Solar Pack RP

[RaNdOmPeRsOn]

Ecipse stumbles over and quickly gets her feet back up. Eclipse darts her head around facing Thresh wondering what he's going to do. "Will I completely fail?" Eclipse thinks, trying to focus on Thresh and not on the many wolves staring at her.

[Jayfeather]

Sandstorm and Sear dart around the training grounds on light feet. Sear whirls around to face Sandstorm who was hot on her heels and leaps over his head, grinning as she escapes him yet again. Sandstorm stops and turns around, beaming at Sear. "Great job. You won't be easy to beat in the tournament!" Sear barks, clearly thrilled by Sear's talent. Sandstorm pads over to Okami and flops down, seeming like he might pass out at any moment. Sandstorm glances at Okami curiously. "So tell me. Do you think you can win against Bain this time?" He turns his gaze to Bain, who was now staggering away from Thresh, mumbling curses. Sandstorm shakes his head and continues to speak in a aged tone. "You know, when I got this," Sandstorm motions to the symbol on his leg. "It was because I helped the pack out a lot by hunting and training. I didn't become a warrior because I won every fight. I earned my Gamma symbol because I was a dedicated pack member." Sandstorm rises, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "Remember that." Sandstorm pads away to Kora and begins a small conversation, every so often batting at Kora's face with one paw, appearing to be the same as usual.

Thresh stares at Eclipse, annoyed. "What is your deal? Attack me already!" Thresh slaps his tail on the sandy floor and growls. "The whole point of this training is experience. Once you learn the right ways to attack, you'll win in your next fight." He motions to Bain who was slinking away to meet with Kora and Sandstorm. "Him? He attacked all wrong. Ran straight for me when I could easily see him coming. I had plenty of time to defend myself. Don't give me any time when you attack!" Thresh stretches his back and bristles his fur in a mock look of anger. "Come and get me!"

[LightTogekiss]

         Okami looks at Sandstorm with a puzzled face. But how could I ever become a warrior if I can't even beat and apprentice? Okami pads over to Sandstorm and Sear and sits down. "Sandstorm, about Bain, I know what you said about winning, but do you think I can beat him. Do you think I'll ever be as strong as you and Spec?" Okami thinks about what Sandstorm's reply would be. Okami thinks about what his own reply would be.. Okami realizes something and smiles. "Never mind. I think I understand now"
         Okami thought a lot about what Sandstorm had said earlier over the next few minutes. He thought about honor, and courage, and what strength really meant. Okami realized the gravity of being an Alpha, of being a warrior even. Okami felt smaler than ever before, but he felt prouder that ever before too. To have spoken directly to the Alpha really was an honor. Okami then thought about the pack, and what it meant to be a part of it. Okami wondered why anyone would ever want anything else.
         That's when it hit him. Okami realized that he needed to talk to Sandstorm soon. But when, and was it just going to be with Sandstorm. What if Sandstorm's.. No! he couldn't be. But just to make sure. Okami tries to think of the people he could trust again. This sure is hard... ! I've got it! "Sandstorm. I need to talk with you, it's direly urgent. Meet me tonight. Alone please. It has to do with the pack.." Okami had spoken loudly enough so that Sear could hear him, but soft enough so it sounded like he was concealing his conversation. Now, let's just hope Sear's suspicious side shines through tonight.
         Okami looks at Eclipse. Thresh sure isn't the most... benevolent person I know, but his methods obviously work. He is a warrior anyway. Okami wonders what Eclipse was like. She seems nice enough. Although she isn't used to Thresh yet.. 
        Okami thought about his dream, and the "memories"; he tried to push them out of his head. Think of something else right now, Silly! Okami thinks of the battle. Okami continued to push himself onward. I can do this... I can do this. I can do this!!!

         

[RaNdOmPeRsOn]

Eclipse stares at Thresh wondering what to do, obviously her other move hadn't worked. Eclipse looks around "what can I do?" Eclipse decides to try something, she'd run at Thresh's side and then if he tried to dodge and she would swerve to the other side. Eclipse tried it, she ran at Thresh with her claws ready to rip some of his wolf pelt. Eclipse knew this would probably fail, but she tried it anyways.

[Jayfeather]

Sandstorm watches Okami curiously for a moment, then nods. "Alright, Okami. Where do you to hold this...meeting?" Sandstorm pauses to glance over at Thresh's training. He sighs as he watches the small new apprentice charge at Thresh's side. Not a good idea, little one. Sandstorm sighs in pity and turns his attention back to Okami.

