Pulse.

It's a funny thing. How it keeps a steady rhythm until you begin a sudden run or when you become frightened or excited. For some reason, today Faith felt giddy with joy, and her heart was racing. Upon waking up, a huge smile was stretched across her face. Her eyelids still drooped, and her mind was a bit fuzzy, which is why she couldn't quite place why she was so estatic. But after a minute of careful thinking, she remembered: She had the title of Lead Warrior. She wasn't sure how she managed to grin even bigger.

There was so much to do, so much to see now that she held a higher rank than before. And she couldn't imagine how, being that she was so new, was bestowed with the rank. She knew for a fact that never was a wolf given a name like it at the border instantly.

She could wait to meet some new people today if she so chose. Maybe finding an apprentice who needed training, as Alphess Quinn had suggested. Or maybe find some friends other than Rose. And she wasn't going to just ditch Rose either. They had literally been together since birth, with just a large four year gap between it... Still, she wasn't going to let her sister get away that quick.

Suddenly, it dawned upon her that she was incredibly bored just laying there on the ground in her den. She rolled to her paws and shook out her thick but shedding pelt. With the budding spring, she was half-excited, half-upset about it. One, warm weather was nice. Two, she was an arctic wolf, and most arctic wolves loved winter. She could name a few, but thinking of the few she did know made her sad. Thunder... she thought miserably.

But she shook her head and picked herself up, because she was excited to get out there today. She was going to do something, even if it meant hanging out with Rose, should she not be too busy with her rank of Guardian. Now she was with the same level as the Elites! Faith was indeed proud to have such an amazing sister.

She strode out of the den, happy that she was finally getting out into the sun. But she found herself getting bored as she circled around the pack clearing, waiting for others to wake up so she could find a new friend. It couldn't be much longer, right?

A sleepless night. Deep within his den, Locke could feel the night creep by slowly as his head rested on his paws - his eyes glowed in the darkness, staring blankly at the walls of his 'home within a home' in deep thought. The day had passed quite excitingly; in fact, there was so much to look back on. The same word kept rolling over and over in his mind. 'Lead warrior.' Under promotion of Alphess Quinn, the ivory warrior had become a supervisor and mentor for the other warriors of Helidos. It was such a large responsibility, and it had come as quite a shock. Of course, Locke was very proud that his alphess had recognized his potential and put confidence in him that he, along with the dame named Faith, would help train her warriors to become the best they could be. A small smile slipped onto his lips, but faded with weariness. She believed in him - in trusting him with this position, she understood that he wished to help all he could and that this was a chance. 'I will not let you down, Alphess Quinn. I will not only train others so that they may accomplish greatness, but train myself to further understand the ways of fighting and leadership.' Golden eyes falling a little to the floor, Locke thought about the real reason that was causing him this long, quiet spring night. While the past was over and the large gash it had made on his mind was slowly being remedied by the herbs of the present, every now and again it stung him while he least expected it. It had been many moons ago that a night terror had last grasped him, flinging him back into the past filled with darkness and destruction, but in the depths of his sleep this night he had awoken covered in sweat and fear. In his dreams he relived the killings of others over and over again - he could do nothing but look down on the wolf that had the same coat and heart as him, but not the same mind as he did now. The warrior could not forget the single look that broke his heart every time a memory would come around; the look of fear placed upon his mother's face. Sighing tiredly, Locke rolled over to his side with a thud and closed his eyes. Things were fine now in the peace and generosity of Helidos, there was no reason to worry about a past that could not altered. He would lick and treat the wounds in this time and happily embrace the future when no longer did the memories haunt him. 'I have the opportunity to make sure that my fellow pack members do not make the same mistake I did; loyalty must be given, but a wolf must be able to choose his own fate and realize the borders between good and bad. I cannot make their decisions for them, but I want to help build a path for others that they can look back onto with happiness instead of hurt. I will do everything in my power to protect the warriors under my care, as well as the others of Helidos.' Slowly from exhaustion Locke drifted off to sleep.

