~ The Day That Changed Everything ~ ( MAJOR WIP )
Aug 25, 2021 10:36:01 GMT
Post by ~ C o u r t n e y on Aug 25, 2021 10:36:01 GMT
The Sawtooth's pack territory was quiet, it was a beautiful summer day, the sky was almost clear of clouds, and the pack was all resting calmly within their den. The sun was shining, it was a bit warm, but a cold front was moving in from the mountains that would possibly bring rain. But for the most part, the mood was happy, and all of the wolves where just lounging within the den.
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Charlie was the first one to get upright this morning, she leaned down and stretched her form. Her azure eyes where on the opening of the den, as she wanted to get out and away from the smell of everyone else. She could sense the weather outside, with her nose and she could hear all of the noises a nice day would bring as well. She looked around and saw that she was actually the only one left in the den... had she slept in that much? she wondered. Even her daughter Stevie was missing. They'd all left without her she mused. Maybe it was to go eat. She didnt know, but she did know she also needed to get moving. Slowly, and tiredly she pulled herself to the entrance of the den and looked out. No one was there to be seen. Charlie walked out of the den and as soon as the wind and the sun hit her, she felt so much calmer and better. Nothing like sunlight, she mused. She heard a vague howl in the distance, and what sounded like play being started and it made her smile. All was well. ~
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Stevie was awake, and running around with Pua, playing and wrestling and having the best time of her life. She didnt know Pua well, but as the female was a bit older Stevie loved following her around and playing with her. Even though she was only about two months old now, Stevie still was up and running around and no one could stop her; Not even her own mother. She was full of fuel and was going to run it off any and every chance she got.
Pua was running around in circles and it was so fun! She had a new playmate in Stevie and its exactly what she'd always wanted. She watched as Stevie dived one way, and then she ran the other and pulled herself down in a play bow, and then used her body to roll Stevie over and over. It was so fun!. She could see Athena, and Morrow watching just out of the corner of her eye, and knew the rules about Stevie. She'd been told to be careful as she was a special pup and needed to not get hurt. "Stevie!" she called out, and ran away, she was going to grab some flowers.
Stevie on her short pup legs tried to keep up with Pua but ended up losing her wind about halfway to where Pua had run to. She stopped panting and flopping down on her belly. "Go on wif out meh" she muttered as she lay there head flat on the ground.
Pua reached down and grabbed some flowers, a lily, a poppy and another flower that was basically a weed but she still loved them. She bounded back to the flattened Stevie and laughed a little. "These are for you!" she called out with a smile across her face.
Stevie got to her small paws and looked up at Pua, her eyes widened and lightened and she yipped happily as her tail wagged behind her. "Oh yay." was all she could say as she took them from Pua and ran around with them, the seeds of one of them flowing into the air and getting caught by the wind, she was a happy puppy now.
Pua decided that she too wanted a weed that would make seeds go into the air so she threw herself back into the bushes and came out with a ton of them, and started running around like Stevie playing and letting the seeds go too. "This is so fun!" she called out as she and Stevie ran in circles.
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Charlie arrived just in time to see Pua and Stevie running around and spreading seeds everywhere with the weeds in their mouth and a large smile hung across her features, she made eye contact with Morrow and Athena, who where also smiling, and just watched, she didnt want to intrude in any way, and decided to just keep her distance for now. She walked the long way around to meet up with Athena and Morrow and kept her eyes on Stevie and Pua the entire time. She knew that danger could be lurking anywhere. And now that she was a mother, she was more paranoid than ever. She approached Morrow and Athena and offered a smile and a nuzzle and then sat down next to them. "Its a great day for them to play, isnt it?" she asked as she watched.
Athena, all wise and content smiled at Charlie and kept her eyes on the pups as well. "They really are enjoying this warm weather we're having" she said, even if she couldnt actually see them, she could smell them and she could sense their presence. But she was in fact facing them.
Morrow turned to face Charlie when she arrived and nodded her head, accepted the nuzzle and bowed down, as she was supposed to. She got back upright and a slick smile crossed her features. "Pua is something else" she murmured and a laugh fell from her jowls. "They are so amusing to watch together. Its so nice that Stevie is old enough to play" she said.
