b e a u t y && the BEAST [raiquen]

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[atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/1zfu6h2.jpg] Snow coated everything in a foot-thick blanket, turning the mountain foothills and surrounding pine forest a bright, pure white. The sky was a bright, deep blue and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. And above it all towered the mountain, standing out powerfully against the clear skies. Behind it gathered the next storm, but it was still a good day away. All was quiet in the foothills. The occasional mountain bird called out, but that was not nearly as beautiful as the sounds of the songbirds that migrated south during the winter. Occasionally the quiet was interrupted by the crashing sound of snow falling from the pine boughs above. This winter wonderland was otherwise quiet, however, and the perfect place for someone who preferred to stay away from society and the dangers that came with it. Airen was quite happy out here. Her pure white fur blended in well, though not perfectly and her black nose stood out quite a bit. But if she were forced to hide somewhere out of site, it would be easy for her to blend in just about anywhere in the snowy landscape. Even her scent might be a bit harder to follow, with the snow melting just a little in the sun, making it damp. The knowledge that she was most likely safe and protected out there in the middle of nowhere, where it seemed few others chose to wander, made her lighter and happier than usual. In fact, she was almost leaping with the lightness that she felt. The wooded land she traveled through was open. There was little undergrowth beneath the many pine trees, and the snow made it feel more open than it really was. Airen walked with a spring in her step and a smile on her face, enjoying the cool weather and clear skies. There was a light in her eyes that was so often gone, especially after what happened with Nodin really not all that long ago. She was alone, and for once she was enjoying it, if only because the weather was beautiful and not making her miserable. Her blue eyes sparkled. Of course, Airen could never deny the fact that she was lonely. Wolves, she knew, were pack animals, even if some where able to live alone. She craved social interaction, but she was afraid of it at the same time. It was difficult to not expect the pain that others had caused her. What if they were like the wolves from her pack? Airen didn’t want to be controlled. She wanted a friendship, and she had known so few that were capable of giving friendship to her. They were gone. Her friend from the pack had remained, content with her life there. And Nodin was dead. What if she gained friends only to lose them like she had lost Nodin? Life worked that way – it took what was most important to you and left you to deal with the pain. It was easier to avoid forming attachments to others. Then nothing could be taken and there would be no pain. At least, that was how she reasoned with herself when it came to her self-isolation. Airen walked among the pine trees, carefully stepping around drifts so as not to sink too deep into the snow. One spot looked like it would take her weight, and when she placed a paw on it the snow held. However, when Airen placed her fully body onto the snow, she sank through and began to slide downwards. By the time she reached the bottom of the gentle incline only the top half of her body was showing above the snow. The rest of her – her legs included – was hidden in the deep drift that lay against the hill. It was a struggle for her to get out. She had no grip in the snow. Slowly, she tried to press forward through the deep snow until she found a shallower part where she could get her feet out. It was hard work, and more than once she had to stop to find a different route when she found obstacles hidden in the snow. It was then that the panic set in. Not full-blown panic, but a self-preservation kind of panic. She was out in the open – the slide down the hill had landed her in a clearing – and was nothing more than a sitting duck. Anything hiding or watching her could make it to her before she had a chance to escape and run or try to defend herself (not that she could). If that happened, she was doomed. The struggle to get out of the snow became a struggle to live in her mind, and she flailed around, fear pouring off of her in waves. She had to get free now! words;; 802 starring;; airen for;; raiquen muse;; gooooooood comments;; i like it ^_^

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['R a i q u e n]

Raiquen

It was the perfect winter day, one even bitter Raiquen was enjoying. The snow was pure powder, every step making majority of his legs disappear in it's fluffy embrace. It seemed almost odd that there wasn't a storm, blizzard after blizzard had pounded Everfrost for days now. A sunny day was becoming a rare, strange concept. Raiquen decided to journey up Kintla Mountain, a place he had only ever been once before. It had been summer then, and the blind wolf had loved the fresh breezes and altitude even though he couldn't appreciate the view like many did. He guessed that it would be even better during the winter with snow. He loved snow, as he suspected most Arctic wolves did. His thick, white pelt was made for the stuff, allowing him to spend hours at a time in it, even in storms.

The mountain was quiet, another thing Raiquen loved. The only sounds he could pick up was the occasional animal sound, the drip of melting ice, and the crunch of the top layer of snow beneath his feet. Few chose to come to this place, for it's beauty could prove fatal. Winter was the most dangerous time for one to be on the mountain, avalanches, cave ins, and false cliffs were just some of the hazards. But it's appeal was too great for Raiquen to ignore. He was a wolf of solitude, and the idea of a day alone to enjoy the snow in fascinating surroundings was worth the danger in his eyes.

Letting out a puppy like yip, he foolishly began to run circles in the deep snow, bounding around with his legs high so he wouldn't get stuck. The male would rather die than be caught doing this by another, but he was alone. Panting, he stopped his play to continue his climb. He used his hearing to tell if the crust layer of snow was about to crack under him, careful to avoid weak places. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. He could hear a very odd sound, almost like something struggling. Curiosity got the best of him, he would have to check it out. Cursing whatever had distracted him, Raiquen headed towards the sound. His nose picked up the scent of a female wolf. So, someone had gotten stuck.

