A Light in the Darkness [Theron]

"Speech" thoughts

Imani remained still, listening to the sounds of life emerging from the dark forest, when a new sound joined the muted choir, one mich more relevant to the golden wolf. Her ear swiveled at the sound of footsteps as Theron's scent, one she had come to be quite familiar with in all of their recent time together, one that she would grow to affiliate with that of her alpha, her superior, as that was the new rank of the dark male. Though holding his rank, he did not do so snobbishly, he did not take the same pleasure that her old alpha had of reminding everyone of who he was, making a great show of it at every opportunity, no. He remained Theron.

While they were still truely in the beginning stages of their companionship, Imani was comfortable in his presence. He was proving to be a wolf that Imani enjoyed to be around. Smart, strong, and confident in himself and his abilities, something Imani liked to see in other wolves. If a wolf was not confident in themselves, sure of who they are, it was hard to really trust them, to be willing to put your life on the line for them. Theron was commanding the position of Asa's Tai, and even though everything about this was in its budding stages, their companionship, the pack, and even the lands that they now stood on, Imani felt she could confidently put her life on the line for Theron......she wondered if he would do the same for her, for the rest of their new packmates.....

Her golden eyes moved from the darkness of the forest, to the darkness that covered the pelt of the wolf beside her. He seemed wary of her yet, she couldnt blame him of his caution. All they have done together had been of necessity, all aside from him letting her rest in the cave he had shared with Nuru, but even then, it could have been something the dark male had deemed necessary.

"Thinking of venturing into the forest?"

A small smile curled at the edges of her lips "Well....now that you'r here, the odds of my venturing have greatly increased....that is, if you would venture with me." She wondered if he was as wary of Nabooru as she was. Over the past few days they had done a decent amount of exploring in their new home, but no one had yet to enter into the dark forest. Maybe today, the two of them would change that.


Words: 430
Tags: @theron
Muse: Good
Notes: Its all good 

"Speech" thoughts

Imani returned his smile when he accepted her invitation to enter the forest, and he was right, if there were arnything looming in the darkness ahead, it would be easier to handle with another beside you. It was what had kept her from venturing in in the first place, and quite possibly what held the others back as well. The unknown is a scary thing, and even moreso when you are facing it alone.....but this was what being part of a pack meant, at least to Imani, that you would never have to face anything alone if you did not wish to.

Theron wasted no time in starting towards the forest before them, and Imani was quick to follow. She would have moved to walk beside him, but the path was tight, many of the saplings and vegitation brushing against her blonde fur or causing her to maneuver around them. If they found anything worth coming back here for, it would be beneficial for them to scout around for a better path to enter on, or clear one themselves. It wouldnt be long before the saplings that grew here became trees, large and unmoveable in their girth. Buft there would be time for that, if they were given reason.

As they went, they began to find patches of bamboo growing, and Theron ducked around them, Imani wasn't surprised, they were packed tightly and did not give as much as the other vegitation around them. Any path or trail they would make would have to be weary of them, it would be a dangerous place for pups. Their small size would allow them to wiggle their way in, but if they were to become trapped, it could be the death of them....especially if any were lime she was, always pushing the boundaries and testing the waters....the trouble she could have found here.....it was almost enough to bring a smile to her face.

It was strange how she had changed, going from wreckless pup to thinking of ways to prevent pup wrecklessness and protect them. Surely she still had a wild streak, a playful side just as quick to adventure and explore....as she was doing now....but it was strange to have these protective, preventitive thoughts.....she had never paused to consider how she had grown and matured during her time as a loner....

Theron had brought her back to the present when he stopped in a small clearing, and Imani moved to be at his side, taking in the view of the area as Theron moved his dark muzzle slightly upwards, taking in the scent of the area she assumed. It was not a very large clearing but it gave them enough room to not need to move single file through. Imani turned her face to the canopy above them, tree branches holding birds and other strange creatires that made the near constant chorus around them. It was not a bothersome noise, just the sounds of life that made there home here, and then Theron's voice joined them. Turning her golden eyes back to the dark male, she listened as he spoke truth. It would be quite a challenge to go after the tree dwelling creatures that resided here, especially with so many tight spaces to navigate, you would loose the trail and yourself in the process of hunting here.

Imani looked from Theron back to the clearing, her eyes moving around its border at the plants that lie there "There are quite a variety of plants here. Perhaps they would be useful to healers. As a pup I was technically trained as a healer, but I never took much interest in the art, my aspirations were elsewhere..." she started, looking back at the dark male. She wanted to better know him, and perhaps of she opened up about herself, even just a little it would cause him to do the same. "While I do recognise some of the herbs that do grow here, I am sure another who has had more training and experience as a gatherer or a healer could better identify them if we brought them in."



Words: 700
Tags: @theron
Muse: Med
Notes: I wasnt sure if I should have her mention Nuru considering...