Charlie smiled, her azure eyes transfixed on the pups. Seeing them so happy, made her so happy. She was so glad the pack was taking off and flourishing the way it was. And she was glad that for the most part, the pack was safe. "She is isnt she, and they are, I'm so glad they've taken to one another."
Llyr appeared now, his large form - intimidating and commanding sat down after nuzzling everyone and then licking Charlie's cheek. His green eyes staring at the pups too. His voice was deep, commanding and strong. "What is going on?" he murmured.
Charlie leaned into her mate and smiled. "They're playing. Pua brought Stevie some flowers and now they're running rampant with them."
Llyr couldnt help but laugh a deep throaty laugh. Watching them made him remember his own pup-hood and how much fun it was to grow up in a safe secure pack. "They'll tire out soon" he murmured.
Charlie laughed. "I hope so or they'll end up carving holes in the ground with how many circles they're doing. How arent they dizzy?"
Morrow smiled and called out to Pua. "Be careful, you dont want to wear her out too much, she might get hurt!"
Pua stopped suddenly and then ran in to tackle Stevie which sent her flying limb over limb and yelping.
Stevie lay on the ground and not move, her blue eyes searching for her mother.
Charlie and Llyr both in tandem ran over to check on Stevie who the grass was so long they couldnt see. "Stevie!" Charlie called out.
"I over here." was all Stevie could get out, she felt so much pain.
Charlie got to her first, and could already see the problem. She'd fallen in a hole and her back leg was bent the completely wrong way. She growled, and then very gently lifted Stevie upward by the scruff of her neck.
Llyr approached and his green eyes got wide with anger and worry. He could see her leg hanging there limply. "This isnt good." he murmured.
Athena rushed to the scene, after hearing Stevie yelp and looked up at Charlie to offer her some assistance. "Be careful m'lady, she could injure herself more."
Morrow ran to Pua and grabbed her as well because she knew what was coming. "Pua, you have to be more careful, its not your fault, I know that, no one could see that hole in the tall grass, but you cant be that rough with her, shes just a puppy."
Charlie, Llyr and Athena all walked back to the safety of the pack's den, and Charlie laid Stevie down on some brush to make her more comfortable. "Shh, shh, you'll be okay." but all she could hear was her own daughters whimpers in her ears.
Llyr was also upset and trying not to show it, Stevie was his as well, and he hated seeing her like this. "Athena what can we do?" he asked looking at the pack's noble guardian.
Athena entered the den and used her powers to see Charlie gently laying Stevie down on the brush, she stood beside Llyr and when he asked her she merely shook her head. "For something like this we need Ney, and we need to set it so it heals properly. Shes going to be limping for a long time." she explained. Again, she couldnt see what was going on per-sey, but she could sense it, and was using her powers of astral projection within her mind to see things. When she went blind, she knew there would be ways to see beyond her own eyes. "Charlie, she needs to rest now. We will take care of her I promise." Athena walked outside of the den, and stood in the sunlight, she lifted her maw skyward and howled, the loudest, furthest traveling howl she could muster. She was calling the rest of the pack, and Ney, in particular to come and help.
Charlie nodded, and listened to Athena, she knew Athena very well, and also knew that she had been on the planet for many, many years, and had seen this before. She laid down by Stevie and licked her head trying to calm her. She hated seeing her baby in pain. "Shhh, Shhh. Ney is going to fix you all up." she murmured in soft tones.
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Neytiri was a beautiful black wolf, who wore the most beautiful azure jewels that sparkled and shined in the light of the moon. During the day they just appeared to be see through and blue. She wore the wings of a bird she killed long ago, and boasted blue tinted markings. She was the sister of Athena, but unlike Athena she was not immortal. Athena was keeping her alive using her powers however, and they had lived about the same amount of years, 1000's of them, together. She like her sister was a shaman, who could manipulate the world around her for good. She was tall, lean and she knew her craft very well. She was not near the den, when she heard the howl from her sister but it sounded desperate. She was out collecting herbs and other things for her collection. She stopped dead in her tracks, and perked her ears upright. She knew the sound all too well, her sister was communicating an emergency. Neytriri decided it was time to hustle. She made her way back to the den as quickly as possible, from her distance it was going to take a bit, but eventually she got there. As she arrived she saw Morrow and Pua standing outside, and she walked up and nuzzled them both.