Thresh watches as Eclipse races for his side. He chuckles and quickly turns around, his head facing the air. Thresh puts both paws deep in the ground and begins to dig, spraying sandy earth behind him and onto anything nearby. Thresh chunks a few more pawfuls of sand and turns around, waiting for the dust he'd stirred up to clear. He called across the training grounds in a humorous voice. "Hey Sandstorm! If I'm lucky, she'll look just like you! Dirt and all!" Thresh laughed in a deep and bellowing voice and went back to watching the dust settle. Please look like Sandstorm, please look like Sandstorm!

[LightTogekiss]

   "Well somewhere... private. It can't be overheard by Anyone else. I don't know where.. what about here?" Okami thinks about their meeting place.. He hadn't really thought about where. Did it matter? It had to be somewhere so that if Someone wanted to listen in, they would have to enter eyesight. Okami knew that going to the training grounds wasn't really okay by himself, but what if he was with another wolf? Maybe that would work. 
   "Hey! Sear! Come over here for a minute!" Okami shouted. He still didn't know exactly what to do about a meeting place, but he would figure that out soon enough. Okami did know that he had to meet soon. Okami wondered if maybe he could deal with this on his own. Maybe he didn't need to tell anyone about what he was seeing. Okami also remembered what Sandstorm had said. Would I be honoring the pack if I just left this alone?
    Right as Okami was thinking this, another flurry hit him. Like usual, it was just a jumble. Okami didn't know if, maybe, someday, this would change. Maybe someday, Okami would be able to understand what was flying through his head like a flock of confused birds. Okami felt the climax of this barrage when he began to fell dizzy. Okami wobbled a little bit, but soon regained his ground.
    Okami looked around the training grounds. The visions had faded, for now, and Okami's eyes began to clear. The things Okami's eyes were seeing, however, were different that the things he saw the day he first left the pup den for his first sight of the camp, different that the things he saw when he became an apprentice, different, even, than the things that he had seen yesterday in training. Everything was so much more beautiful. So much more entrancing. So much more precious. So much more.
     Okami realized that he had begun, at such a young age even, to take for granted the things around him that made up his life. The people he had met, the trees that formed our beautiful forest, the food that not everyone in the forest gets to eat, the feeling of the gentle breeze running through his fur, the fact that not every pup that is born in the pup den even survives. Friends, family, shelter, food, even life as a whole. Okami had been completely oblivious of the blessing each and every one of those things were. Okami inwardly made a promise to himself not to let that happen again. If he did. Then why do we even bother protecting our clan, from outside forces during attack, from starvation during famine, from freezing after the leaves fall; Why even care if anyone survives at all?
    Okami realized more than ever the fact that he couldn't let anything happen to the pack. No matter what.

[RaNdOmPeRsOn]

Eclipse doesn't look at Sandstorm "I won't fall for that!" Eclipse runs at Thresh, her paws skidding on the sand. Eclipse leaps and tries to Land on Thresh while he was talking to Sandstorm. Eclipse thought she could land on him, he was caught off guard. Eclipse was ready to dig her claws into Thresh's fur, she wanted to give a few clean hits. Eclipse glanced at his paws "maybe I should go for his paws." Eclipse thought carefully, but she was in mid air. Eclipse's thought were buzzing like a swarm of bees, she would land some hits! Eclipse knew she would!

[Jayfeather]

Sandstorm nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's fine. We can meet here tonight, after sunset." Sandstorm glanced at Sear, padding towards Okami, then froze. His sight of the training grounds was suddenly replaced much more dark and deceptive: Blood stained the sandy earth, and bodies littered the ground, lifeless. A sturdy figure padded into the horrific scene, laughing. Trotting close behind him was a smaller wolf, who was carelessly stepping on the fallen wolves as he walked. "Well done, young one. I can't believe you were able to infiltrate their camp and kill them all." The large wolf laughed. The smaller wolf shrugged and continued walking in silence. "You did save that Alpha Kaen for me, correct?" The sturdy wolf asked curiously. The once-grinning young wolf froze and lifted his gaze to meet his superior's. "He...well, got...away." He stammered. The giant wolf stopped in his tracks and rounded on the frightened wolf, gripping his throat within seconds. "You fool! I'll kill you-" Sandstorm's vision ended abruptly, leaving the name of the wolf he needed to know hanging far away off the larger wolf's lips. Sandstorm staggered for a moment then quickly recovered. He smoothed his ruffled fur back down and tried desperately to appear calm. He lifted his gaze to the sky when he began to settle down from his previous horror. Who was that giant wolf? Sandstorm wondered. And who was that traitor? This is bad- I have to report this to Alpha as soon as possible.

