Ode To The Moon [open]

[david]

Powerfully it burned, it's intensity and strength the very source of Werewolf life and culture; the Moon above forming the center of their core existence. And on a rare night like this, one that didn't come often enough, all Wolves were welcome in celebration. It was the night of the Harvest Moon, the beginning of the most powerful full moon sequence of the year. After tonight the next few days would be filled with war, battles, great hunts; ways for the Wolves to exert their dominance over Vampires and other Dark Creatures. Soon the time of year that all beings who were on bad terms with the Wolf Clans feared would be upon the forests.

But those nights of conquest and glory, flames and blood was not yet upon them. Moments of such battle-lust and death could wait; tonight was a celebration.

It was a common enough occurrence within the walls of Garamond; the usual Harvest Moon Festival. A yearly event, and one known in the surrounding cities and villages; it was one of the rare times of year that the gates of Garamond fell open to any and all that wished good-will upon the Wolves. It was a time when Humans and Elves were welcomed with open arms into the chaotic and war-driven world of the Wolves; it was one of the few times that all the beasts put away notions of battle for at least one night. They traded the screams of battle for the cheers and songs of their Pack and guests. Feasts and strong drink were welcomed instead of the sight of an advancing army; for that night warriors were allowed to forget the dark and twisted world they fought to save. For one night they were allowed to know what it meant to be happy, to remember what it was they killed and died for.

David was one such Wolf allowed to enjoy in the simplicity of the Festival. For a night he allowed the animal within to sleep, allowed the beast to slumber so that the Human might live at least those hours as a truly humane being. However, going along with that also brought a few changes to David, ones that other Wolves noticed and gently mocked him for. The Festival was one of the few times of year the Beta-Wolf could be seen clothed, opting out of his natural habit to benefit the outsiders who looked upon such customs with embarrassment and sometimes even anger. Wearing simple leather leggings of rich buckskin, the material soft and supple to the touch and a light tan in color. A simple brown belt found it's way across his wrist, the simple and always present dagger sheathed at his left hip. Upon his torso he wore a simple dark green tunic, the cloth a bit course to the touch, like that of a Wolf's fur. David's appearance and clothing carried no sign of his rank within the Pack, it carried no hint to the fact that he bowed before only one being in existence.

Exactly how it should have been. Wolves were all equal, all important to the Pack. Some simply demanded more respect, but when it came down to it no life was worth more than that of another. A pack-mate was your flesh and your blood, your own life and your own soul. That was part of what made the festival so special. It was the one time of year that many of the other races were allowed to view the Wolves outside of war, which was sometimes needed. After so many months of terrifying stories and sights, even allies of the Wolves began to fear them. It was on nights like this, amid the clamor of singing, the noise of instruments that were being loudly played, the shouts and conversations that Wolves were seen at their best. When loyalty and allegiance brought them together, when the love openly shared between them could be felt. It was at times like this that the Wolves furry and bloodlust was forgotten, this was when they were seen as gentle and joyous people. This was when they almost seemed Human.

Exiting one of the many tents, David stepped out into the brisk night air, the warmth of body heat and the fire straying from his flesh to hide away within the tent. However, he didn't mind it, in fact, he invited it. Closing his eyes, the Wolf sniffed the air gently taking in the scents of the forest night. The soft smoky odor of fires, the searing meats that were being cooked all around him to feed those attending the feast, the slowly dying leaves as autumn approached. All of it brought a smile to his lips, all of it a constant reminder of The Great Mother and her presence, her need for protection which her Children were ready to give with their life. Looking up to the large and powerful moon, David allowed his eyes to open as he starred upon it. "For you, Great Mother, we offer the praise and joy of our Feast to you. For you, Great Mother, we swear to march to battle without fear in the coming days. For you, Great Mother, we swear to put down all who wish you and your Children ill in this world. For you, Great Mother, we live." Finishing the prayer softly, David turned away to look back into the tent. His eyes taking in the sight before him.

For tonight, at least, he could enjoy himself without the worry of a dagger slamming into his heart being on his mind. That was always a plus.