Morrow's nostrils flared to Ney's scent and she turned to face her. "Its not good, its really not good." she murmured. She looked inside the den at Charlie who was clearly almost in a panic, and Llyr who was not far behind her.
Neytiri stopped and looked inside. "What happened? Whats going on?"
Pua almost spoke up but Morrow stopped her.
Morrow looked back and forth sullenly. "Its Stevie... shes been injured. Pua and Stevie where playing, and got a bit rough, and Stevie, fell in a hole, and it appears her leg is very badly broken." she explained. Morrow had a steady head on her shoulders, and was a very strong wolf indeed.
Neytiri listened carefully, she observed that Morrow was a very strong wolf indeed. Though, for a moment Ney thought to herself, if Crim was her brother, she had to be. "I see." was all Ney said taking it all in. Her blue eyes narrowing. "How badly?"
Pua went to speak again but Morrow stopped her for the second time.
Morrow looked into the den and then sighed. "Its hanging in the wrong direction. Charlie picked her up to bring her here, and its just limp. We dont even know if she can--" Morrow stopped as Athena walked out.
Athena immediately went to Ney and nuzzled her and then stood beside her. "My eyes do not see, but I can tell you its very bad." she murmured. "Our little Stevie needs help" she said quietly.
Neytriri took one step forward, and then inhaled. She didnt know what she was walking into but she did know that it wasnt going to be good.
Charlie saw Ney first, and got up from where she was laying and nuzzled her. "C--Can you help?" she asked her voice was hoarse and broken.
Neytiri had never seen Charlie this upset, or this shaken before. She was always a strong heavy leader who never broke. It threw her off a bit, but she knew what she had to do, and that was try and fix Stevie. She was after all the future blood of the pack, and had to be protected at all costs. "Shh, let me see what is going on first." she murmured and nuzzled Charlie trying to calm her down a bit. "I'm sure its not as bad as it --" she stopped when she approached Stevie and saw her back leg was completely bent the wrong way, it was twisted so badly that even her hip was out of its socket. "Okay." she inhaled. "I--" Ney had to pause for a moment and actually looked away. Her eyes where wide and going from what she'd learned from Athena and all of her years on this earth, she knew that pups bones where so easy to break, and so easy to displace that, while extremely painful to put back in place, it would go. "Shes going to be okay." she murmured. "But this is going to be extremely painful."
Charlie watched Ney and her reaction and could just see how torn she was about what to do. When she spoke she listened, and she too knew what pups where like. In her way, Charlie decided to suck everything she was feeling back inside herself and go to problem-solver mode like she always did. "We need to find a way to bend it back dont we?" she murmured. "And then hold it in place."
Llyr just stood silent watching this all unfold, he had no words, his green eyes where focused on Stevie, and what could happen now.
Neytiri moved to her corner of the den for a moment - Sawtooth's den was large and expansive, and had many nooks and crannies, it also boasted a central water pool that the pack themselves used rocks to create. There was enough space for all of them and each wolf had their own area. Ney's was full of sticks and herbs, and spices, and anything that she collected. It was handy in a situation like this... When Ney returned she had three sticks, some very sticky leaves and a bit of long, long grass in her mouth. She had a plan but she didnt know if it was going to work or not. She laid it all down at Charlie's paws, and turned to Stevie who was still whimpering in pain. "Stevie, I need you to be so strong right now, okay. Youre going to be in a lot of pain, and I know its going to feel like you cant handle it but you have to. Do you promise?" she murmured.
Charlie watched, and knew what was coming. Her eyes narrowed and her heart sank in her chest. She'd been injured before, even broken a leg, but this, this was not the same. She watched Ney signal her to lay down with Stevie and she did. "You have to be so strong" she repeated. She nuzzled into Stevie and held her breath.
Stevie was whimpering loud enough to break a heart, and looked up at her mother, and Ney, not knowing what was going on, but understanding their words just. "I be strong." she said inhaling.
Ney nodded at Charlie, and then began her work. She first had to get Stevie's hip realigned, which meant grabbing her little leg by the maw and snapping it with her neck back to its rightful place. Which meant it wasnt going to be pretty. "Do you want me to tell you before I do this or, just do it?" she asked Charlie.
Charlie sighed, and nuzzled into Stevie again. "Just get it done."