The soft glitter of morning sunlight drifted into the lead warrior's den, stirring him from his light sleep. Blinking his eyes awake, Locke yawned and stirred from his nest. Stretching his legs, he peaked his head out from the entrance of his home and looked out onto the pack clearing. Sunlight shined in his golden eyes, and he squinted to make out the shapes that bustled about their daily business. 'First day on the job,' he thought to himself, giving a small smile. The difficult night was over now - faded from his mind and worries. The pack would come before himself. Fully exiting his den, Locke slowly strolled towards the others and took a deep breath of the crisp, fresh morning air in. It was a bit early, and not many were up yet; those that were seemed to be busy about doing their normal chores and routines. However, one dame did catch his eyes; her coat was a pure white shade just as his, although much more clean, and her eyes were a bright amber that matched the beauty of fall leaves. 'Faith.' She did not seem to be busy yet, and he had to meet her acquaintance now that she and him would be working together as lead warriors. It would be nice if they could become friends - it would be so much more fun during training. Giving a cheerful smile, Locke approached the dame. "Good morning, Faith! I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion, and tell you that i'm excited to be working together with you. We will have these warriors fit and ready yet for anything." Chuckling softly, he wagged his tail in friendliness.

She jumped when she heard the voice. Whirling around to find the source, she found a snowy white male, with eyes of the purest gold. She smiled. "Why hello! Locke, is it? I'm quite excited myself to be working alongside someone. This is going to be a blast! Dontcha' think?" she said, admiring his happiness and picking up on his mood immediately. Her amber orbs dancing, she let her own tail match the pace of his and she watched him with bright eyes. "So, what shall we do today? I would love to get to know you better, of course but I find myself extremely bored at this time, despite the new rank - which don't get me wrong, I'm delighted about. But without wolves to train yet, it seems I think I've become a bit useless, at the moment," she admitted, shrugging. She turned her head to a noise she heard within the woods behind her, but she quickly shook it off. No need to embarrass herself in front of her fellow Lead Warrior.

She snapped her gaze back to the male's before her, and she smiled again. She couldn't quite place a paw on it, but she had a feeling this was going to be the start of a very good friendship. Then suddenly, she lit up. "We should ask Alphess Quinn and Alpha Fenris if they want us to train their pups!" she said, spurting out the idea before she could think. Unsure of how he would react to her outburst, she faked a cough and looked at the ground shyly. Oops, she thought.

((OOC: Es so short... I promise it will be better next time. I had to type quickly cuz I'm TECHNICALLY grounded from technology today. So, also, I apologize if there's typos. I probably won't get a post up until tomorrow, MAYBE tonight if my parents let up. But again, I promise it will be better!))

The ivory fae had whirled around to find him and had bestowed upon him a cheerful smile in return to his own. From her kind response and temperament, it was immediate that Locke realized she would be a pleasant she-wolf to work with and become a possible friend. "Yes ma'am, that's me all right." He watched her amber eyes light up with excitement and happiness - she was just as excited as he for the advancement of rank. They would learn about each other and from each other, and together they would give the other warriors the education they needed to aspire to become great fighters. "I really do! I don't doubt that it will be tough work at times teaching the other warriors, but it will be fun work too. I'm sure we'll meet and become friends and mentors with lots of great wolves enlisted as warriors and even learn a few things ourselves." No matter how much you aged, it was important to always keep learning and never decide that everything was known. "And I you, miss Faith! I have a lot of respect for you - Alphess Quinn certainly believes you have a gift. You must be a very good warrioress. I understand your boredom, though. Helidos seems to lacking a heavy amount of warriors. Within time there will be more; i'm sure of it. You must never give up hope, for good things will come in time." Still smiling, Locke flicked his ears. Had he heard something in the forest? 'Faith seemed to hear it too. It is good that she is alert and aware of surroundings. It is an important part of fighting and survival to be firmly aware of where you are and what is going on.' Shaking his thoughts free, the lead warrior regained his attention on Faith. "As for what to do today, i'm not quite sure. I would be an honor to walk with you through the forest for a bit if you would so like, or perhaps we can hang out here in the clearing. If you're hungry we can go searching for breakfast - spring time has brought an abundance of creatures to the land. It's really quite beautiful to view." Really it did not matter what they did, he was content just meeting and becoming friends with Faith.

