
There was a pause before he spoke, as there always was. Icewulf turned his mate's question over in his mind as they continued their approach to the exit and the two-tailed squirrel. Wisdom told him to speak only the known facts so as to avoid undue speculations, but his heart screamed at him to release the torrent of thoughts this single chamber created. Icewulf managed to find an answer that he hoped was am adequate medium. "Hawke is wrong my love..maybe not upon the details, but the way he has collected them to form his theory...We must remember he has lost so much, and Hawke was always the sof- the more tender of our brotherhood. His theory that all this-" Here Icewulf paused at the entrance to the hall beyond, casting one final gaze upon the shadowy figured carved into the ceiling. "That anything in this room foretells of a god is hopeful to the point of ignorance. I have seen many ruins, many old battlefields. This grotto reeks of blood in the same way they did."
Always the observant one-
In an effort to comfort his beloved, as well as himself, Icewulf would offer Antarctica after a small smile. In truth, the feeling of dread did not seem so oppressive with her by his side. Any doubt he had of bringing her into the fold seemed foolish now. With a small gesture Icewulf would take the last few steps out of the grotto. By then the dark-pelted rodent had retreated to the stone roots at the final exit where it chattered away in an impatient sort of way. Ignoring this intrusion, Icewulf would glance over at Antarctica before speaking once more. "And you? I know this has been a lot for you-" Here a guilty note entered his voice," -but what do you make of this place?"


OoC- X.x Holiday season has me running all over the place, but atleast I had plenty of time to draft xD

[Relairah]

OoC: Yay I is back :3

iC:

As Icewulf shared some of his thoughts on the matter, she found that she agreed with him. Hawke was an optimist... despite all of the tragedy in his own life, his golden pelt was not simply his plumage. It was his personality as well. He was gold all the way to his core. He would try to see the light at the end of whatever path he was following rather than the ever darkness. Much like herself, perhaps. Except that Icewulf was both wise and practical. It was not that he only ever believed bad. But he tended to see things for what they were and not jump to any conclusions. It was part of what made him such a good leader. He always had been. And always would be.

The depictions and the stories etched in the stone did depict blood. If it was a god that was coming, it was not Hawke's god. It was a demonic god of death and destruction. Probably more kin to some demonic creature. At Icewulf's small smile, she couldn't help feeling it was a mere attempt at comfort in the wake of these horrid feelings. He then turned her question back towards her. She couldn't help a slight smile back at him, another attempt at reassurance. He also was so in-tune to her psyche.

Antarctica released her breath slowly. "I truly wish I could erase all of this and return to the grasslands and the days when our children were mere pups. A sense of forebode has been a pit in my stomach since I saw the depictions within the heart of the grotto itself." She paused, her crystal blue gaze seeking her mate's for a moment and then she looked away as she fought to prevent herself from losing her composure. "I fear losing you... again. And Gjelu as well. Whatever is coming... and Hawke may be wrong... but I feel something sinister is coming... it threatens the serenity we have found." She paused again. "Still, I must believe in the good. I must believe as I always have that whatever evil is before us, you will conquer it as you always have. Perhaps the grotto is a gift so that we will be ready." Perhaps even Icewulf's return to life had been a gift so that he might fight against what was coming. Or perhaps she was being too hopeful. Regardless, Antarctica found herself continuing to cling to the hope that despite the dark implications, it wasn't a prophecy in which everything they had would be utterly destroyed.