A hole, a hole, a hole in the desert.

[Astrid]

Astrid had returned from her visit to a land outside of this one -- the Maerd Site, if she recalled correctly. It had been a rather...interesting past few days since she had joined Cereno, to be sure. The pack gathering, meeting Minxy, Miror B., and Bailar, and then her encounter with Datorris at the Maerd Site all summed up to one entirely different experience than the rime gray femme had ever had in her relatively short life. She had satisfied the call of travel that had come to her only the night before, and now jogged back into the heart of Cereno feeling somewhat lighter and less burdened. While she still missed her old homeland and family and always will, Astrid had realized that she could not live in the past any longer. There was nothing she could have done to save her magnificent pack. The Powers That Be had seen fit somehow to send the disease to them, yet spare her, the alphess. Though she had lost all of her family, including her handsome mate and three adolescent sons, there was a new one to be gained, even if they weren't of her own blood. There were jobs to be done. Astrid needed to find her purpose here in Cereno, instead of lamenting all she had lost. She had had plenty of time to do that on her journey to Doctrine. Now that her trek was complete, it was time to move on.

The blue-eyed she-wolf started down one of the many empty streets in her new home, zigzagging between various cars (Rhiannon had been so kind as to define the otherwise-unknown metal contraptions the other day), seeking out her own place to call her den. A quick sniff or glance told Astrid whether or not one was already claimed. To her dismay, every car she came to either was heavily scented with another Cereno wolf, or actually had an occupant in it. When she came to the end of the street, the rime gray femme growled softly to herself. "Damn it all," she muttered darkly. Astrid turned down another street, continuing her search for a place to rest. Surely all of these cars couldn't be claimed, right? Of course right.

((Yeah, it sucks...but I figured it was time to put up an ACTUAL post other than whimsical nonsense. xD))

action. "dialog." off screen.

[Noelle]

ooc; I'm guilty of recycling this post. D: I'm sorry. I just wanted to reply. & I picked a time of day since one wasn't really obvious (I hope that's okay).

It had been days since the alpha female of Cereno had any decent rest. Perhaps it was the time for worrying. With lunatics such as Rage and Marrok on the loose, there was a sense of disaster coiling itself around Doctrine. Noelle could not imagine her pack being any more disorganized than it was already. She wanted time to spend alone and had become a sort of recluse in her attempt to avoid chaos, but this separation had left her feeling depressed and alone. She did not want to sit and contemplate the possible outcomes of her future and preferred to do something else.

Some company would be nice. Where was Suncorpse? Well, Noelle was an independent female. Regardless of her mate, she could function properly and carry on her life. Being a mate was making a fling official, correct? Whatever the case was, Noelle could still have fun. She would not confide herself in the rustic automobiles that littered the city.

This car was quite uncomfortable. Noelle had been shifting in her sleep for nights. There was no longer a place that seemed to suit her. She would have to venture off and find another abode because this simply would not make due. The alpha tried to wiggle and move to make herself comfortable, but nothing seemed to help her cause. She frowned as if though this scowl would make the seats more cushioned and correct their imperfections. Well, time to get up.

The mistress observed her surroundings before hopping out of the car. There was a use in being cautious, especially in Cereno. She scanned the area for an appropriate car, but there seemed t o be none in the immediate area. She emitted a low snarl. Well, if there was no room for her someone would have to make some. After all, Noelle was queen and had to be treated like such.

She trotted down a mysterious lane in hopes of finding a suitable vehicle. There was one, but it was too small. There was another, but it seemed to have lizards inhabiting it. There was another, but it lacked appeal. Well, nothing seemed to satisfy her at all. She turned down another street and to her surprise she found Astrid.

Noelle approached the female with caution. Her regal head and proud stance asserted her position (but of course, Noelle had her prideful look regardless of status). She tilted her head and offered a smirk. "Well, hello there. Fancy seeing you here. What are you doing in this part of the city?"

[Astrid]

((OOC: Recycling's good for the environment. :) And no problem about the time deal -- if I didn't specify, you have the right to do so.))

Astrid had been aware of another wolf being close by, but had been unable to name the specific creature. That is, until she rounded the corner and called out to the rime gray warrioress. Her voice was distinctive, as was her scent. Astrid turned around, and her ocean-blue eyes confirmed what her ears and nose had already told her. Noelle was approaching. It would be the first time Astrid had met on a personal level with her new alphess. She would have to remind herself fairly consistently not to challenge the alabaster femme -- an instinct that still remained sharp from her past days of being an alpha female herself. And so, the rime gray she-wolf lowered her tail, flattened her ears, and avoided Noelle's piercing gaze to show her submission. Even if the actions were rather forced, Astrid felt they were small steps in her process of moving on from a past long dead now. Still looking away from the alphess, Astrid's soft, low-toned voice gave her answer.

"Seeking a car to bed down in is all."

Rhiannon had taught Astrid earlier in the day that these hulking metal beasts were called "cars". Being from the northern territories, it was understandable that the warrioress had been puzzled by the contraptions upon her arrival to Cereno. However, now that she understood them and their past and present functions, she was quite ready to get very acquainted with one by making it her own den. That seemed to be...

