A Harsh Return To Reality (Open).

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] It was the middle of the night when Vicki returned to the Waru Caverns. Usually, she would be nervous about Gabryl catching her out and questioning her, but not this time. This time, she was too busy thinking about Zephard and what they almost did. What they would do assuming she could sneak out again the next night. Her heart was so full of love, she couldn't stop humming to herself, not even caring how awful she probably sounded. She walked up to her cavern and stopped a moment. Then, without warning, she started dancing. She didn't care who was watching as she twirled gracefully and skipped about. She wasn't being noisy for fear of waking other wolves up, but she was definitely not camouflaging what she was doing. After all, why hide it? She was in love. L-O-V-E love. Once in a lifetime love. She was already fantasizing about what they'd do on those hills, how she'd prove her love for Zephard, how perfect their pups would turn out...She felt a little bad about the fact that Zephard would probably never know his own offspring, but the whole idea of romance was lifting her up. She felt like she could lick every wolf in Waru Caverns, she was so happy...Except for Gabe, of course. She still wasn't sure how she'd stand seeing him now. But that was a road she'd cross when she came to it. For now, she was just enjoying the sheer bliss left over from seeing Zephard.

[Rivaxorus]

NPC GROVE

Family pet? Family pet? Huggle bum? Huggle bum? Was that all he was to his noble family, yes packs had noble families, they weren't as important as alphas were, but they had as much authority, much more then beta's but not enough to actually be declared an alpha. The young prince was a pure brown color, with a few black and green markings on his face and shoulders, indicating the family he was from. Although his family was only one of the two in the Waru pack, it didn't mean they weren't well known. So walking through the caves, a lot of the Waru wolves muttered to each other, wodneirng why such royalty as the prince Grove himself was doing here.

Then he suddenly spotted the healer dancing about, she didn't seem to care who saw her. So Grove sat with his high nobility and watched her. With a smile on his face the kind and noble wolf walked up to her, "That's some dance you got there, why so excited?" He asked. Grove wasn't one to intrude so if she didn't want to talk to him he wouldn't mind. He wanted to be the next alpha, but noble families weren't supposed to be alphas they picked them. Noble families were sort of like high council although Grove didn't want to take his father's place, unlike his brother which would most likely probably get the job as head of the family.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] Vicki stumbled, blushing with embarrassment as Grove addressed her. He was from a noble family, although he didn't seem to care for his nobility so much. He was royalty, as far as the pack was concerned, and he was addressing her! She always liked it when she was addressed by such wolves, and under ordinary circumstances, this would have made the best night of her life even better. However, this was no ordinary circumstance, was it? He had caught her dancing, probably making a complete fool of her self, and asked why she was so excited, which she couldn't give a full answer to without some repercussions. "I just had a really good day," she answered. She wished she could explain why. Love was something that was supposed to be celebrated, but if anyone knew about Zephard, well...maybe she would be okay because her healing was that important to the pack, but he wouldn't be. It was worry for his safety that was causing a knot to form in the pit of her stomach. Trying to shrug it off, she smiled at Grove. "What brings you here, Your Highness? Are you in need of any healing?" She was quite sure he wasn't, but it was a routine question of hers. More often than not, when someone addressed her, they needed to be healed, or a friend of theirs did. Somehow, Vicki got the feeling she was the only one with the guts to ask him why he was there in person. Well, in wolf. Whatever the saying is.

[Rivaxorus]

NPC GROVE

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Grove listened to the fae with a smile, raising an eyebrow. He sat down and curled his tail around his back paws, with a little bit of a laugh. "Oh, really, well that's good enough for me, every wolf has there secrets good or bad we should respect that." Grove said, then she addressed him as your highness. Then asking if he needed healing, why was it wolves always thought he was here for official buisness, it was true nobles like him didn't normally mingle with commoners unless they were an alpha or beta, that or if they were giving orders. Yet, All Grove could do was get pampered by his fans. "Please, no need to be so formal, call me Grove." Grove stated with a bit of a bow, a bow that was a tradition where he lived deep on the other side in a large chamber much larger then any of the dens the normal pack members lived in. He stood up again and smiled at the lady.

