Post by At World's End on Jun 14, 2010 17:21:57 GMT -5
A roleplay by Scáth Faolchú, Lasair Faolchú and Fáilí Faolchú.
Far off where most people think is ocean lies an incredible, unknown world. Originally owned by ancient Ireland, it was later kept a secret by the locals of Atlantis. When they were destroyed, all knowledge of this land was lost forever. It is hidden behind huge waterfalls, which, back when the world was thought to be flat, no one dared venture past. It was known as:
At World's End
In this magnificent land in the clouds live a clan of wolves. Secret and fierce hunters of the night, they are known by the ones who live on the ground as the ledgendary Faolchú Clan. All the wolves have amazing powers, such as speech and eternal life. They are distinguished from ground-wolves by their brightly colored coats.
Their leader is and has always been the fearless Scáth Faolchú, a wolf with a pelt blacker than coal and streaks of shining red, silver, and gold which run down her body and tip her tail. She looks as if she was painted in rare gems. She is the fiercest warrior of the clan, showing no mercy to her enemies or to anyone who harms her or the Faolchú Clan.
In the beginning, there were no enemies. The Faolchú Clan dominated all of At World's End, a realm so vast that it stretched all the way around the Earth, although it could only be seen or touched if one had entered through the waterfalls. But after a while, an evil wolf named Farraige Faolchú was born. Farraige, banished from the clan a short while after he matured, was soon known as the Evil Rogue and Loner. He tormented pups and was a danger to any nearby wolfess without a mate.
Maybe Scáth Faolchú would have been better off to kill him. If a wolf is injured or knocked out, it returns to its den, where it heals over several days. No wolf dies of old age or grows stiff or gray-coated. However, if a wolf is given a grievous wound such as the loss of a head or piercing of the heart, it will Fall Out of At World's End. Any wolf who Falls Out will become the stupid, gray, speechless brutes known on Earth as wolves or, on At World's End, ground-wolves. Farraige Faolchú should have been killed, forever doomed to sing to the moon in hopes of being given a voice, but Scáth was merciful.
After he was banished, Farraige appeared in many places under various disguises. Over several years, he planted unsatisfaction and rumors. Finally, he led a tribe of wolves under the rule of Scáth Faolchú to rebel, and others followed until all the tribes ruled themselves, leaving Scáth with a scarce hundred faithful wolves.
Now, Farraige still has the same goal he's had all along. He craves power almost as much as he craves a passing wolfess, and the combination draws him back to Scáth, unable to go near her but always taunting.
The sun had began to set over the clan territory. The orange leaves on the trees were bright with color. Scáth was sneaking through the forest, trying to keep out of the clearings; her goal was to corner herself a juicy rabbit. She looked all around, but there wasn't a rabbit in sight. They must have all been eaten or chased out of sight behind the trees, she thought regretfully. She was the leader... Why did she have to be the one to go hungry? The sky had darkened quite a bit in the time she took to search; all of the bushes were blanketed by black shadows as stars appeared in the sky. Scáth's stomach growled. She was so hungry. Just then, in a bush not too far away, she saw two glowing, yellow dots under a dark bush. She slowly crept toward it, hoping for something juicy.
She took a deep breath of the air and realized that something wasn't right. She sniffed at the ground, and her heart began beating faster. That smells not of rabbit, she thought. The scent made her feel afraid, so much so that she lost her appetite entirely. Suddenly, the two dots brightened and then lunged out of the bush at Scáth! She jumped backward in fear and surprise. It was the Evil Farraige Faolchu!
He bared his teeth in an evil smile and laughed with a nasally cackle. "Well, well, well... Look what I found!" he sneered, pacing around her. "Alone, with nowhere to run! Aahahaha..."
Scáth shivered as he ran the tip of his tail under her chin. "What's the matter?" he asked, pretending to sound sorry. "Nobody is going to hurt you." He snapped his jaws together close to her ear, making her jump at the sound. Scáth backed up as he inched slowly closer, she thought quickly. Then she remembered that since she, unlike him, was still part of Faolchú, and the leader, she had power of her own! She whispered a command under her breath, hoping his old ears couldn't hear, and teleported far enough away to make a mad dash to her den.