Thresh pricked his ears in surprise when the dust settled and Eclipse was no where to be seen. Thresh glanced behind him, expecting the apprentice to be charging at him, but was met with nothing. Suddenly, realization dawned on him. Thresh glanced upwards, hoping that he would have some time to move, but it was too late. He sighed, bracing himself for the attack.

[LightTogekiss]

     Okami noticed that Sandstorm had abandoned his normal cool and collected self, he saw a glimpse of color in his eyes he hadn't seen before. Fear, worry, anguish. Okami couldn't quite make out what it was, but by the time Sandstorm had regained his composure, Sear had arrived.  "Are you okay, Sandstorm? You looked a little... shot." Okami then thought about how he must have looked when he was screaming and breaking down in front of everyone.. I guess somethings are private anyway.. Okami shifts his gaze towards Sear. He nears her and tells her in her ear, "Meet me and Sandstorm here tonight, Okay. It's very important, and I think you should be there." Okami walks in a circle around Sear, trying to make it appear as if he was simply greeting her. 
     Okami looks over towards Thresh's side and sees Thresh being cornered by Eclipse's skyward attack. Wow! To catch a warrior off guard! Okami wondered if he could win against someone as agile as her.. 
     Okami thinks about Bain. He goes over every single attack he could remember that Bain pulled in their first fight. He watches Bain's every move now, looking for something that could up Okami's edge, which he may or may not be able to gain.
     Okami thinks about camp, about the apprentices den. Okami wished he could just avoid battling all together for fear of another defeat. Okami looks up at the sky. He pretends that the clouds don't look like pups, similar to Okami, being mauled by another wolf. He pretends that they look like prey, not anything else. Okami pretends that everything was just fine, when the truth is that he wasn't really anything close to fine.
     

[RaNdOmPeRsOn]

Ecipse landed on his back and raked her claws down his pelt and then slipped off skidding in the sand, she turned around, dust flashing all around. Eclipse wondered if he would attack, she wondered if she would be ready. Eclipse focused on what she thought he was gonna do, but she didn't have much time to think.

[Jayfeather]

Sandstorm jerks back to life at the sound of Okami's voice. He faces the sandy brown apprentice, a fake smile plastered on his face. "Oh, I'm fine. I was just thinking about the weather. Those are some pretty clouds up there." Sandstorm motioned with his tail to the clouds shifting in the sky. He quickly takes a few steps back from the two apprentices and pads over to Kora. He reaches her and speaks immediately, urgency in his voice. "Kora, I can't stay to watch the apprentices." Kora playfully bats at Sandstorm's head. "But it's about to begin. Why are you leaving?" Sandstorm swipes her paw away, annoyed. "I have to go report to Alpha right now." Kora inches back from Sandstorm, appearing hurt. "What's your problem? I didn't do anyth-" Sandstorm quickly cuts Kora off. "It's the Third Eye! It happened just a second ago." Kora stares at him in disbelief for a moment then nods. Sandstorm dips his head graciously then bolts into the forest, anxiety clawing at him like an invisible enemy.

Thresh bends under the weight of the apprentice and sighs in relief as Eclipse slips off of him. He reaches his around his broad shoulders and begins to lick his back, soothing the claw marks that managed to penetrate his tough coat. He pauses in between licks to announce in an emotionless voice. "You're excused. The apprentice tournaments will begin in a moment." Thresh clears away the dust that had settled over his scratches and shakes his fur, sending bits of sand everywhere. Heh. Thresh thinks to himself, amused. Now I'm the one who looks like Sandstorm. He pads to the center of the training grounds, still smiling about his joke, when he noticed something. Speaking of which, where is Sandstorm? Thresh scans the training grounds for any signs of the dusty young warrior, but is met with no success. Thresh shrugs and watches as Kora stands proudly over the fighting area she had created. The "Fighting Ring" as Kora called it, was a large earthy patch of ground, stretching about 9 fox-lengths wide with a large ring drawn around it. Kora called out the names of the first two apprentices to fight as Thresh settled down on the ground, ready to watch the show. "Sear and Eclipse! Your up first." Sear padded into the Fighting Ring, excited and eager to begin. She watched Eclipse closely after she entered, searching for any particular signs of weakness. This time, Sear thought. I won't lose. Kora explained a few simple rules of the Fighting Ring quickly, eager to watch the match. "No stepping out of the ring. If you do, your opponent automatically wins. However, this is not a shoving match. This is a fight to show your skills!" Kora barked energetically. "Next, the first apprentice to hit their opponent three times is the winner. Three clean hits is all it takes. If you try and pull a dirty move, or attack your opponent's vital areas, you will be disqualified." Kora washes her view over all of the apprentices and takes a step back. "Alright, begin!"