Locke had not been expecting the sudden joy from the dame, but as her face lit up with extreme emotion he could not help but feel it too. Chuckling at her words, the lead warrior was surprised but delighted that she was enthusiastic and creative about this job. While his counterpart seemed a little shy at her display of emotions, Locke had no problem with the sudden change. "I'm quite sure they'd be happy to get those lil' pups out and training. The princes and princess seem like such a handful, perhaps they might get tuckered out and allow the Alphas and the caretakers a break. I'm absolutely positive they will be amazing at whatever they would like to do and be a treat to mentor." He had never been around pups before, but with a little help and determination the warrior was sure he could handle it with a good strong but gentle heart.

[OOC - Don't worry about it~! I thought it was good. :)]

She took in every word he spoke and she cherished it. He was beyond intelligent, and she found that he was quick about thinking on his paws. She took note of the way he thought before he spoke, unlike her, apparently. She beamed when he said he had respect for her. "Locke, you're too kind. I too hold my high regards for you. You're absolutely brilliant. I too have heard only good things about you since the ranking ceremony. Quinn is a forgiving creature. She's perhaps the best leader anyone here could ask for," she said, only honesty in her tone. She shifted her weight, as her leg began to get stiff. He was right. Never too old to learn a new trick.

She vaguely heard him say anything after he told her that 'It would be an honor to take a walk with her'. She shook her head. "An honor? Locke, I can only be so special," she said, jokingly. "Certainly not enough to take a simple walk with one who holds the same rank as me, and have it be an honor for him. However, a walk sounds nice. Breakfast is turning out to be wonderful in my mind as well. Afterwards, we could hang out here and get to know one another, or if you wanted, we could go to this place I heard about a while ago. 'Shipwreck Cove' I believe it was called... It's supposed to be beautiful. Of course, I'm good with anything you decide, Locke."

"We may have to speak to the Alpha and Alphess about it later then, to see how they wish for that to be sorted out. I'm sure they have other options in mind as well, such as Drogo or Rose. Maybe even Sitka, the new Delta. They have a big desicion to make, to ensure they get only the best training. If that mentor who supplies that to the princes and princess is not me, I can only be happy that they are given the better," she said. It was true. It would be no use to send the sons and daughters of the Queen and King to a mentor who could not teach them properly. She herself had never had any experience in training, but you never know 'til you try, right? Besides, she could look back on how Raven taught her a while back. But it was so long ago... She had no idea what his status was anyway. Thunder, Raven, old friends... She was never sure if she would see them ever again.

She brought herself from her thoughts back to the present and smiled at Locke yet again. "So, first tell me a little about yourself. We can walk and talk or stay here for a minute, but I want to get the basics out there," she offered. "For instance, I have a complicated past but I can sum it up to be shortened... Sort of. I am from a pack far away from here. It was destoryed by another enemy pack even further. I was kidnapped by that pack, given the name Burn, and was put to work by the Alpha himself. I was pretty much his personal servent for a long time, but then my brother, Thunder, who had been taken with me, made the mistake of disobeying orders. I was banished after being ordered to kill him, and I stumbled upon a male named Raven. He mentored me, taught me how to fend for myself. I used his skills he passed to me after we parted, and I found myself here. I found my sister, Rose, and she accepted me into Helidos. From there, I lost all contact with anyone outside of these lands we stand in. Including Thunder. I can only hope one day our little family of me and my sister would be completed with Thunder, and perhaps our own mates from there, only to continue our bloodline on to little pups like the ones we have running around here!" Upon concludiong her story, she took a deep breath. She looked up at Locke. "My apologies, I said that would brief, but it was the opposite. Sorry," she said sheepishly.

She waited for him to repy, and she herself was proud that she remembered so much of her history. Being five now, she thought that she wouldn't recall many memories. Clearly, she still had a few deep in her mind, buried under piles and piles of other things. She sighed. Her ears flicked forward, awaiting words to flow into them.

