Fierce Hiltflaw

Indiferous (or Fierce) is the younger adopted brother of Grataeaall.

Abandoned at birth, he was forced to scrounge for whatever he could. He was found by Grataeaall's father. Taking pity on the pup, the father took him in, giving him the name Fierce. Grataeall was not pleased by the new addition.

He tried to build a bond with his older "brother." The two were never very close, but they did form an alliance that was understood between both.

When Grataeaall left home, Fierce went off on his own, forming his own "group" he called home: Csuentrra Lasieet. He created a subname: Indiferous, putting the name Fierce to the side to be saved for a later time. He adopted the nickname of Libra, Grataeaall's middle name.

With Grataeall gone, Indiferous took on the role of leader in his own way.

He gained a scar on his left eye from a battle with another for dominance.

No doubt Grataeall's personality rubbed off on Indiferous.

The owl, Keizajh, is his special companion and very close friend. He serves as a messenger and scout. It's other owl friend is Maxine. The two spend time flying the skies and hunting together.

LORE:
"Some things are not meant to be whole, but not all things are meant to be broken. The past is as valuable as the present or future." Fierce hummed gently. The pups settled down, sitting on their haunches and watching the wolf with interest. Fierce took a seat in front of them, eying each one with his own look of calm adoration. The pups were ready for a story.

"Where should I begin?" Fierce offered.
"The start!" The pups yelped with excitement. Fierce nodded thoughtfully. These pups were the descendants of his closest friends in the Csuentrra Lasieet Cweaid. In turn, he acted as their mentor and guardian.
===============

"Alright. Let me see..."

~~Fierce Speaking As Narrator:
"The world was not as it was now. Not then, and even still, not ever. Every wolf remembers the story as different as the next. But this is the real account, the real past that has curved the hills and carved the rocks. I can remember when the spring rain poured like a waterfall, when the ground throbbed with the beat of the herds leaping across the field, when the birds called to freedom in the trees, and when the Swithhedunn changed drastically.

"As great as this time may be now, time is on no one's side.."~~

About 2 Years Ago~
"You little piece of kietch." The wolf spat at the pup who was cowering in the corner of the cave. The pup's mother was pleading for leniency, to no avail. It wouldn't make a difference. The pup lowered his head, mind empty of any emotion. What else could he do...

"MOM!" The adolescent wolf cried out as he saw the lifeless body lying some feet away from the cave's entrance. Signs of a brutal and bloody fight filled with fangs and claws were spilled in the surroundings, making everything bright with a hue of red. He sat in front of her, head bowed in respect and sorrow. He let out a mournful howl, the sound piercing the air.

The wolf stood, his fur bristled and fangs bared in anger. With a single blink his youth was cast off, replaced by an unemotional and detached form. He lost every sense in the way of love, of hope. He stood to face the setting sun, the light blazing like a spotlight onto his face. A white snowflake landed on his back, not that he noticed.

He was on his own, and his own alone.
~~~~~~~~~~
About 2 2/3 Years Ago~
The mother pushed her two pups forward, nudging them closer to the river's bank. The father trailed behind, acting as the guard. Trotting into the river, she coaxed them. "Come on." The rest of the family followed, heads down next to the water's cold surface. They began to swim across the river, which was proving to be a challenge.

One of the pups felt something was wrong; he could feel vibrations in the water that went by unnoticed. The further they swam, the more he became uneasy. The sound of rushing water came to their ears.

An ice cold flash flood hit, bowling over the family like a boulder falling down a vertical hill. All were batted around like a leaf in a hurricane.

When he came to, the pup struggled to stand. Everything was distant and blurry. He spent the hours combing the banks for any sign of his family, occasionally sending out a howl to let them know he was there.

As night fell, he finally came across them, one by one, dead. Curiously, a small white snowflake drifted downwards, resting on the tip of the pup's back fur. The world shattered into a million specks of ash that would never be pieced together. In a flash, the pup was forced to grow up, to survive in the land teetering on the edge of oblivion.
~~~~~~~~~~
About 2 1/12 Years Ago~
The two parents watched as their only son was rolling around in Wolf Nip. It was an adorable sight, one they cherished. Rarely did they ever have time to just spend alone, away from work. The sun shone and the breeze was gentle. The pup jumped after butterflies and chased after salamanders in the puddles. It was an innocent sight.

It was all shattered when a pair of rouge wolves sprung an ambush on the family. Snarls, growls and yelps rang through the field, shaking the very ground. The air blew violently, and a freezing gust of frost surrounded the wolves. The mother pushed the pup into a crevice between the large roots of the Camphor tree.
"Stay here. You'll be safe." With those parting words, she disappeared.

The sounds of fighting and cries of death rang loudly in the pup's ears. It hurt, even more than being ripped apart. Once the sounds fell into silence, the wolf dared to come out of hiding. One look haunted him for life. Blood. Blood and fur. The once green and yellow field was painted red with blood and patches of brown and pale fur. Deep grooves from claws made mini rivines in the dirt, and a chipped fang laid not too far away.