"Speech" thoughts

Imani was slightly impressed by his knowledge of the yellow flowers. In her birth pack, knowledge of plant life and its uses were females work, and the males had only concerned themselves with the art of bloodshed and ruling. She could not help in compairing the dark male to those she was raised around, and every time she did, it was Theron who was superior. Again she wondered what was normal in the world, the pack she was raised in, or what she found in Theron......maybe all packs were not like she had known.....surely Asa would not be. She turned her head around observantly, looking for the moss he had mentioned, while she did not directly see any....there had to be some somewhere...."I'm sure there is, moss, that is. It's good for wrapping larger wounds as well, but heres hoping we wont need it for that for a while." She added.

She was happy that Theron followed suit and opened up a little, but was surprised by what she had heard. Where he was from, what was scoffed at where she was from was regarded with esteem, and what she had longed to be taught was given to lower ranking wolves.....it was strange how their birth packs could vary so greatly, and she almost had commented on it, but she had seen a change in him, he may have not realized it had even happened, but she decided it was best for him to leave the past where it lie, at least for now.

He spoke next of Nuru and her desires to become a healer, but no one quite knew what role they wished to play in the pack quite yet, the only thing that was apparent was Theron and his role as Tai. Imani was not even quite sure where she wished to be, after all this time she could finally become a hunter, a role she had longed for in her puphood, but perhaps there was another role she would find herself suited for, she was unsure yet, but for now, everyone helped out everywhere they could because that was what the pack needed. They were not enough in numbers to specialize in one area, when there was a need for food, they all hunted, and if they needed to defend, they all defended. If Nuru did follow the path of the healer, Imani would do whatever she could to help her in her art, and this time, she would do so with pride.

Imani let out a small laugh, she imagined them bringing back a mouthful of plants with the intent to prepare for whatever may happen as theu explored the unknown of Nain, only to land themselves sickly because of accidental injestion of something poisonous. They were not the most knowledgeable, so he was correct, they should leave the gathering of plants to those who know better, kt was, quite literally, life and death in this matter.

At his offer to continue onward, Imani nodded, she was curious to see what Nabooru would hold for them, and the excitement at revealing what was hidden in the unknown propelled her onward.

Words: 536
Tags: @theron
Muse: Med
Notes: N/A

"Speech" thoughts

Imani's ears swiveled from perked and attentive, to laying against her skull, she heard the buzzing at the same time as Theron did. She was not the biggest fan of bees, being she had stumbled upon a swarm in the spring of her puphood and gotten a little too close, that first sting sent her running but she had still landed herself in the infirmary, and in trouble for being where she was not supposed to have been, spying on another hunting lession as she had been. It left her with a distaste for the small buzzing creatures, but she knew how necessary they were for life to go on as it did. How excited the healers were when she had arrived with her stings as it was a chance for honey to be given to the pack. She knew a bit about honey, its medicinal, healing properties, and she was quick to learn, back then, that if they made their nest and the honey could be harvested, it could take the sting from any who found themselves stung in the future.....a lot of good it had done her then though....

She followed Theron as he followed the bee, continuing on as the noise turned from one single sound into the mind numbing chorus of white noise, and Imani found herself keeping her head lowered as she peered up at the cloud. Theron seemed unbothered by the buzzing insects, and she wondered if he had ever been stung before. The sweet smell of honey drifted to her nose as well, and she looked to Theron. "Honeybees, thankfully.....the least aggressive and most helpful of the stinging buzzers...I've had a run in with a swarm on the move when I was younger....as I was scolded and treated for the stings I listened as the healers gushed about all the uses of honey and how grateful they were that I had found them, how much they hoped they would hive within reach....and they did. Their hives are made up of honeycombs...." she paused as she looked around at the branches of the trees "There it is...." Imani gestured with her muzzle before turning back to Theron "They like to make their hives where branches intersect, they can get quite large if left alone like they are here, and with all this vegitation and flowers, its not really a surprise they are here. I mean Aveline, Sana Sarsys....even farther, its perfect for them. And since there is one hive, there are bound to be more."

Imani listened as Theron talked about the future....future warriors and healers....and Imani allowed herself to feel the surrealism of it all. She had never given much thought to the future, farter than where she would den for the night that is....and here she was, talking with a wolf that was now her alpha, her Tai, about the future of their pack....the testing of pups as they would be coming into their own....it made it feel all the more real, that they were actually doing this.....and it made her happy.

With a nod, Imani continued onto his thought "It could be a good challenge for the future healers as well though....they would have to know how to extract the combs as well since they would be used in their craft.." with a smirk, she spun his own words back at him "It takes more than brain to create a good healer. They would need a steady paw to heal the most sensitive wound, courage and patience for the stubbornest of patients, and the strength to remain focused even in the face of danger, as healing does not always take place in the tranquility of the infirmary den. The healers and gatheres will need to familiarize themselves with this forest and all it could possibly provide us, so it could be a valuable training enviornment for them as well."

Words: 667
Tags: @theron
Muse: High
Notes: I remembered when we talked about this XP