"Oh, no I'm not here because I'm hurt, I was just on my way out for a midnight walk when I saw your funky little happy moves so I came over and started talking." Grove stated with a bit more of his warm laugh. The young prince was kind and didn't think that he needed to be spoiled even though he was. At least, he was happy he didn't have to marry one of his sisters of course there was nothing wrong with it in the noble family, but if you met Grove's sisters you would understand. "You don't have to tell me all the way, but why were you having a good day, just curious is all. No need to tell me if you don't want to. It's not an order." He stated. He sometimes liked to make it clear he wasn't making an order, soem omegas in the pack told him their life stories because they thought it was an order, and sometimes there were stories he would rather not hear.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] "Okay, Your-...Grove," Vicki said, the name sounding far too casual on her tongue. Then again, she supposed if she was royalty, she wouldn't want to be called "your highness" or "your majesty" all the time, either. Perhaps she and Grove weren't really so different. She noticed Grove's little bow and blushed slightly. It was uncommon for nobility to bow before a commoner such as herself. So, she did her own, graceful bow in kind. "And you may call me Vicki, Grove." She didn't expect him to remember her name for long. Nobles had to meet with other wolves all the time, and even though she was a healer, which was important to her pack, to them, she was still just a commoner. Therefore, non-memorable. "Well, I am so happy because I have found love," Vicki practically sang. She didn't, nor wouldn't, give him more details. She tilted her head. "I didn't figure wolves of your social standing went on midnight walks. Do you do that often?" She had to admit, Grove sparked her curiosity. He was acting different from the norm, which was always an interesting matter, to be sure. She was also behaving less like a healer and more like...well, a crazy wolf who dances in the middle of the night. Quite the opposite of her usual behavior.

[Rivaxorus]

Grove smiled, he was satisfied with that answer, "Well, that's all the more to be excited, to find the one you want to spend your entire life with. It's non the less, more boring for us nobles. We most of the time end up marrying our sisters or brothers to continue on the lines. It's arranged as well, so we really don't have a choice, I'm lucky my brother might end up with both of my sisters, because no one will take them." He exclaimed. In fact most of the time he would give anything to have one day as a normal life. Instead of being pampered and run over by all of his little cousins. His family was more or less known for how their customs had involving having more then one wife at a time. So most in the family could end up not married, which Grove was perfectly happy with. Then asked him if midnight walks were normal, well, not all the time he couldn't get past the guards most of the time. Yet, they seemed to be thicker then shit when it came to making sure Grove didn't leave. Even though the entire family knew very well he was rebellious even though he could be targeted by anyone.

"No, not really, only when I can sneak past my boat load of cousins and the two stupid guards. Seriously my family panics over going out for one night, like I could be assassinated, not with my strength." Grove explained with a bit of a laugh. Although he could hear mardral through the entrance, he tensed. Melting into the shadows as the guard walked in. Mardral eye-balled Vicki, "You there, have you seen Prince Grove? He seems to have vanished from his den." He snarled, the ugly looking brute covered in specialized armor, probably because those with the custom element forged the metal for them. Grove watched from his melted form in the shadows, being part of the assasian element in his family was all fine and dandy.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] "I see...It's a shame about your sisters and no one wanting them," Vicki said. "But what happens if you're an only child?" It was highly uncommon for there to be only one child born to a wolf, but not impossible. Vicki was living proof of that. "And I wouldn't be so sure you couldn't be assassinated...no matter how strong you are, there is always someone stronger." No sooner had she said that than Grove melted into the shadows and a guard approached her. "You there, have you seen Prince Grove? He seems to have vanished from his den." "Oh, yes, I've seen His Highness Grove," Vicki replied with a courteous bow. "He claimed he was out on a midnight walk and rounded the corner down that way." She nodded further into Waru Caverns. "If you hurry, you might be able to catch him." She looked at Mardral again. "By the way, that is fantastic armor. I bet you'd never even get a scratch in it." She hoped this guard was stupid enough not to see through her lie about Grove. Gabryl could always tell when she was lying, but this guy didn't seem anywhere near as smart as him, nor did he know her as well as Gabe did. Why on earth was she thinking of Gabe at a time like this? She felt disgusted by him, yet she couldn't help but make comparisons between other wolves and him. After all, she had known Gabryl longer than she had any other male in the pack, no matter how much she wished she didn't.

[Rivaxorus]

The guard snorted at her and vanished down the tunnel where he had been directed. Thinking that the prince could be anywhere by now. Grove shot out from the shadow, floating in the air for a few seconds before landing firmly on his feet. "Well, that was a nice save, but now I'll be in even more trouble when I get back miss." Grove chuckled. He didn't care, at least he would be able to escape the clutches of noble life a little longer. He looked at her with a smile, "Although, I appreciate the help factor you have. Your a very nice wolf, full of potential. Unlike a few wolves here that I know who don't even deserve high ranks." Grove said. Referring as to the beta who only got to the rank because both noble families thought his experience and survival skills were great. He was dumber then a pig, so what was the point of having him in such a position as Beta. Grove hated how things were run in his family, he didn't want to become the head of it, but how else was he going to change the system.