[athena]

The cool water ran lazily around the feet of a young looking girl. The soft moon light spilt through the trees over head and the sounds of a great gathering echoed far beyond. Her light dress danced in the light evening breeze. The natural world around her was alive with sounds. Insects filled the undergrowth with lively music and predators slunk through the trees after oblivious prey. The strong willed woman took a deep breath of the serenity before glancing back toward the clamour of the celebration of the harvest moon. Not being violent by nature, Athena dreaded the coming hunt. For years before she joined the pack, she had been solitary, caught up in a world she was abandoned into, and in that solitude, she had only hunted to survive. People referred to animalistic impulses to describe cruel, savage acts. It took being a werewolf for Athena to realise that those acts of uncontrolled cruelty were essentially human. She had not met a single true animal that hunted for pleasure.

Athena could not lie and say she did not enjoy a good kill, but it was never for act of killing but rather the satisfaction of knowing she would survive another week. The wolf in Athena was never far away, and it fed into her kind nature with the whispers of brotherhood and essence of survival. She never killed more than she could eat and she never killed for sport. Alas, it was proper to return to the deafening sound of the festivity. Growling to herself, she stepped out from the cool of the water and silently moved toward the joyous cries of drunken stupor. It was difficult to get used to the notion of living within a pack, with ranks and confusing levels of courtesy. For many years, Athena had hidden herself within the dark places of the world; hiding from what she had been turned into so many years ago. By her face, it was hard to believe that thirty five years had passed since that fateful day, but each year left a mark upon her mind.

For the beginning, her life as a werewolf had been a laboured one, flitting being the choice of living, and the choice of dying. It was only her stubborn will that had kept her alive in the agony of her first Changes. Alas, the agony had not lessened over the years, just become more natural. She was pleased that her Changes had been limited to the full moon, and sometimes she wished that full moon would never come. However, as certain as the sun rising, the full moon came. It was a hell that she had sworn she would rather die than live through again, but her instincts to survive had been stronger. It was said that a wolf would chew off its own paw to get out of a trap. Athena did not know about wolves, but as a werewolf, she knew she would do more than that to survive. Instinct would out.

The ground slipped away beneath her swift feet. Even not in wolf form, she made ground eating, unnaturally fast strides. However, her strides faltered a little as she caught the scent of man and elf all mingled with the smell of her pack brothers. She resented the sorcerers for bringing war upon them, but she felt that she was probably alone in that feeling. It was not always advisable to be a peace lover amongst her brethren, especially when considering the low life blood suckers they were in the war to kill; an unnatural war at that. The notion of sisters turning upon each other was unfathomable as her turning on her pack.
“Humans,” Athena muttered under her breath, her annoyance growing slightly. Although she had been one once, she had long left most of that side behind her.

The voice of the Beta Pack Leader drifted into her hearing range. She remained respectfully still as she heard it was the ending to a prayer to the Mother. Her worship to the deity had come slowly, and was still upon uncertain grounds. Change was difficult for the stubborn woman but she tried her hardest to move from the days of solitude to the way life was naturally meant to be. David had always made her a little uncomfortable with his lack of attire. That was mainly due to her upbringing as a good lady while she was a human and then the years after in isolation. Human habits died slowly. Because of this, she kept out of his way, and often spent time alone in the forest. She slowly walked into range of sight, and amused, she noted tonight he had chosen to cloth himself. She supposed it was the proper thing to do in such company.

“David,” she said softly in greeting, her eyes remaining steadily upon him before she dropped her gaze in submission. She knew it was right to remain respectful, even though she hated the thought of being controlled by anything other than her own choices. She twisted her hands nervously in the fold of her white cotton dress, as she glanced up again, unable to let herself remain submissive for an extended period. She felt slightly self conscious as she made an effort to look decent for the feast. The soft smell of perfume hung around her, unnaturally so. While she enjoyed the feeling she also felt out of place. She pulled her lips tight in discomfort as she gazed at him. Uncertain whether to say or do anything, she remained rooted to the spot, before opening her mouth to speak.
“Enjoying the feast?” the words tumbled from her mouth and fell down into the silence awkwardly.