The mother and father were gone. After some debate, the pup believed they had been killed, eaten, or dragged away by the rouge wolves. It was all over. With nothing left, no family, no relatives, no friends, the pup was on his own. The only option was to try and find one willing to help.

With tears in the eyes, the pup turned to face the cruel land. A small snowflake drifted by, going unnoticed by the pup, who was howling with despair and hatred towards the murderers.
~~~~~~~~~~
About 1 1/2 Years Ago~
The two siblings laughed as they left their educational teaching group. The brother playfully pulled at his sister's ear, making her whine with annoyance. The air was still and the clouds moved like snails. Fresh river water wafted into their noses, making the flowers and beckoning game trails even more tempting.

In a bet, the two raced each other home, with the sister wining easily.
"No fair! You have longer legs." The younger pouted.
"Because I'm two years older than you." The other laughed. They two approached their home cave, which laid on the edge of a gorgeous forest.

Their smiles were quickly replaced by fear when the scent of blood caught their attention. Tentatively creeping forward, the sister yelped as she took in the gruesome sight. Their parents laid in pools of their own blood. Parts of them couldn't even be recognized. The cave was a mess, fur thrown everywhere and claw marks scraping up the walls and floor. The air was tight with an irony smell that made the siblings nauseous.

"Mom... Dad..." The brother began to sob, sitting at the foot of the blood puddle that served as the parents graves. The sister leaned against her sibling, rubbing her head against his to console him. The two howled a hymn of sorrow and longing. It lasted for hours, until they lost their voices. Even being adolescents, they still relied on their parents for support. Without them... they were helpless, just like newborn pups.

"We'll find a way. I promise, little brother." The sister cooed him to sleep. Now living under a tree, the two only had each other to lean on. The most beautiful picture, was broken into pools of blood and broken bones and ripped hearts.

A tiny snowflake landed on each of their paws, resting there before melting slowly into the fur.
~~~~~~~~~~
About 1 Year Ago~
A pup about to turn adolescent sighed as he tried to practice his defence moves. He shivered a little, unsure as to why a cold wind blew by him. He shifted his weight, finding his mark. With a snarl, he lunged forward towards the tree branch. Catching it well between his canines, he thrashed it around like a dead bird, effectively snapping it in half.

Throwing it away, he turned to see a wolf watching him from a few feet away.
"Who are you?" The wolf asked suspiciously.
The other stared back with a pair of blood-colored eyes. The white cloak it wore shifted with the breeze. The scar on his left eye stood out, but made him look handsome.

"Greetings, friend." The wolf spoke slowly. "Rsate. It a pleasure to meet you. You have good form, but perhaps you should consult your teacher for more work on grip placement."
The wolf stared back with no words. Who was this wolf?

With a gentle turn, the wolf disappeared over the hill, leaving the dumbstruck wolf to stand still for another 10 minutes. A white snowflake landed on his back, melting into the fur. The air remained cold, but oddly comforting.
~~~~~~~~~~
Over the coming years, the Swithheduun Lands dove into chaos. A land once united by all wolves was shattered like glass to concrete. Hatred spread like a disease among the wolves. Wolves split into packs, leading to wars and bloodbaths that were uncontrollable. Fear struck the hearts of all, chasing every form of life from the land.

The sky darkened and the water dimmed. Grass was anything but green, and trees were barren with a dry ash that stuck in the throat and nose. Beauty was scarce, as was hope and light. The different packs staked out their own stretch of land, killing any who dared to cross the line. There was no control.

Anarchy - pure anarchy - was the only way to describe the dark lands.
~~~~~~~~~~
"ENOUGH!" Diarcosah yelled at the top of her lungs. The two bickering wolves fell silent.
"I am sick and tired of listening to you two fighting all the time. You think this is what Libra meant when he said he wanted a team? How do you expect to stop Siiern if you can't even decide on organizational placement hunts? I want this all worked out by the time I return." The wolf left, growling under her breath.

The two stood quietly, their anger lowering.
"I'm sorry, Hadstriken. I didn't meant to let my anger go. I work alone, so working with a partner is difficult for me." Oahkta sighed. The other nodded.
"Sorry. You know more than I do about this kind of thing, so it's unfair of me to believe I have better input." Making amends, the wolves finished their work, giving Diarcosah a sigh of relief upon her return to the Csuentrra Lasieet Cweaid.

The rest of the group returned home for the night, each wiped out from work. Libra had certainly given them a run with the missions he assigned. Rsate huffed as he laid down, head resting on his paws.
"No joke, I think the lands are becoming larger and longer."
"Libra is someone who knows what we can handle. Besides, he's been gone for a while. Hope he comes home soon." Triwave sighed. He picked at a bone, gnawing the crevices and licking the marrow out.

"Greetings, everyone."
Like magic, Libra was standing at the front of the Cave, his eyes surveying the area with fatigue and intense emotion. The rest leaped up to greet him, ears perked up and tails wagging. Each one had many things to tell him, which resulted in making Libra lift the corners of his mouth slightly.
"Alright."

Afterwards, the pack fell asleep, heads clear of too many worries.
Libra remained awake, watching them with glowing red eyes.

TBC