Grove sighed, then looked over at Vicki, "Would you like to join me? It would be nice to walk with someone besides guards like those." He offered. The assassin master asked. Assasain masters often left no mark on themselves, at least so far in that matter. Not many knew who the masters were, or the length of their power in the first place. He flicked his brown tail with a smile.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] "Thank you very much," Vicki said, beaming. "Although I wouldn't know which wolves you speak of." Okay, so that was a lie. Of course she knew he was referring to Gabe. It seemed nobody liked the poor guy. Ordinarily, she'd feel sorry for him, but right then, she didn't feel an ounce. He was responsible for the deaths of everyone close to Zephard, and while Zephard himself wouldn't hold a grudge, Vicki herself could not forgive such an act. She couldn't stand if anyone close to her was so much as scratched, let alone killed, and trying to put herself in Zephard's shoes was just something she couldn't do. Her parents died before she could really get close to them, after all. Grove asking Vicki to join him interrupted her thoughts, and she laughed. This drama would do no good. "Of course I would like to join you. I don't think I'll fall asleep any time soon, anyway," she said with a smile. "Where will we be heading?" Grove provided a very welcome distraction for her. These negative feelings would really compromise her healing before too long, and Gabe had better not get injured until she's decided how to feel about him and his...actions.

[Rivaxorus]

Grove smiled at her with a bit of a laugh. He turned and looked outside the den looking right then left, before coming back inside. "No where special, but I thought I would show you something since you decided to walk with me." he stated and moved his head, this place was to be kept a secret, no one could see it, because it's beauty would probably be destroyed if so. Grove snuck out of the den, heading down the tunnel deeper into the caverns. Reaching the alphas den he stopped, looking at Vicki, "You know that tunnel is forbidden to go through, well that's because it towards the caverns where the noble families live, come on I know a way to sneak around the guards." Grove snickered. Sneaking against the ground. He watched as the two of the guards stuck their heads up. Grove shifted himself and melted into the shadows, but came under Vicki forming a cloak around her. "Just walk with me past them." He whispered and started walking, until they were well away from the guards and turned a corner. He popped out from the shadows and smiled at her.

"Wanna go back, or continue on?" He asked. Grove was wondering if she was too afraid of getting in trouble. After all, she could get in serious trouble for this after all. He knew how serious his father was about letting outsiders in the noble areas. Yet, Grove was smart, he could throw himself out in the strangest of ways towards his father which would twist his mind and make him submit to letting the girl go, if they were caught that was.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] Vicki probably should have felt uneasy when Grove said he wanted to show her something for walking with him, but she didn't. When she reached the alpha's den, she did become a little nervous, especially when Grove said the area was forbidden and that he knew a way to sneak around the guards, but she ignored them, as she usually did. She felt her fur stand on end when the guards stuck their heads up. Oh, boy, she did not like the looks of this. Maybe I should tell him to go back, she thought. It's not too late for that. And I'm sure he'd understand. I'm in enough trouble as it is, if anyone finds out about Zephard. ...Then again, what's one more thing to add to the list? When his instructions to walk with him past the guards seemed to come from all around her, all thoughts of quitting while she was ahead disappeared. Grove wouldn't let her get in trouble...right? She walked past the guards, further down the tunnel until they turned a corner. Her heart was pounding. There were several times she swore the guards were looking right at her without seeing her. It was nerve-wracking. "Wanna go back, or continue on?" Vicki let out a breath. Grove was now out of the shadows and smiling. It would have been the smart thing to go back, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. She wanted to see where Grove would take her, so she smiled back. "Well, I came this far. Might as well continue on and see where this leads," she answered. They already sneaked past guards. As far as Vicki was concerned, they were already past the point of no return. "So, lead the way, if you please."

[Rivaxorus]

Grove smiled, he knew that taking her to the underground petal forest was a waste of time, because it was the same as the one outside, just with a roof like a dome. The male smiled and walked into a large cavern, not small a very large cavern. He smiled at Vicki as he continued on. "There's a lot of places that even the nobles don't know about, specially this place." Grove stated. As he slipped into a crack, it was big enough for an adult wolf to get into, but if Vicki hadn't seen Grove go into it, then she would have never noticed it. After going through the crack, he was in pitch black darkness. except for specks in the ground, which seemed to be heads of crystals buried in the ground. Grove dug into the ground grabbing one of these in his mouth walking over to the wall with instinct and shoving the crystal in an open space. The cave instantly lit up and little symbols engraved themselves from the light on the roof and all around. Connecting the crystals on the ground, it was like a lazer show, but when you passed through the light, it did not damage.

