Promise (Elijah)

[Venom]

Continued from here

"Damn her. Damn that coyote!" Venom seethed, his three limbs carrying him swiftly through the forest, desperate to continue putting distance between him and his failed assassination. Logic told him that he was in little danger, but he had not lived as long as he had by taking stupid chances. And so the black wolf ran, making more noise than the average creature but caring not until he was far enough away to reassess the situation.

Chest heaving with effort, the male weaved his way between trees and over rocks and stumps, careful to cross water as often as possible, and doubling back as well. This was a dance Venom had done countless times before, and likely would do again; as the Overseer of Imperium, it was his duty to spy and protect the knowledge that his pack had passed down through the centuries, and it was up to him what form that protection took. The loner he had killed, while not a direct threat, was headed toward a pack that Venom knew little about, and he would glean no knowledge from some stranger who wasn't even a part of it. Therefore, in order to maintain his secrecy, he had swiftly taken care of a potential threat in the matter he felt most befitting.

Cobain had given him only the mildest of guidelines, and had always done so, even before he reached the position he now held. What happened outside of Xisyn's borders would very much stay there, even though he knew his Grand Master would no more reprimand him than praise him for what he had done. It was hard for Venom to deny his nature, and his extensive list of sins from his past would haunt him if he did not give in to urges on occasion. The fact that he was not able to enjoy a meal as well as a kill did bother him, but there was prey aplenty here on Anikira, and he would not go hungry.

A strange feeling came over him as he slowed his pace, clear of any danger that coyote could have brought him, and his tall ears swiveled slowly as he shifted his run to a walk. Cautious, Venom kept his bright eyes moving, searching the trees around him for the cause of his uneasiness. It could have been nothing, he knew, but it also could have been another predator--a more dangerous one--or another wolf. He stank of blood, despite the river having washed much of it off, and he still had flecks of skin and fluids that did not belong to him in some places. It would not take a stranger long to figure out that something had happened, and he was not eager to give himself away.

When he heard movement behind, however, he resigned himself to the fact that he would have to do some smooth talking or swift killing; there was another lupine trailing behind him a distance, potentially one that had followed him from the start, though not the female who had confronted him. Without raising alarm, Venom continued at a steady pace, readying himself mentally for whatever was about to happen. After several more moments, he whirled around, hackles raised but teeth hidden carefully behind dark lips. He saw nothing, but knew there was someone just beyond his sight. "It would be wise for you to show yourself, before I lose my patience. I do not enjoy being stalked," Venom spoke then, his voice smooth as velvet but solid with promise.

Words || 547
Tags || Elijah
Notes || Here you are, Rita-love. Hope what I did at the end works for you. (:

[Elijah]

The sight of death, of the murder of another of his kind, it should have shocked him. Or at least upset him in the slightest. It should have forced him into a fight, forward to defend the one that had been killed, even after it was too late. But as the coyote female leaped forward in the direction of the dying wolf, the three-legged creature vanished. The smell of blood was overwhelming, filling his nostrils as he stood there staring at the two that were left behind. But he would not stay, he could not. Although every fiber of his body wanted him to go forward and finish the job of the disappearing wolf, he could not. No, he had given his loyalty to Thanatos and Eden, and the dangerous stranger was heading in the direction of his home.

After just a few moments of lingering, the blood lust begging him to stay and devour the dying wolf, he tore himself away and turned in the direction that the black wolf had disappeared. It really was pathetic how the three-legged creature ran, weaving in and out of the water as if it would make a difference. Clearly he was unaware that Elijah knew this part of the island inside out. He knew his home, and he knew where this wolf was traveling. It was fairly simple for him to keep up, not only because of the other wolf's disability, but also because he was larger than the other predator. He knew the path to Eden like the back of his paw, and within only a short while, they were well within the pack's territory.

This simply would not do. He picked up his pace slightly, which was the reason that he nearly toppled right over the stranger when he turned abruptly and shouted a threat in his direction. The white male nearly laughed at the words, but instead he stopped and stood there looking down at the other male. "I do not enjoy murdering strangers in my pack's territory without permission." He said, tilting his head slightly as the words dripped from his jaws alongside a mildly threatening growl. He doubted that a three-legged stranger would be much of a challenge for a wolf his size with his experience, but he knew better than to underestimate anyone. He kept his eye on him closely, but he seriously doubted that this wolf had the courage to stick around and tussle with him.

Words: 411
Tags: Venom
Muse: Low
Notes: n/a

[Venom]

The dark male kept sweeping his eyes silently back and forth between the trees, stilling them only when a significantly larger wolf stepped into view directly before him. His white color contrasted harshly with his surroundings, and the scars along the top of his muzzle did not go unnoticed. Venom watched carefully as the stranger, clearly having witnessed everything, showed no sign of fear not aggression until he opened his mouth to speak. It was a mild threat, as far as Venom was concerned, but the implication was very clear. This was a pack wolf, and a loyal one at that; which, depending on what direction the conversation turned, could be a pro or a con.