He turned to leave. After all, she wasn't his problem, and would probably get out just fine. The noise of the struggle grew louder as the wolf involved got more and more frantic. Raiquen could hear her heart beating in a panicky stucco rhythm. He sighed and squeezed his unseeing eyes shut tight. Well he couldn't just leave her. Sighing loudly, he went closer until he was about three feet away from the female. Um...uh,

[/color] he stuttered, unsure of what to say. He sighed and shook his head. Screw the whole 'chivalry' thing. "I heard you having a hard time. Do you need help?" His tone was blunt, typical Raiquen. "Why am I such a magnet for wolves that need my help?[/justify][/color][/size][/center][/blockquote]

♥ open to; Airen.
♥ character; Raiquen.
♥ word count; Five-hundred-and-four.
♥ muse; Raiquen's being difficult.
♥ lyrics; None.
♥ comments; It will be interesting to see how the two of them react to this situation!

[○ a i r e n]

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[atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/1zfu6h2.jpg] Airen’s struggling did some good. She was slowly making her way out of the snow. But it was thick, deep, and slightly frozen beneath the top layer of powered snow. She would have bruises from the struggle later, and hopefully nothing more than that. It wouldn’t be too difficult to cut oneself open on the icy layers, though. She was making some progress, moving forward through the deep snow in the dip in the ground. While she panicked, struggling to get free before something or someone found her stuck here, she paid little attention to anything around her. The sound of any birds was drowned out by the powerful beating of her heart. She stopped paying attention to scents on the wind. There was nothing but her struggle to occupy her mind. The sooner she was free, the sooner she could be on her way with less worrying about what – or who might find her. She didn’t hear or smell the approach of the stranger. She didn’t notice him until he spoke, and even then it was slow to register in her mind. But when she realized what had happened – that someone had managed to get so close to her without her being aware – she froze. She no longer struggled, no longer dug frantically at the snow. She didn’t even breathe for a moment. That stillness and silence (with the exception of her erratically beating heart) gave her a moment to process the words her ears had heard moments before. As if in slow motion, she slowly came to her senses. Her breathing began to come in heavy gasps as the panic returned, possibly stronger than before. She stared wide eyed at the stranger, and then she turned away from him and began to struggle again, even harder than before. Now, however, rather than simply trying to get out of the deep snow, she was trying to get away from him as fast as possible. She also supplied an answer for him. A rude answer, but an answer nonetheless. She was often like this when she felt vulnerable and threatened at the same time. “No!” she screamed at him. “I don’t need any help!” Her struggling intensified. “Get the hell away from me!” In the process of trying to escape, she didn’t notice the appearance of the stranger. She didn’t even notice that he was blind. words;; 396 starring;; airen for;; raiquen muse;; crap comments;; sorry for the wait and the shortness. school kills muse

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['R a i q u e n]

Raiquen

The panicked sound of the female's pulsing heart filled his ears. That was the loudest sound for him, and he shook his head, trying to clear it so he could hear other sounds. The constant, loud beat was going to give him a headache unless he blocked it out. Instead, he focused on the crunch of the heavy snow that pressed the small wolf into it's prisoner. Here was proof that the mountains could be dangerous. Beautiful, and enchanting silent murderers. 'Imagine if one got their head stuck under all that!' Raiquen mused. He or she would suffocate probably before they figured out what hit them.

When she heard his stumbled offer of help, she stopped moving. For a split second, Raiquen thought she was simply surprised, and would indeed turn around and ask for help. Obviously, she wasn't getting out on her own. He gave her a moment, but it quickly became clear to him that things weren't going to work out that way. It was as if someone had unpaused the scene. The female broke out of her frozen state, only to resume her labored breathing and struggling. He listened to her buck and thrash, trying to get the icy fingers that gripped her to relinquish their hold. It took Raiquen a moment to realize she was scared of him. This puzzled the brute. Normally, others saw his blindness and size and laughed in his face. No one had ever actually been scared of him. Freaked out by his eyes maybe. But scared? This was a first.

He listened to her screams, which were directed at him, and realized that she was scared enough that she would rather be stuck than receive his help. He was about to protest, when she said "Get the hell away from me!". He visibly flinched. How often had these words been directed towards him? Too many. Any hint of kindness he had momentarily felt for the she-wolf disappeared. The walls of ice he put around his heart to protect it flew up. "As you wish," he sighed before shrugging and turning away. He walked off, his tail hanging limply. He weaved unevenly, it was hard to walk straight when he couldn't see the slippery spots. He didn't go far, just behind a row of pines that would hide him. Raiquen wasn't entirely heartless, he sort of hoped the female would be alright. But she had told him to leave, so leave he would. 'Not like I care or anything...' he told himself.

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♥ open to; Airen.
♥ character; Raiquen.
♥ word count; Four-hundred-twenty-eight.
♥ muse; Decent.
♥ lyrics; None.
♥ comments; None.