"These symbols are sealing words made from the gods. My father says that they are all over the place to seal away the fire god. Although, no one knows where he has been sealed, poor guy." Grove said sitting down. Even the wolves had writings, although they didn't have a set language, so no one ever wrote, it seemed frown upon as well. Grove looked at the large cave, seating himself in a space where there were no lights touching, it was still light, but it was so you weren't so overwhelmed.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] "Places even the nobles don't know about?" Vicki echoed. "Well, maybe someday, someone will learn every place possible." She smiled, then noticed Grove seemed to disappear before her eyes. She didn't see the crack itself, just Grove slipping into it. Cautiously, she walked to where he was, then noticed the crack. She hesitated to go down there. It was awfully dark, and she wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to get back out. Relax, Vicki. Grove has obviously been here before. You can trust him. Taking a deep breath, she slipped through the crack. It was dark down there, but it soon lit up, making Vicki gasp. There were symbols all around, and light that connected the crystals all together. She made her way over to Grove and listened to him speak. "Seal away the fire god, huh? Do you think he's sealed anywhere in these caverns?" Vicki wondered. It certainly seemed possible, with those symbols there. Grove even told her just earlier there were places even the nobles didn't know about in those caverns. Of course, Vicki didn't know what she'd do if she found the fire god sealed away. Free him? Offer him herbs? What was the protocol for randomly stumbling upon a god? She chuckled to herself. Of course it was ridiculous to think she'd happen across a god here, in these caverns. Why was she even entertaining the notion of it? "This place certainly is beautiful...What would it be like to stay somewhere like this forever?"

[Rivaxorus]

Grove smiled, eyeing to his left of the cave, where was this god sealed? He stood up and flicked his short tail swiftly he walked over to the other end, putting a paw on one of the symbols and putting his head against the wall. "My mother once told me, that these symbols are the only connections we have with our gods now that the war has broken our trust in them." he stated. Pulling his head away from the wall, he looked at the one symbol, which was the shape of a wolf's claw, glowing with a bright blue outline, an eye in the middle overlapping the behind claw. "There are so many things you pack wolves can learn from teachers, but it seems culture has been destroying itself slowly through panic." He brushed his paw over the symbol and turned, "Who knows if someone could live here, I'm sure it would be revealed someday to other besides me and you. Come on lets go, I know a way you won't be able to get caught on the way out." He pulled his body away. Brushing his tail over Vicki's head and jumping through the crack again into the large open chamber.

Grove slipped over to the side, further on into the caverns into a small tunnel, shifting his weight through it, it came to a large open canvas of tranquility. The original petal forest, enclosed with a roof. The sound of the water fall on the inside echoed through making it a much more peaceful noted in here. Then the large cavern at the end had water rushing past it, where it led to the outside version which was open to the normal wolves, this version here, was a nobles place only. "Petal forest" He said with a smile.

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[atrb=background,http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss40/Milkyface4455/Vicki2.jpg] "I...Suppose that makes sense," Vicki said. "Not many seem to have faith around here." Vicki herself wasn't too religious. She prayed for the happiness of others, but she had never gone onto sacred ground. Still, it was more than many of the Waru pack do. "There are lots of things we have yet to learn, true, but many are afraid to. I don't think culture is dying so much as changing, though I can't say if it's a good change or a bad one. We probably won't know for sure until pretty late in our lives." In Vicki's eyes, culture itself never dies, it just shifts over time. Kinda like how she believed no wolf is born bad, but circumstances will sometimes turn one bad, or make them question what is right and what is wrong. Could something live here? Maybe. Grove said it would be revealed to others besides him and her, and Vicki smiled. He was probably right. There was really no time to worry about it right then, anyway. She really hoped Grove was right about the way out he was thinking of not being one where they'd get caught. That was really the last thing she needed: to get in trouble for this. She leaped out of the crack, following him to the side and through a small tunnel into the original Petal Forest, open only to nobles. "This place is beautiful," Vicki said when they reached it. "You're sure there aren't guards here or something?" She checked behind herself really quick. True, this behavior was slightly paranoid, but if she was caught in an area only for nobles, then there would be trouble. She was pretty sure Grove knew this and was cautious in where he chose to take her, but still...it didn't hurt to double-check.