((OOC: Hope it's ok))

[david]

David knew deep in his own heart that the sight of such merriment before him should have brought a smile to his lips, it should have brought a deeper sense of happiness to his soul than it did. The fact was, however, that to him all of this was simply a distraction, almost a waste of time. He knew how it was suppose to look to the others, he knew the point of it was to give everyone a break, and for as long as he could remember he'd supported the Festival. However, tonight it seemed to be a waste, it was like blindfolding you when you knew behind the shadows an army stood waiting. There was no doubt in any of the Wolves minds what waited for them, what War they had willingly thrown themselves into the middle of. Tonight should have been used for war-making, for blood-shed upon their enemies; but tradition was tradition and no such things would come this evening. Tonight was a celebration of life, it was as simple as that and that was the way it would remain.

His mildly annoyed ponderings where suddenly interrupted by the scent of another approaching him directly, with purpose. Had this been the actual field, had this been a combat situation, the sensation would have brought the Wolf to an aggressive state instantly; the urge to murder out of his own personal preservation would have become instinct instantly. Gently his nostrils twitched, the action once again filling him with the fresh scent, the second sniff bringing an image of a face up within his mind as well as a name-- Athena. Turning on his heel lightly, the Wolf found himself looking upon her smaller form as she approached him. He could feel the awkwardness in his footfalls, he could feel the sensation of her being so uncomfortable; it was like a cloak she'd thrown over him. Clearly the Pup had not yet fully assimilated into the thought process and manner of pack-life. Then again, she had been alone for sometime.

He watched as her eyes fell submissively; the action enough in their culture to show the respect that was demanded of her. And as her eyes once again rose to look into his own, he couldn't help but to allow a smirk to dance it's way across his lips. He could tell that she still hated the idea of having to admit she was beneath another, but the custom was as old as their Kind and it was something that would never change. It saved everyone a lot of time to just accept it and go with it, which she was beginning to understand. "Enjoying the feast?" The Wolf once again glanced into the tent, his eyes focusing upon the events unfolding before him. A soft smile came to his predator like features; it was an amusing sight to see Wolves he knew to be capable dealers of death so intoxicated they could barely stand. Closing his eyes, he allowed the smell of roasting meats to roll across his senses, his mouth watering at the stimulation of it. Perhaps he himself would soon join in with his Brothers and Sister.

"I myself haven't joined in yet, though it appears to be something of a spectacle this year. As always, though." His words carried a low note, almost a growl as he spoke; the animal within himself working it's way into even the most human of his traits. Glancing back to Athena, the Wolf let an accusing tone assume itself upon his voice as he looked down at the smaller Pup. "But a better question would be, 'What are you doing out here?'. Is this not your first Harvest Moon since coming to our Pack? Is this not your first time at the great festival?" His voice was mockingly stern, like a father that was pretending to be upset. It was a known fact that David had a soft spot for Pups, a particular interest in keeping them safe and making sure they didn't mess up too bad. Athena had come to them nearly broken in her mind, the Change ripping her apart from the inside out. She'd been one he'd taken a special interest in.

The amount of time it was taking for her to find her loyalty and place within the Pack was slowly becoming something of a bother to David. One of the strongest strength a Wolf possessed was the knowledge of the Pack backing your every move and action. It was both armor and sword, protective and vicious; however, it was a machine that could be inhibited with the most delicate of actions. Mistrust, hesitation, the attitude of a loner; these were things that weakened a Pack, these were things that took it from the edge of perfection to the halls of the damned. Athena needed to find her place among them and she needed to do it quickly, once the War was in full swing and the entire Pack was mobilized they would no longer have time for a lingerer that could not decide what it wanted. And this was a fate David wanted more than anything to avoid for the young Pup.

Glancing in the direction from which she had come, keen Wolf eyes
saw the lightly flowing brook. Ah, at least there was that about her. Like all of her kind, she felt a special affinity for the natural world around them, she felt a calling to her creator and Blessed Mother. That was at least enough to verify that she was simply a lost Wolf, not a devious one. " The water, Athena. Why the water and not the comfort of your Pack?" His voice carried with it no hints of anger or annoyance, his tone simply questioning. What was it about the gently rolling water that appealed more to her mind than the comfort of her Brothers and Sisters that would lay down life and limb for her. What drew her to this world so much, enough she could possibly become lost in it. Looking from the brook back to Athena, the Wolf allowed his powerful and deep green eyes to stare into those of the She-Wolf before him. "Or are we all just a bunch of loud Mutts in your eyes?" A smile danced it's way across his lips as the words tumbled from his mouth, showing only amusement. He wouldn't blame her.