The honesty and sincere appreciation that lined the ivory fae's words made Locke grin. From her words, the warrior could tell that she was a loyal member of Helidos who believed in the ruling of their leaders. He softly laughed. "You give me too much credit, but I thank you for your kind words. We must make Quinn proud for the opportunity she has given us." However, as she responded to his further words, the brute could not help but feel that she did not see how much of an honor it truly was. He would always appreciate and hold highly those with utmost loyalty and inner strength. Shaking his head at her words, Locke kept a gentle face. “You are mistaken, miss Faith. The title of a wolf is only a glimmer of one’s true self. It is who you are that makes it an honor, and not the weight of the rank you hold. I believe that you deserve your promotion in all aspects, but do not let your title tell you who you are or how much respect others can give or think of you. Of course I want you to match your rank in all that you can, but be not afraid to extend yourself outside of its boundaries and learn just how much of a stunning and special wolf you are. I do not only see that you are a lead warrior, much like myself, but a very kind and aspiring fae that I am honored would give me her time. This is why it is my honor to be with you this day.” His face growing a little warm at he finished his speech, the brute cleared his throat and looked away for a moment. Perhaps he had gotten a little too deep with his words. They had only just met but he was being a bit too open and emotional. He hoped she did not see him as a smooth talker. Licking his licks in embarrassment and turning back to her, Locke continued along. "Hmm.. Okay. While we bask in this beautiful morning sunshine and take a walk through Helidos lands, we can be on the lookout for a scrumptious meal to fill our bellies. Later today - if you do not mind me taking up your whole day that is, miss Faith - we can take a journey out to Shipwreck Cove and spend a nice warm day at the beach. It sounds so refreshing to take a little break before delving into work! The warm sand and salty waves sound perfect for today." A chuckle escaped his lips, and the snowy wolf yawned and stretched out his front legs; just enough to shake off the last bit of sleepiness and be alert and ready for their trip. Shipwreck Cove must feel great this time of year - the sunshine was warm and bright, but not enough so like in summer when it got a little too warm for his arctic coat.

Considering her words deeply, Locke nodded to the truth of what his counterpart said. While they were head of the warriors, there was a great deal of wolves ahead of them in rank that held great knowledge of both fighting and many other important things that the heir of leaders would need to know. He was just a simple wolf with a knack for fighting and a strong sense of loyalty. "I agree. They must be busy preparing things for the pups' futures right now and getting in touch with the other wolves who were promoted to high ranks. We will give it time before we ask. As you say, I am just happy that they are safe and have many opportunities to learn from great individuals here. However, I must say, even if we are not given mentor-ship over them I would be exceedingly excited to take them out for a day and show them a trick or two. Some bonding time, I suppose." It was curious what each pup would aspire to become, and how each one would grow up to become a different part of their community. It must be both a thrilling and nervous experience to be the offspring of a packs' alphas.

