Ֆølace Փƒ Շhe Grøve {open}

[kaepow]

It was in a small grove that a she-wolf named Galene sought solace. She padded through the familiar territory of her homeland, Erebus, down a path where trees grew sparsely. The scent of rushing water reached her black nose and soothed her. There was peace in the secluded grove, peace she could not find in the midst of her fiery comrades.
Galene’s powerful gait carried her swiftly through the quiet wood. Muscles rippled beneath her feathery red fur, like gently rolling water. Her only source of strength was in her long limbs and that was all she wanted. Galene was not concerned with increasing her own power. She preferred to watch others grow and learn other than herself.
The frail branches snapped and creaked as she pushed through until finally her black paw touched the gentle running water of the stream. With a soft sigh of relief, she stood in the river and let the soothing stream trickle through the black fur on her legs. Galene rarely indulged away from the base camp of Erebus, she hardly had the time.
As a hunter, it was her job to provide for her packmates. It was a laborious task but she endured it in silence. She reaped no benefits from her frequent hunting trips; if she was more ambitious, the dilemma would cause her daily grief, but Galene was content with her life.
Besides, there was no alternative for a female in Erebus. Compared to their rivals, Erebus’ she-wolves were treated as inferior. She-wolves lived under many more restrictions than the others. Galene could not perceive a social structure opposite of the one in Erebus. She did not think of her patriarchal pack as unfair, in fact, she appreciated the sense of tradition. Thought of escape or rebellion have rarely crossed her mind.
One thing did cause Galene stress and discomfort and she made a point to keep it discreet. Ever since her birth, she was different. Both her parents knew something set her apart from the rest as a pup. She felt know different; her earliest memories of life were tinged with a sense of unease and a feeling of exclusion. She hated exclusion, feared it even.
Galene was an introverted she-wolf. She did not speak her mind or act rashly, qualities that acquired little attention from her packmates. Even with this lack of fire, Galene hated being ignored and unseen. She wanted to be noticed but she in a pack where the majority ruled, being too obvious could prove dangerous.
The she-wolf stared at her reflection in the gently stream, her body rippled with the water. On the outside, she looked like a pure fire wolf. She inherited the bright scarlet hue of her mother, Tethys. She looked like a living flame, colors of orange and russet all blended like the embers of a glaring fire. Galene fit in well with her pack as far as appearance was concerned. Even the black markings on her tail tip and legs resembled the ash that followed the glorious fire that is her pelt.
However, on the inside she was much different. Galene did not feel any fire inside, no passion, no blind fury or rash needs. She was gentle, cool, and calm, much like the stream she stood in. From the start she was this way, and neither of her parents approved. It was too different, too unlike the fire they both shared.
They soon found out why. Galene kept her secret so well preserved that it was almost too obvious. Her perceptive father, Ladon, soon forced the truth out of her. His brutish interrogations terrified the truth out of Galene. She may look like a fire wolf and live in a pack built on the principle of the greatness of infernos, but she was the exact opposite, the enemy, she was water.
Water was fire’s weakness, fire’s enemy, and Galene was not separated from the idea just because she was born in Erebus. Her mother told her to hide her element, her father told her to use it to its full potential. Either way, Galene’s life was not as easy as she hoped it to be. Some packmates despise her element, some are intrigued by it. Galene knew when the wolves of Erebus saw her, they only saw her element, something that set her apart from the rest.
“No one wants to be around a water elemental in Erebus,” her mother told her.
Galene continued to gaze at her reflection, and began to wonder. What if she would be alone for her entire life? Friends did not come easily for anyone, especially not Galene.
With a heavy heart she asked herself quietly, “Is this how it will always be?” She raised her head and glanced around the empty grove, letting the silence sink into her fur like the water. “Will I always walk to the grove alone?”
For that there was no answer. All Galene could do was listen to the gentle breeze that carried the distant scent of the volcano to the grove. The distant scent of fire.

[Rivaxorus]

"And when is my life seen as important?"