Ney nodded, noting that Athena had reappeared. She leaned down, grabbed the middle of Stevie's leg and used her neck to SNAP! it back into its socket. When she felt it was in its place, she let go.
Stevie yelped and cried and then screamed in pain as Ney moved her leg and then snapped it back in place.
Charlie's heart broke watching this all unfold but she knew it had to be done. "Shhh, shhhh. Hey its okay, its okay! The hard part is over you did it!"
Neytiri inhaled a sigh of relief. She didnt like hurting any creature, thats why she became a Shaman, but this was different she knew. "Alright... hard part is over. I believe her hip is back in place now." she explained.
Llyr all but jumped back into reality when he heard the crack and snap of Stevie's hip going back into place, and his eyes widened. "I'm so sorry." he murmured as he too walked over and nuzzled her.
Neytiri started her work, crafting a splint, using the super sticky leaves to set the broken leg, and wrapped the long grass around them for support, as well as using two sticks to support it as well. It was an ingenious creation, one that not many wolves could do with just paws and mouth, but Ney fashioned it perfectly. "Okay, I think shes done. She should not be walking at all for a while or the thing on her leg is going to break, and the leaves, while sticky wont hold for too long, we're going to have to keep replacing them." she murmured.
Charlie nodded, taking in Ney's explanation and listening. She looked down at what the she-wolf had created and was in awe. It was beautiful. It was as if a two-legged had created it, she was stunned. "Th-Thank you so much." was all she could say, her azure eyes wide, and happy. Her pup had a chance again, and Ney had given it to her.
Llyr himself was amazed, and stunned, and walked over to look at the leg splint. "You did a very good job Ney." he murmured, smiling.
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The Fire
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It was the next day, and all of the wolves where happily asleep in the den. They where used to the odd human wandering into the territory every now and then, but today they where awoken by a loud mechanical noise that shook the ground. It felt as if the ground was shaking, and an earthquake was happening. And it did not stop.
What the wolves did not know, was that just beyond their territory lie a very large place where humans dug for oil. The land was ripe with it, and there where many pipes and tools for this miles and miles away. On this day, there was a human digging to see where the oil pipes stopped, as it was a new company who had taken the job over. It was a dangerous job, one wrong move could cause an explosion..
And thats exactly what happened. This human haphazardly was smoking while he was walking the lines, and his cigarette ignited the oil. It was a split second, wrong decision that cost him his life. And caused the ground to explode underneath of him, leading all the way into Sawtooth's Territory.
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Charlie stirred first, when the first bang and explosion happened, and she ran to the entrance of the den. When she reached it, all she could see was flames. The entire forest and everything surrounding it was ablaze. Fear, and shock entered her and exited her in a scream like howl of terror and agony. "Everybody we need to GET UP and we need to RUN" she called out, running to each and every member of the pack who was in the den and nuzzling them, to rustle them awake. She took account of everyone, Athena, Morrow, Pua, Kou, Xi, Stevie, Llyr, Ney was missing, where was Ney.. Crim too, Novalee was laying near Pua and Morrow. Zeke was in the back corner, and she ran over and rustled him awake as well. Pompeii was laying with Kou and she rustled her awake too. "Everyone get up! We need to move, now!" she called out.
All of the wolves that where present got upright, and shook off, wondering what was causing the tone of Charlie's voice, but it didnt take long for them all to realize what was happening.
Charlie looked at everyone. This was indeed her moment. "We need to meet up at higher ground, by the waterfalls. Everyone go at your own pace but do not get caught by the fire! I will see you, when I see you next." she murmured knowing she would have to stay behind to help get Pua and Stevie to saftey.
One by one they all took off outside the den, and ran, in any direction but toward the fire. It was quickly engulfing everything. Xi, Llyr, Zeke all ran for the cliffs above the waterfalls, hoping that they could clear a path first, that way the others would be able to follow it.
Charlie, Pompeii, Kou, Athena and Morrow all stayed back as long as they could to try and get Pua and Stevie to budge. Charlie finally gave in and picked Stevie up carefully as to not disturb her leg, and looked at the rest. "Morrow, carry Pua, we need to get moving now" She said before she picked up Stevie.
Morrow complied, her eyes on Charlie, and Stevie. This was an emergency and they both knew it.