With each word she spoke, he listened and remembered what she told him. It felt new hearing a wolf speak so openly to him about whom they were and where they came from; it was a nice feeling. It opened up trust between the two and the warrior felt content in telling her his story as well. However, Locke could not help but feel empathy for the snowy dame. 'She has had a twisting, difficult past. She has strength to press forward in her life. I find that an amazing trait.' Taking in her story, Locke prepared himself for his part. "Do not worry, Faith. I feel esteemed to have been told this. It is a shame that you had to go through such hardships, but I am glad that you are here now in Helidos safe along with your sister Rose. We are lucky to have both of you in our ranks. I have hope yet that you will meet your brother again - fate has a strange course. It is only looking back that the dots can be connected in the pathway of life. Will you walk with me, Faith?" Slowly padding forward, he turned back and looked at the she-wolf before continuing along. "As for my story, I hope I can explain in a decent timing. I must not bore you to death! Smiling, he took in a breath. 'Here we go.' "I grew up in a pack that had grown strong for many generations. In the very beginning of its origins, the intelligent leader who ran quite a dictatorship had created a special team of wolves known as the Shadows. These wolves were excellent warriors who followed only the alpha's words and were trained to be assassins and bullies to torment the neighboring packs. They were not allowed to speak. They could not have their own opinions. They had no decisions over who they were or what they could do. Their lives were run for them, blindly following a leader with selfish intentions. With the help of the Shadows, my pack had become strong with power, resources, and land. Generations came and went, continuously creating a bigger pack, before I was born. Under my time, there were only two living Shadows left - my father and a veteran. My father had retired before the swearing in of the leader known as Cyrano. I had a normal puphood - my siblings all discovered early what they wanted to be. I was a late pup - however, it would be decided in time that I would hold the qualifications to become a part of the dying Shadows league." Looking to Faith, he hoped he wasn't going in to too much detail. He would wrap this up quick, so that he did not ramble on. "The training I received from my father was intense and led to much scarring. Most of it has healed now, but sometimes the memories still plague me. I sometimes wondered if one night I simply disappeared into the neighboring woods my life would be better. Alas, it would be in time that Cyrano would realize he had a fun toy soldier to command. As a Shadow, I had lost all my friends and my ability to speak. Nobody envied me. Blindly I followed orders like I had been trained and told to do. I was a bully and torment to the surrounding packs. Nobody rejoiced when I approached. I was a living plague. When I think back to it, I think poorly of myself. It was all I knew, though. One night, exhausted from constant orders, I blacked out on the border of my 'home.' It was that night that the surrounding packs rebelled against my pack and declared victory upon the murder of my brethren. When I came to and found my way to the clearing, I was shocked when I found the bodies of the wolves I had known. In rage I attacked the wolves, who I see now were victims of an ill-fit leader, and found that darkness had overtaken my fighting. When I realized what I had done, I was standing in a puddle of blood that was not mine. I will never forget the look of utter terror that came from the survivors.. from the look of my own mother as she looked on in fear. They didn't bother attacking me - they left me there to mourn what I had done. After that, I became a loner, upholding my silence for yet another couple seasons. When I had come to as much peace as I could with myself, I realized that I had to pay for the crimes I had committed. I vowed to become a loyal member of a pack and protect it with my life. I released myself from the silence, and I sought after a leader I would follow with no fear of deviousness. Helidos is what I had decided would be my home, and never have I regretted it. I know I can always trust Alphess Quinn and Alpha Fenris. I know I will never have to hurt the innocent again." Taking a breather, Locke looked sympathetically to Faith. "I apologize for my long story, I rambled on much longer than I should have."

[OOC - ohmygosh, i'm sorry for the length of this post!]

Listening to his story while they walked, she was amazed at how he had managed to change from a killer to this Lead Warrior pledging his loyalty to everybody here, including herself. "That's amazing, Locke... I probably would've given up, maybe jumped off a cliff or something," she said, half jokingly. "But I'm glad I didn't, because now I'm here, and I have my sister, and a friend." She smiled at him, her amber eyes gentle and dancing. "Tell me something, Locke. You never mentioned anyone special to you, like family or a fae you loved... There has to be someone, right?"

She awaited his answer when suddenly she bounded away, catching sight of a rabbit. Chasing it into the underbrush, her jaws locked around air at least twice before finally making contact. Crushing the prey between her fangs, bones crunching under the pressure, the rabbit fell limp and she returned to Locke. She smiled proudly as she dropped the rabbit and said, "Breakfast!" She then turned and took off again, searching for a meal to eat herself. She dropped into a crouch, crawling on the ground silently, awaiting the quick little heartbeat to enter her ears, the delicious scent to drift into her nose.

((So short... I had to get this up for you though, and I'm completely out of muse. Next one will be better, I promise.))

It was a relief telling someone else his story - it felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest and he could breath easier now. In fact, every word seemed to come easier as he spoke. As he finished his story, Locke let his eyes flick gently over to Faith as she spoke and a soft smile lined his lips. The fact that this she-wolf was listening to his past and potential bad side left him feeling a little vulnerable to judgement and distance at first, but with each gentle and light-hearted word she said to him the male could feel a bond form. It was a nice feeling - to trust someone, that is. "I'm very glad too, miss Faith. Thank you." A rustle of birds in the trees above left the warrior casting his gaze up towards the sky, curious, for the ruckus the creatures blessed with flight were doing. He never did figure it out, though, for the words the dame spoke next caught him off guard. Nervously returning his stare back to the female, Locke could not help but feel a little shy. A little lost for words, he stumbled over his usually eloquent voice. "W..well, no.. I- I don't have any blood family left. At least, none that would want to see me. My mother and sister are still possibly alive, but I understand their reasoning for not seeking me out and I accept their decision. As.. as for a fae.. I have n- never had a significant other. I suppose this is the first time i've been given an option for a mate, now that i'm in Helidos." Feeling his cheeks flush was warmth, Locke cleared his throat. Love had been a strange, curious concept that had to be quelled quickly so that it did not hinder his performance in battle or make him soft before now. Seeing the kindness and love between mates in Helidos though had made Locke realize that love did just the opposite. It made a wolf stronger to protect their family and it brought happiness as well as a stronger devotion to who they were. Lost in thought, the male barely barked out a response before Faith was gone into the underbrush. "What about you, Faith?"