The spring, you could almost not even tell that is was that season here. Ash covered the land like dirt, where Erebus lived was right in the heart of the bordering four volcanoes. Shrubs scattered about in groves, but for large amounts of land, there was nothing but ash and hard rock. The pure white wolf with glistening red eyes stuck out like a sore thumb, she was easy to make out in the distance or even at a closer glance. With a slim form and long tail, she was a pleasant sight to look at. Though unpleasing to the fact she came off as one of no element. Owari, as she called herself had once been special, but as soon as the twins had taken over, Alec had been frustrated with her lack of element sharing and stuck her as a servant, a slave to the male members of Erebus. Owari did have an element, but she promised herself she would never use it, she was a simple woman. She wasn't good, she wasn't evil, and somehow her emotions tended to wander off. Her judgement was pure, and never clouded. As did she have a punctual type of personality, it was like a mother almost, in the most intelligent way. It was hard to describe her in general though. She wasn't exactly normal.

Her paws left prints within the ground as she came across the grove. Someone else was here, and thus she did not speak. It was an ordinary member, another female. A sister, if you willed to call it for Owari. Her red crimson eyes looked over at Galene and gave a slight nod. Her tail flicking behind her. Yes, she had heard the speech the female had been giving out before, but she had payed no mind because it wasn't exactly directed towards her. Also Owari was sworn to silence unless directly attended to. She was nothing more then a vessel for the males to step on. Who knew, when she had come to Erebus for a place, had she been stepped down so greatly upon. Luckily enough she knew her way around enough to avoid injury, or torture like the prisoners or other servants did. Owari kept her head down, and herself hidden unless she was needed.

[kaepow]

Galene resigned to leave the comfort of her stream and return to camp where she may be missed. The unlikeliness of that was almost laughable but Galene would not take any chances. If the sovereign twins noticed her sudden disappearance it could spell punishment, which was something the she-wolf avoided at all costs. The mere thought of being reprimanded by Alec or Deimos caused her heart to murmur.

With sudden but measured urgency, Galene reclined from the soothing stream and stepped on the rocky shore. The fleeting feeling of water on her paws pleaded to be placed in the brook again, where they felt most comfortable. The she-wolf’s black legs were soaked which would only entail questions from anyone that noticed. She already pushed the limit on her freedom by wandering off without permission or an escort, now she could be suspected for exercising her element.

She carried her growing frustration in silence and tension rolled off her bright orange fur in waves. Galene let out a heavy sigh as she pressed through the brittle undergrowth. The dehydrated branches, worn by the thick ashy air and heat, broke and snapped against her narrow waist. The hunter shut her teal eyes and tried to recall the quickest way back to camp.

The sparse trees provided little shelter from the beating sunlight; through the rigid maple leaves it filtered through, setting her pelt aflame and highlighting the contrasting paleness of her face. The soil she stepped on was a mixture of dry dirt, rock, and ash which began to collect on her damp paws. As she slowly pressed through the continuously thinning underbrush, she left her warm scent on the frail branches. The bushes now smelled of Galene, and it was a sweet, summery scent tinged with the freshness of morning’s dew; anyone curious enough could detect her scent in the grove, though she paid no heed to that stipulation.

Lost in thought, Galene continued to ponder the proper, quickest route. It was then, she passed by a familiar scent of a packmate. The she-wolf perked her ears in surprise; she did not remember inviting anyone along or anyone following her. Thinking it a coincidence, mild curiosity caused her to seek out her nearby comrade. It did not take long for her well-trained eyes to spot the pale shape of Owari.

The she-wolf named Owari was a peculiar one, but she often captured the watchful eye of Galene. As a keen observer, Galene was not unfamiliar with the pretty white she-wolf. A vague sense of fascination and respect shrouded Galene’s opinion on Owari. Her tumultuous past acquired the attention of Galene more often than not.

“Pardon me for staring,” Galene murmured, her teal eyes roving over Owari once more, analyzing her, “you’ve simply taken me by surprise.”

Galene remembered Owari being demoted to a servant of sorts. Servants rarely had the ability to roam Erebus on their own, unless their master felt generous. Galene doubted Owari was granted such a freedom but she regarded her sister with ignorance to her rank. According to Galene, all sisters were equal.
She preferred not to lock eyes with Owari; not only did that entail a challenge, but the she-wolf’s eyes were an unsettling (but nonetheless fascinating) shade of crimson. Instead, Galene stared everywhere except at Owari’s bright eyes.

“I felt it was a nice day to visit the stream,” Galene added, serenely reminiscing on the feeling of water between her toes.
“Why are you roaming the grove?” Galene asked curiously.