[LightTogekiss]

Okami noticed that Sandstorm was acting a little bit tense, so when Sandstorm went over to Kora, Okami felt oblidged to, say, "listen" to their conversation. Awww.. Sandstorm's leaving. Report? Alpha? I wonder why a report is more important than our training? And what is a Third Eye?As Sandstorm was leaving, Okami's thoughts were a sort of jumble, that is, however only until Okami heard Kora anounce that the battles would begin. Okami couldn't wait to get his battle oversight but he would have to wait his turn.
Okami tried to think about the battles, but his mind kept returning to the words that Sandstorm had said. "Third Eye." For some reason those words had a sort of familiarity to them. Or, maybe an attraction.. What was this feeling? It was as if he head heard it before, or that it meant something to him. Whatever, it didn't matter. The flashes in Okami's head were preventing him from thinking too hardly anyway.
Okami sat in quiet stillness, unsure of who he wanted to win more, or, for that matter, who he trusted more. Although it was apparent that he had already made that decision for himself.

[RaNdOmPeRsOn]

Eclipse sighed with relief, she was dismissed. Eclipse stood up and shook her fur free of sand, then she searched the crowd for Okami. Eclipse went towards him and sat down, she took a few deep breathes then stood up. Eclipse looked around and spotted Sear. Eclipse walked towards her, she was first and she would be battling her. Eclipse nodded a greeting and then sat down nearby, she didn't know what to do next but she would find out soon. Eclipse ignored her nervousness, she was exited! Eclipse was going to have a duel, would she win? Would Eclipse lose? What would eclipse do? Thoughts buzzed through Eclipse's head, but she wasn't overwhelmed. If anything, Eclipse was anxious. Eclipse thought about some of the moves she used on Thresh, should she use a similar move? If Eclipse used the same one, it would make her look like she couldn't think of anything else. Eclipse didn't worry, she would think about it during the battle.

[Jayfeather]

Sear darted forward the moment Kora gave the signal to begin. It was time to show everyone what she was made of. Already, she had been beaten by a weak apprentice on it's first day of training, and Sear had to do everything she could to stop history from repeating. Sear moved quickly, heading straight towards Eclipse with her jaws parted. She dived underneath Eclipse's muzzle, then pushed upward, her mouth wide open. She felt satisfaction as her teeth met the bottom of Eclipse's jaw. If she couldn't bite her enemy's throat, then she would get the closest thing near it. Sear held tight to Eclipse's lower jaw for no longer than a second, then released and switched to Eclipe's left. She watched her enemy carefully, taking quick steps away from the dark apprentice. Kora howled, signaling the first point while giving a warning glance to Sear. Sear nodded and continued to watch Eclipse, realizing that she might have been a bit too rough on the new apprentice. She shook the thought away. This was no time for appearing weak. If she started to be gentle now, then all the other apprentices would always think of her as a wimp. As some puny apprentice that would never be a warrior. Sear thrashed her tail back and forth, determined to win. This was the time to show her skills.

[LightTogekiss]

      Okami watched as the battle began. Why isn't Eclipse doing anything? Is she waiting for something? "!" Okami watches as Sear gets the first hit in so effectively. Sear sure is starting out strong! Come on Eclipse, show us your stripes. Okami couldn't help letting his tail wag in exitement as the battle was unfolding. "Come on guys! You can do it!" 
      Okami didn't root for either battler because he still wasn't sure who he wanted to win exacty, so he just gave them a little moral.... exclamation...
      I wonder what would happen if Thresh and Kora went up against each other... Oops, I'm wandering again... Oh well!