:DOTW: Hidden Truth

VASILIS
A guttural moan echoed within the darkness of a cozy den. Deep in the shadows something moved, another groan coming from the den, before a light brown paw slid into the soft early morning light. A black face followed, striking brown eyes squinting against the morning rays. Slowly, the large male wolf emerged from the den. His body was covered in fresh scabs and long healed scars. His ears were mere nubbins, torn from his head at an early age.

Vasilis limped forward until he was fully bathed in the light, his gaze slowly sweeping the lands around him. His visage was pinched as he tried not to show his aches and pains, a habit acquired long ago when it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Hurt or not, he'd been expected to work. With that so ingrained in his mind, it was what the earthen toned wolf was going to set off to do. Though he knew he was free, old habits were hard to break. He had a new pack to prove his worth to. His head lifted, determination replacing the pained look, as Vas began to limp toward the woodland.

BLOOM
Bloom was just outside the den area. Trying her best to avoid the wolves of her new pack. Most were still licking their battle wounds. It pained her and made her sick seeing the wounds she inadvertently caused. Rhaegan instigated the war, but she caused it to happen. With a huff, she lied her head on her paws tiredly. It was painful to sleep and the nightmares also kept sleep at bay. Even now the numbing, burning pain radiated in her abdomen. The vicious marks of Reagan's fangs were still healing.

Hearing a branch snap under paw made her breath hitch and her body froze in place. Wide moss green eyes scanned the red and golden landscape. If she was still enough her coat could almost blend in. Moments passed until she spotted a brown wolf limping out of den area. She hadn't seen him at the war. He was new, but the wounds along his body showed he had battled for a long time.

"Where..are you going?" She inquired with a meek and nervous voice. Bloom flinched, she was a shell of her once confident self...

VASILIS
Vasilis' ear nubs twitched backward at the sound of a gentle feminine voice. His head turned, gaze picking out her form on the ground. He hadn't seen her at first, she blended in so well, and the scents if so many other wolves in the den area had caused hers to become lost in the tangle.

"To hunt." He responded in his baritone voice. The female's voice, her very posture, told him she was timid. Another habit to break, to remember not everyone was against him.

"Maybe you could tell me where the best places to do so are?" Vas turned toward the female and slowly approached, ears laid back and face taut as he masked the hurt that moving caused. It was only when he'd stepped closer that he realized that she, too, was injured. His nostrils flared at the scent of old blood on her and he stopped. His expression went from taut to a light scowl as he looked down at her,

"Are you hurt?"

BLOOM
Studying him silently as he drew closer, she could see the older scars over his body. Wondering if he had wanted those scars. However, when her eyes looked to his face and she studies his cropped ears, she had the feeling he was not as vicious as the wolf who had given her these scars.

"Hunting?" Tilting her head, she glanced at the leg he was keeping weight off and stared at his face that tried hide the mask of pain. Catching mere glimpses of it, she frowned. "I couldn't tell you the best hunting spots. I'm..." she paused, he didn't know of her past deeds with Aryn. Deciding not to tell him she continued, "..pretty new myself. Besides, it looks like you could use a break."

Now standing close to her, she raised her head to look at him. His eyes were studying her body and she caught his eyes fixing on the open wound on her stomach. Swallowing thickly as his face turned to a scowl. Flinching instinctively, she backed up slightly, trying to not run her wounded belly over the ground. Fears told her to give the male room as his expression changed, in case he charged her. Not that she had the ability to stop him..

Her jaw merely clenched as she remained silent, staring up at his ember eyes that reminded her of the setting sun.

VASILIS
At the females' reaction Vasilis' ears pricked. Fear? Had he come off as scary? He supposed he could see that, with his network of scars. His eyes softened as his head lowered. What had she gone through, to make her so afraid?

"I just want to be sure you're okay." He explained, "We're packmates now." A gentle smile then grew on his muzzle as he gingerly lowered his body to the ground, "I'm really no scarier than a chipmunk." He said lightly in an attempt to calm her. "My name is Vasilis, by the way." Normally Vas wasn't so quick to be talkative but silence may have only frightened her more. It was clear that reassurance was what she needed and as her new brother-in-spirit, the beat up male would be glad to step up to the plate.

BLOOM
A few heart beats of silence passed as she stared up at him. His eyes softened and she released a breath she had not realized she'd been hold. Glancing away, she wondered what had happened to the old Bloom. The one that wouldn't shy away from any wolf. The she-wolf who stood boldly against any wolf. Yes, what had happened to her?

When Vasilis lowered his body, now getting eye level with her, her body relaxed almost immediately. Comparing himself to a chipmunk, awarded him a tiny smile. "Heh, thats good." She whispered with a soft chuckle, but it was weak. "My name is..Bloom." Perhaps she could finally make a friend in this pack. Not that she thought the other wolves of Aryn couldn't be potential friends..however, guilt still filled her.. What wolf that went through the Blutwald and Aryn war would want to be friends with her?