She squirmed back underground and ran as fast as she could. Then, trembling in fear, she fell down onto her fur-rugs and straw and curled up. She remembered her past. "I wish I had someone to protect me," she sniffed as tears came to her eyes. Long ago, she had known a wolf who she loved and trusted more than anyone else. He'd already had his own mate, yet he had still protected and comforted Scáth when she really needed someone to be there. Scáth had a flashback of snuggling up in a den, her saddened heart being healed by the jet-black wolf licking her ear. As the flashback went on, tears rained from Scáth's eyes. "Why does this have to happen! Why did he have to leave me when he was all I had!" she cried out to the air.
She buried her face in her paws. "I know the mission was important, I know he had to go to the new Mentor to live up to protect the clan," she sniffed, "but the lonely burden just gets more and more unbearable! My heart aches with loneliness, and there seems to be no one else to go to!"
Meanwhile, Lasair Faolchú squirmed in her den, trying unsuccessfully to get some rest or at least hold still. She was so excited for the next day that she thought she'd never fall asleep.
Tomorrow would be one of the most exciting days of her life. In the middle of each season, a ceremony was held for the Apprenticeship of all Faolchú wolves. Some pups who were students, like Lasair, would be entering into Apprenticeship, and others would graduate from Apprenticeship to become whatever they had trained for. Other young wolves would begin training for Apprenticeship.
Lasair had been born during the summer two years ago. Last summer, she had become a Warrior Student, training with other Warrior Students under one old Mentor. Now, all the wolves born two years ago during summer would enter into their various private Apprenticeships, one or two pups to a Mentor, for another year, and the previous Apprentices would graduate.
After a long stretch of time, Lasair sank into a light sleep.
As Scáth was sleeping, she had a dream that seemed to comfort her. As she wept in her den, a black figure appeared in the doorway. Scáth was not afraid, however. She knew who it was. She ran up to him. "You came back!" she cheered softly as she nuzzled the wolf she missed. He gave her some berries he had gathered and she snuggled up to him. He laid his neck across hers and softly whispered, "Shhh, don't cry, it'll be alright." For some reason, the tears seemed to fall harder, but she slowed down as she was slowly soothed.
She was comforted seemingly by his presence alone. Hearing his voice, feeling his soft fur, even his scent was comfort to her. She wished he didn't have to leave; the one thing she wanted was for him to come back. She awoke to the sound of the clan preparing to start their day. It was morning, but she felt like she didn't want to get up. She wished she could go back to her dream.
Lasair bounded out of her den and blinked in the bright summer sunlight. She barked joyfully, "It's time!" All the other wolves were already gathering at the meeting place. The adult wolves all brought a full rabbit or more to share at the feast afterwards.
Lasair glanced around, looking for the Mentors. There they were; she recognized some. There was robust Tíogar, and slim Ramhar, and the wolf with blue fur named Fuar, among others.
Lasair took her place with the Warrior Students. This is the last time I sit with them as a Student, she thought gleefully. But who would be her Mentor? She hoped to end up under the same Mentor with her twin sister, Fáilí, but this was not likely to happen.
Now, all the wolves were assembled. Scáth Faolchú would arrive soon and take her traditional place with the Mentors.
Fáilí was chatting with a male around her age. She spotted Lasair. "Hey, Lasair! Over here!" she barked as she giggled at something the male said.
Lasair glanced at her sister. "You know I have to stay over here," she said doubtfully. "We have to stay in the order. Besides, you're only a few spots away from me." Wow, that pup she's talking to is really cute, she thought. I wouldn't mind having him as a mate-in-law. I hope they end up together.
Scáth walked sluggishly out of the den, her sadness kept her from even making eye contact with any of the male wolves. She plopped herself down in her spot with the other soon-to-be mentors.
Lasair looked with worry at the leader. Something's wrong, she thought. Despite the despair of Scáth, however, Lasair couldn't help but be excited. She didn't notice the three elders looking at her and muttering under their breaths.
The three elders had always paired up Masters and Apprentices. They had never so much as ventured from the clan lands and were thought to be the wisest.