"Easier said than done, though."

action. "dialog." off screen.

[Noelle]

LIMB BY LIMB AND TOOTH BY TOOTH
TEARING UP INSIDE OF ME
The alpha female felt the exhaustion weighing her down. However, she did not find the need to be rude to a pack member. This was a certainly odd experience for her. Noelle was destined to become a recluse with the sudden increase of weight and her beliefs that she was hideous. Although she was increasing in weight, Noelle would never be hideous regardless of the circumstance.

Noelle eyed Astrid as she attempted to submit. Her rigid movements made her question the female’s loyalty. There was something entirely bizarre with the picture. Noelle could not disregard her actions and made a note of what had occurred. Her response sparked the alpha female’s curiosity. Her ears pricked forward to listen closely. It seemed as though the two Cerenos had the same goal, find a car. The maiden let out a tired sigh.

“I too am seeking a car,” Noelle replied. “There seems to be none that can suit me in the area. I want a larger car because-“ she paused and bit her lip. “I need more space.” She would do anything to avoid saying she was pregnant.

EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR
WISH THAT I WAS BULLETPROOF

[Astrid]

Astrid was slightly puzzled over Noelle's speech, her hesitation. She quickly ran the thought process over -- a small puzzle to work out. It turned out to be a rather easy one at that. Her own past experience as a mother and a quick whiff of the air was all the help she needed in realizing just what it was that her alphess meant. Pups -- the alphas' pups. The rime gray warrioress did not, however, let on that she now knew, though the faintest trace of a bemused smile did grace one corner of a black lip. Obviously Noelle did not want the news to become known just yet, and so Astrid would keep it to herself. No, she would not even discuss it here in relative privacy with the mother herself. Who knew what prying ears may be listening even now? Though the she-wolf could sense none about them, there was always the chance there was someone snooping about. Word of the pregnant alphess may be perceived as a weakness in the pack. They did not want that.

As such, Astrid nodded in response, her ocean-blue eyes scanning the street for any such car that would suit her alphess' needs. Finding none right away simply with a far-off gaze, she glanced back at Noelle in a friendly manner, her bushy tail wagging once in an amicable way. "Perhaps we could look together then, hm?" her melodic voice suggested. "If you'd like, that is."

No doubt Astrid would graciously take her leave if that was her alphess' wish, but she would much rather stick around her for a little while longer. It was true that the rime gray femme coveted Noelle's position -- once Astrid's own in a different place -- but it wasn't as if she was going to pick a fight with the alabaster she-wolf over it. No, there were two reasons, really: to at least become well-acquainted with the alphess as a start to what could possibly be a closer friendship, leading to the second reason of Astrid's desire to ascend the echelon list quickly. She had never been on the low end of the totem pole before in her life, and was fast realizing just how much it...well, for lack of a better term, sucked. The warrioress wasn't expecting to be made beta overnight or anything, but if she couldn't be alpha again as she once had been, Astrid certainly wanted a position as close to the rank as possible.

action. "dialog." off screen.

[Noelle]

LIMB BY LIMB AND TOOTH BY TOOTH
TEARING UP INSIDE OF ME
The alpha female could not process the fact that she was having pups. She seemed ravenous at times and often scavenged for food depending on how much energy had. Pregnancy was not only time consuming, but energy consuming as well. This, along with her unappealing appearance, made her angered and terribly unhappy. Although the mistress was not fond of smiling, her usually placid façade seemed perplexed by her situation.

Astrid’s tiny smirk brushed a feeling of awareness on the alphess. The she-wolf narrowed her eyes at the other and she mumbled softly, “Not a word of this to anyone. I am horrified by my appearance at the moment.” Noelle hoped that Astrid was a sensible female and did not consider to be pregnancy a thing of beauty. Honestly, Noelle found it horrendously tedious and far too complex. When it was over, she would perhaps vow to never do it again.

However, the Phi’s offer was kind and took the alpha by surprise. Her ears perked and she looked genuinely satisfied with such a request. Ah, Astrid was fortunate to have a smile as a sign of approval. “I would enjoy that very much. Due to my condition, I am quite exhausted and need to find a larger home.” Her head tilted in the direction of a street that was littered with cars. She walked down and looked back at Astrid.

Perhaps she had a better eye for comfortable homes.

EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR
WISH THAT I WAS BULLETPROOF

[Astrid]

Oh fuck me, posted from the wrong account. >_<

Not only was Noelle strikingly beautiful, she was obviously quite intelligent, or at the very least, observant. She had seen the small smirk at Astrid's lips, the proof whispering in her large ears. Her assumption of the alphess not wanting this pertinent information known had been correct then, but not for reasons the rime gray warrioress had originally thought of. Very slightly, the she-wolf's head tilted as the alabaster she-wolf lamented her appearance. Beautiful and vain, it seemed. While being pregnant was often more chore than joy, the end results were completely worth it, Astrid had found. Silently, she remembered her three sons and mate, a brief flashing of sorrow mirrored in her ocean blue eyes. Just as quickly, though, Astrid returned to the present. She dipped her head, her ears folding back slightly in compliance with Noelle's request. By nature, the rime gray femme was a quiet one. It would not be a difficult thing.