Her dark thoughts made her shrink inside herself and made her peer nervously around the area as if waiting for some wolf to take revenge on her.

VASILIS
He nodded when she answered him meekly. His eyes focused on the wounds on her belly, then raised to her face.
"So, Bloom, whats your story?" Vas asked with a tilt of his muzzle to her scabbed injuries. He had a feeling there was something more here than simply a timid wolf with typical wounds one might get from a hint or even from warding off trespassers. Would she open up to him? As he waited for a reply he crossed his forepaws and dragged his tongue over a few shallow bites atop one foot.

BLOOM
Shifting to a more comfortable position, getting some weight off of her stomach, Bloom raised her eyes to him. Searching his face for any ill intent, she found none. Unless he concealed it well. Scanning over his own body, some still looked fresh and she wondered what had happened to him..

Finally coming back from her thoughts, realizing he'd asked her a question, she bit the inside of her cheek. How much could she tell him? Will she tell him? Part of her wanted to keep at a distance. Her future was up in the air, as soon as she was healed Athena could kick her out. Why makes friends with a pack wolf if she couldn't stay?

After a few more moments of watching him lick his paws she answered, "I was..um.. held captive in a pack for 2 seasons.. Away from my home--another pack..not this one.." Glancing off into the golden landscape she frowned. She wondered if he knew anything about the War that had been waged only a few weeks ago.

VASILIS
Her brief story hit home for Vasilis. Though for her, it may have been worse for the fact that she had known freedom before being captured whereas enslavement was all he had known until he'd made his break. Though unlike him she did not bear the physical scars that he did. Maybe she'd only been held against her will, rather than forced to do low and dirty work and being beat down if it was not done satisfactorily.

"I know the feeling." he said with a curt and subtle nod, "Before I was taken into Aryn I was a slave in another pack. It was all I could remember..I'd been taken at a very young age. Needless to say it will take some adjusting to this new way of life." Vas briefly explained, not feeling the need to delve into intimate details of his past. His face had, again, taken on a tense expression as he stared past Bloom to the horizon beyond while his mind replayed snippets of memories from those not so long ago times.

BLOOM
Her eyes lifted to his as he explained he had the same feeling. Eyes widening with realization and her eyes skirted over the scars. He'd been a slave. The emotions twisted her stomach in knots. It wasn't uncommon for wolves to invade a pack and take the youngsters as slaves. Apologizing didn't seem enough, so for the moment she kept silent.

"Right,..try to adjust.." She mused distantly and clenched her jaw. Tears stung her eyes and she wiped a paw across her face, hoping to get rid of them quickly. It would be hard to adjust to life without her mom.. Rangers still had found no trace of her..

Clearing her throat, she stifled her overwhelming emotions. "Well, I don't think the Alphas will hold it against you if you rest. You've been through a lot. Besides, Aryn has wolves healthy enough to hunt. You shouldn't force yourself. You are still healing too.."

VASILIS
Vasilis watched with a calm gaze as Bloom fought to keep her emotions in check. At her last statement he forced a chuckle, trying vainly to lighten the mood a little.

"I guess I will have to get used to that. I haven't been free long...the lifestyle is vastly different." the big male lowered his chin to rest upon his large paws. He hated to see a lady cry, poor gal. She was alone, of that there was little doubt from the bits of her story she'd given him. Likely that all of her friends and family were in her birth pack. "What else can you tell me about yourself?" he would ask. It was clear that the current conversation only continued to upset her, so Vasilis wanted to steer it away from those heart-wrenching memories it caused.

BLOOM
"Well, I..uh.." Looking to her paws sheepishly, nervous. What could she say to him? Was there really more to tell him? Glancing up at Vasilis, she said, "Well,..um.. My mom was an Alpha.." She flinched thinking about her Mother and frowned. With a soft, she tried again to stifle those feelings. "I'm..not really that complicated.. What about you? Where do you hail from? From any of the large packs in the area?" She asked. It could give her an idea if he'd know anything about the war

VASILIS
Vasilis grunted softly at her simple response, his scarred head shaking at her question.
"Not from around here, no. It was a large pack, but its some ways away. When I left I traveled almost nonstop to get as far away as quickly as I could. I only rested once...I had a friend with me that had gone through the escape too but he didn't survive his wounds. I left behind nieces and nephews, but I did not know them well and they did not want to participate in the escape." He frowned again, expression pinching and eyes darkening, "They were...forced...to come into the world. My sister had no choice." a deep guttural growl rumbled in Vas' chest as he relived the memory of when Sibyll come running to him sobbing.

BLOOM
Bloom lowered her ears, "I.." Breaking off, she looked away with a soft sigh. His life had been horrible. Looking back at him she put a paw over his, "Your life will get better," forcing a smile on her muzzle, "perhaps both of ours will."

VASILIS
Vasilis fell silent, eyes going down to where Bloom placed her paw over his. He seemed confused at first, but then a slow nod bobbed his head.

"I intend for it to."