Sometimes he wanted to runaway and hide-out himself.

[athena]

Tension drew up in her body as she waited for the older wolf to react. As he turned, she kept her muscles taunt. It was never a good idea to sneak up on one of her pack mates during this time. A constant anticipation threaded through the air and wound itself in the hearts of the Wolves. Athena took in a breath of the sharp smoke that filtered out the tent. She pulled her lips tight in disgust. Along with the scent of smoke were those of sweat, human and variety of food. It was a far step from the clean smell of nature. Everything about the ceremony seemed unnatural for creatures of the wild. Half wild, the woman was apprehensive about joining the group in their jovial celebrations. A flicker of defiance touched her eyes as she observed his smirk. While she wanted to want to be a true part of the pack, all customs included, a bigger part of her still ran rampant in the forests where she had withdrawn into. It was there, amongst the dragons and wild creatures she had truly felt at home. However, she hushed the growing wildness that threatened to overrun rational, pack like thought.

It was highly ironic that she, an independent, antisocial human had been changed into a creature that relied upon pack cooperation and teamwork. One day, she vowed, she would begin to understand the clock like structure of the pack. Each wolf needed the other and would give their lives for their warped family. Her eyes danced in the direction he looked and she could not help but look on in disgust at the behaviour that was customary to feats. It was hard to class what she had become as a noble beast. Being a human was not better, on the other hand. They seemed to be bloodthirsty beings that roamed the world subjecting others to their selfish desires and wishes. She supposed being a creature like this was infinitely better considering them. She looked away, back to the depths of the forest and back to the rippling stream. Her stomach grew tight in anxiety and even the smell of tantalising flesh made no impact upon her. The noise brought a soft headachy to her temples. She had never done well with crowds or loud noises.

His words ran over her without her taking much interest in them. Instead, she wondered how long she would be expected to stay before she could retire. However, at his next words she glanced up slightly, narrowing her eyes. She shifted uncomfortably at his tone, and quickly dropped her gaze to the floor. The act was not that of submission but rather of avoidance. She did not enjoy this topic of conversation and did not really want to answer. However, she felt obliged, as he was her elder.
“This is not entirely my forte,” she said simply, raising her gaze. “I much prefer the quiet to the raucous of such celebrations. Today it is celebrations, tomorrow we go to war. There is little to celebrate when there will be so much bloodshed.”
He wanted to know, so she refused to tone down her opinion. She was fairly certain that he would not like her answer. The war needed willing participants, not a she-wolf who had the nature to question all and hesitate if she doubted it was the right thing to do. Being somewhat strong willed Athena found it hard to disregard her feelings and opinions. Harvest Moon had always been the bane of her existence, and she found it difficult to settle into the idea that it was a phenomenon to be celebrated in a rather primitive way. She huffed softly, and dropped her gaze again.

She supposed it would be correct form to show her face amongst the celebration at least until everyone was too far gone to notice if she slipped out. She was sure she would be able to bear that amount of time within the clutches of jovial oblivion. She knew soon she would have to decide to truly join the pack or move on. Both were equally tempting and lead her to no results. While she longed for the company of other and the protection and love it brought, her instinct pulled her away to the position of uncertainty and guardedness. She could not trust them as she could not trust herself to connect with them. Her mind dictated she looked after herself and obeyed no command other than that of nature herself. Hunt, eat, breath and sleep and never stay in the same spot for too long. It was how she had survived for so many years alone. Now to ask her to trust another with her survival seemed to be foolish and unnatural. After all, the Wolf that had bit her had abandoned her so why would these wolves be any different? Hushing the thoughts, she glanced up at the older wolf that was looking across to whence she came. She shifted uncomfortably, eager to make her entrance and then enjoy the solitude of sleep.

However, his words caught her before she could respectfully bow out of conversation. His question was surprising and she looked up at him sharply. Why did he dig so? She remained silent as he spoke again and a small amused smile touched her lips.
“Perhaps,” she answered, a somewhat cheeky smile stretching its way onto her lips. She found his strong steady gaze somewhat disconcerting.
“I doubt the pack is in any fit way to comfort, in all due respect,” she said mildly, lighting sidestepping the question, and looked pack to the pack which was clearly enjoying the availability of intoxicating substances. She grinned wryly, gazing back into the beta wolf’s eyes.