Stopping in his tracks, Locke blinked a little absentmindedly as he watched the dame's white coat bound away after the rabbit. Chuckling and sitting down on the forest ground, the warrior could just pinpoint a little dash of white fur chasing her prey through the brush. She was a fast wolf, and soon the rabbit was dead in her jaws. Locke had to applaud her for the quick catch. Coming back out of the brush Faith carried a brig grin and dropped the still warm rabbit near his paws. However, before he could even say a word, she was off again searching for her own meal. Smiling and shaking his head, the warrior could not help but find the fae's peppy personality cute. Bending down to sniff the rabbit, Locke eased into a laying down position and took a bite out of the rabbit's flesh. However, his eyes flicked up to watch the other lead warrior and see how her hunt was going. He felt a soft tinge of guilt that he had not helped the lady with the hunt. Locke knew she was a fully capable fae though, and he was here if she needed any help.

Her head perked up when she heard the twig snap. Dashing after the tiny white tail, she leapt forward and closed her jaws on air. Growling with frustration, she took off again, bounding through the underbrush and she made for the kill again. This time, her fangs snapped on the back of the rabbit. Crushing her teeth together, she felt the prey go limp in her mouth. Turning, she pranced back to Locke to find him eating his breakfast, which she found exciting. He had accepted her offer for a meal, and she laid down next to him, her kill between her paws. She let it sit there for a moment, while she thought of her answer to his question before she had taken off.

"Well, actually, I have met no one who I truly loved... Aside from Rose and Thunder of course. But no, I have found no male yet. I guess I can be glad though. If I found one before, I may have never left whichever pack he happened to be in, therefore I would've never found Helidos, nor Rose. Or you," she said, smiling shyly at the last part. Why, she didn't know. It just happened. She quickly ripped off a piece of flesh from her meal and pretended to be side tracked. After about ten minutes, she finished the rabbit. She then stood, waiting for Locke so they could complete the journey to Shipwreck Cove.

As he feasted upon his breakfast of rabbit, Locke could not help but feel that the rabbit Faith had given him tasted better than the normal prey he caught for himself. It was a curious concept, for rabbit was normally not a filling meal and often left the hunter hungry for more snacks; however, this time each bite was a mouthful of splendid happiness. The male decided after moments of thought that it was because of the she-wolf's affection in providing him with his meal that made it so different than what he was used to. Being more of an independent wolf, the warrior wasn't accustomed to such kind deeds, but the feeling of happiness that spread within him was welcomed.

Looking up from his rabbit, Locke paused the meal and searched for the frame of Faith. He didn't want to finish eating before she returned - he wanted to enjoy having breakfast together. Besides, it would be rude of him. Soon she appeared again, and this time she carried a rabbit for herself to eat. The dame proceeded to lay down next to him, and Locke continued his munching while he listened to her answer his question. Her words made his heart thump a little beat, and the brute took a few glances at Faith while they munched quietly in comfortable silence. Time passed and he finished the scrumptious rabbit, therefore attempting to spruce himself up a little and get some of the blood off of his coat before Faith did as well. As she finished she stood, letting him know they were ready to continue, and he too took to his paws. Smiling, the warrior shook his pelt to get rid of some of the dirt. "Where shall we continue, miss Faith?"

[OOC- My muse is out of fuel. Sorry for the abnormal post~.]

(Shall we just make a continued thread off of this in Shipwreck Cove?)