Then her aquamarine optics saw it.

A smile.

Astrid knew the importance of an alpha's smile upon one of their lowest subjects. It wasn't often that she herself had allowed the expression to be directed at her old packmates who were so beneath her in rank. Her tail wagged once in the recognition. All at once, she felt a sense of hope. Perhaps it would not take her long to climb the echelons, not as long as she had originally thought, anyway. Already she was gaining favor with her alphess. The warrioress couldn't help but wag her bushy tail a few more times as Noelle began walking in the direction of a car-littered street. She halted and threw her gaze back to Astrid. Happily, the rime gray femme trotted forward to close the small distance between them, and then settled into a leisurely walk towards the cars.

Her ocean-blue eyes scanned each one, making mental notes of particular ones to check out later, after she had found her alphess a larger den. So far, the prospects on this street seemed just as dismal as the others. But then, towards the end of the road, the she-wolf spotted a large car, a very large car. Indeed, it was actually a van, an enormous 16-passenger van, the back doors conveniently flung wide open. Woofing softly to alert Noelle, Astrid loped towards it to get a better look at the gray van. Stopping to look in back, she saw that there were no seats, save the front two. There was plenty of room here for Noelle -- hell, for about half a dozen wolves! Excitedly, Astrid's ocean blue oculars looked back at her alphess, and she could not contain the bark that rang from her throat to convey her enthusiasm. She had not been so exuberant since she had come to Doctrine.

Patiently, Astrid waited while Noelle took stock of the van. There was no possible way she could refuse this den. Her tail wagged back and forth almost constantly. This was her moment -- her moment to make a grand first impression with the alphess, and reason to hold high hopes for a higher-than-normal rank to be bestowed upon her at the next pack meeting. Call her obsessed, but it was the driving force in her life now. It was about all she was living for. Everything else she had known and loved was dead. She needed this achievement. She needed it so desperately.

action. "dialog." off screen.

[Noelle]

LIMB BY LIMB AND TOOTH BY TOOTH
TEARING UP INSIDE OF ME
Noelle was perhaps one of the vainest creatures to roam the lands of Doctrine. But who could deny her vanity? She was undeniably beautiful and seductive in every way. The fire in her eyes and the way she moved was enough to have a trail of male wolves behind her. Somehow, she avoided most males although she preferred their company.

The alpha looked at Astrid. Her eyes seemed to glaze over in a melancholic state. The mistress’s jaws parted slightly as though she were about to speak, but she halted. In no time, Astrid seemed content once more. Perhaps the new Cereno was nostalgic or something about pregnancy made her uncomfortable.

As they continued on their trek, Noelle peered into a sturdy looking car. The automobile was spacious enough for three large wolves and one seating row had been folded. The cushions of the row appeared comfortable. Her eyes gazed about until Astrid beckoned her.

Swiftly, Noelle walked forward. The two cars were not far apart from each other. She peered into the immense van Astrid was so anxious to show her. Her paws pressed against it to make certain that the contraption would not collapse. The female carefully entered it and sniffed around. It was uninhabited and she seemed pleased.

“This is perfect,” the alpha stated. “Thank you for helping me.” Noelle had never felt the slightest connection with a female, but Astrid seemed to change her view. Perhaps not all females were bad. Astrid was devoted and clearly strong. “It would please me if you took the vehicle next to me as your abode. It seems rather spacious and comfortable.”

An exhausted sigh escaped her. “I must rest now, but thank you, again.” Noelle provided Astrid with a respectful nod and the look in her teal eyes indicated her gratitude as well as how impressed she was with the warrior. “Please, visit me again soon.”

And now for some rest.

EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR
WISH THAT I WAS BULLETPROOF

[Astrid]

Astrid could not contain the joy that shone in her ocean-blue eyes as Noelle found approval with the van she had found for her alphess. Approval. It was something the warrioress had been needing and desiring these long and lonely months. Without her mate, her sons, her pack, she felt useless. Yet now that she had done at least some good for the alphess of Cereno, this small victory felt ten times more glorious than it actually was in reality.

Her tail wagged steadily, and the corners of her black lips were turned up into an unmistakable smile. She was on top of the world at that moment, really. Had she been any younger or less mature, she probably would have begun spinning in circles as a manifestation of her success.

The warrioress nodded in response to Noelle's parting words, catching the gratitude and positive first impression she had left within her alphess' gaze. She uttered a soft bark before jogging over to the nearby car Noelle had spoken of moments before. Astrid peered inside it, much like Noelle had done. Indeed, she had been right. The seats looked rather inviting and comfortable. She could not have found a much better den if she had continued searching herself.

And so, Astrid hopped into her new dwelling, testing the seats that would soon serve as her bed, her scent beginning to fill the car, distinguishing it as her own. The rime gray femme settled into the seats, stretching out fully and sighing deeply. A feeling of contentment settled into her heart as her ocean-blue eyes began to close. For the first time in a long time, Astrid felt at peace while sleep slowly but surely took her.

EXIT ASTRID.

SPEAK.