[Rivaxorus]

With such a scarce source of water, there were only so many places an Erebus wolf could go to obtain it. Even slaves, were need in supply of water. Therefore, Owari was permitted here, for water, nothing more, nothing less. Her slim form, despite never getting enough to eat, looked healthy as she herself had grown used to not being able to eat a full meal. Her red eyes looked off, to the distance. She had no desire to run off, none at all like you would think. After all, she would feel as if she betrayed the pack she had chosen her life to. The pack that protected her secret, along with the long lost king who had figured her out from the very beginning. Owari stood up and came near the stream, her long pink tongue flowing over the liquid as she drank. She didn't gulp it down, she simply, drank as much as she needed, wiped her muzzle, and sat again. Not making eye contact like she was taught, before speaking to Galene.

"I was here to get water." Owari stated. Straight forward, you needed to tell the truth, to hide within a lie. She had spent her life on these words. The reincarnations would probably be hunted for power, even though they meant almost nothing now. They were simply, the last of their kind. With that in mind, being the reincarnation of a god, meant their past forms had been worshiped. Owari found it a funny feeling. How she, had once been the queen of all gods and goddesses. Yet now she was here, a servant of Erebus. The lowest rank if you didn't count the prisoners. Fate itself, entwined in different ways after all.

[kaepow]

"I was here to get water."

Water; of course that was why she ventured to the grove. Erebus, kingdom of fire, was known for its parched, ashy landscape. The grove was the only place to hydrate and escape the rugged, volcanic landscape. Perhaps it was the seclusion and the uniqueness of the glade that led Galene to seek solace within its depths.

Galene’s teal eyes flashed with knowing when she considered how long Owari had lingered undetected. It was likely her comrade overhead Galene’s solemn pondering. It was an idea that gave rise to discomfort. A discomfort commonly felt when someone’s privacy felt violated. If Owari had heard Galene’s brief lament, she expressed no knowledge of it. Galene began to suspect Owari was good at keeping secrets and hiding her feelings. There was not the slightest inkling of emotion on Owari, none that Galene recognized anyway.

“Water, I see,” Galene mused.

She was unsure how to continue with Owari; the she-wolf did not seem keen to talk and she did not offer Galene anything to observe, she seemed to resemble a blank slate. Galene was fascinated and frustrated by this but she did not outwardly express these emotions, unless one paid close attention to her eyes. Galene’s teal eyes gave away every smidge of emotion running through her soul and anyone observant or curious enough could see it clearly.

“Did you drink your fill?” Galene asked.
Owari never specifically said she had or hadn’t, just that she been here to get it. Such a simple statement left many holes. There was a possibility that Galene was simply too curious and overthought Owari’s response.

“I will gladly accompany you, Owari,” she offered, sounding uncertain but generous.

Galene was not sure whether Owari appreciated her presence. The pale she-wolf failed to hint at any opinion of Galene, negative or opposite. Owari did not seem to judge or reflect on anyone, like Galene. Her passiveness again succeeded in capturing the attention of Galene’s analytical mind.

The bright orange she-wolf nodded in the direction of the stream, a faint smile on her pale maw, “I have already visited the brook, but I would not mind seeing it again before I return.”

Did Owari enjoy company at all? Galene did not know of Owari’s opinion on her or others in general. Maybe I am less aware of my comrades than I thought… Galene considered, though the thought seemed absurd. When one spent the majority of their life discerning others, like her, there was little room for misconception. Galene found her being drawn to learning from Owari and hoped she would not be turned away.

[Rivaxorus]

Her head cocked slightly to one side as she listened to the females words. Despite all this, Owari had become a master of the shadows, she came off as dull, uninteresting because it kept her safe in this world. She had killed before, and that was when she had realized she was the reincarnation of a god. She stood to her feet and passed by Galene for a moment and dragged her tail across the fellow female's chest. "I drank as much as I was acquired to." Galene could accompany her as she wished. She was made to serve, and serve she would. Because a wolf without an element, was a useless wolf. Even though, Owari did have an element, just one that could make her a prize, a very special prize to everyone.

Owari walked past the forest, into the ashy lands, as her eyes looked about. So what now, she sat. The smoke from the closest volcano wafted down as she felt the wind drag along her fur. Life here was hard as is, but when winter came around it would be harder, why had Erebus chosen this location? Owari looked at the sky. Where was Erebus' reincarnation now? She wondered, would she ever get to see his face again.