Venom said nothing for a few heartbeats, his form completely still as he debated the best course of action. This male was obviously a threat to him, unafraid of any harm that another wolf--especially a smaller wolf--could do to him, confident in his abilities, and unconcerned with the fact that the darker male had killed another wolf for no reason. If this wolf were really that concerned about such an act, he would have confronted Venom as the coyote had, instead of following him silently until he was trespassing and could be dealt with accordingly.

"I have murdered no one in your territory, friend," Venom said softly, lowering the hair along his back and returning to his sleek look, but moving no other part of himself. Bright eyes inspected the stranger still, as he saw how his words were received. "Though I will admit to trespassing, and apologize as is necessary. I was, unfortunately, not paying the best attention to where I was headed." It was a line he had used a hundred times before, and it rolled off his tongue as easily as a warm greeting to a family member. If he was good at anything, it was talking.

Another pause came, and in that time he chose to shift his weight slightly and sit upon his rump, turning his body slightly so that the stump of his missing leg was facing his companion. It was a subtle move, one meant to either make him uncomfortable or to underestimate the smaller male, though it was always possible that neither would happen. Not many wolves with such impressive scars would react as he expected, but there was always a way to get what you wanted, Venom knew. "What territory have I unintentionally stumbled upon, dear sir?" he asked in that same soft, semi-respectful tone. "I am, as you surely know, unfamiliar with the area and thus know nothing of the working of the lands and their holders."

Words || 454
Tags || Elijah
Notes || Berp

[Elijah]

The male remained standing, staring down at the stranger with an obvious lack of amusement as he spoke. "I have murdered no one in your territory, friend." The words, although not inherently threatening or annoying - or inaccurate for that matter - irked the male slightly. Friend. They were not friends, hell, they were not even pleasant acquaintances. But, of course, the white male held his feelings and emotions inside of himself for the time being. He had grown used to holding things inside, hiding them from others, and keeping his true self a mystery from everyone. "Though I will admit to trespassing, and apologize as is necessary. I was, unfortunately, not paying the best attention to where I was headed." Although the white wolf's head tilted slightly as the other male shifted into a sitting position, the realization that the wolf only had three legs was something he had come to well before this confrontation.

The difference between them, however, was far larger than simply the lack of a limb. No, they were different in many other ways, but also somehow the same. There was a blood lust for their own kind, something that obviously existed in them both. However, one of them had clearly learned how to deal with it and the other had not. "What territory have I unintentionally stumbled upon, dear sir?" The lack of words on Elijah's side was typical, though this male had no way to know that about him. Instead, he would likely appear as either uninterested or simply untalkative. But the reality was that he was controlling himself. The smell of wolf blood was still strong on the wolf in front of him, and though he had few doubts about his chances of overpowering the disabled wolf in front of him, he held himself back, if only for the sake of Eden. "I am, as you surely know, unfamiliar with the area and thus know nothing of the working of the lands and their holders."

Well, that much was obvious. Though, Elijah knew at least a little about the art of manipulation. Mostly because he had been forced to use it on himself, to convince the inner demon that he carried around with him that settling down with a pack like Eden was what he was meant to do, not something he had just chanced into. No, he was not meant to be a monster, even if the inner disaster was begging to be let out every single second that he breathed the air of the island. Finally, however, he opened his mouth to speak. "You have trespassed on Eden territory. I recommend that you leave before anyone interprets your so-called mistake as a threat to our peaceful pack." He said, knowing that Thanatos would not appreciate him killing the stranger, though would likely allow it for the sake of the pack - but only if he could prove it was necessary. His inner demon begged to be released, but the white male inhaled slowly, exhaling as he looked down at the stranger and held himself together, for the time being.


Words: 516
Tags: Venom
Muse: Medium
Notes: n/a

[Venom]

As the wolf before him listened to his words, Venom continued to inspect him, using his experience reading others to determine what he could about the white stranger. Despite the battering he had taken to his face, it was clear to the dark male that this wolf was much younger than he was--not fresh from the den, by any means, but clearly with less experience. That would certainly work to his advantage, if only slightly, but he would take what he could get to avoid expending more energy than necessary. He had a long journey ahead of him, and he had yet to glean any information to return home with, which would not do.

When his eyes met the pale ones that mirrored his own, a spark of intuition came over him as he noticed the widened pupils, indicating that something about this situation was, despite his lack of outward interest, was arousing to some sense or another. Venom knew that he reeked of a kill, remains of his victim's life force now dried upon the fur of his chest and mouth, though it was not so obvious as to be seen without close inspection. He also knew that he was, technically, in the wrong, and that some pack wolves were eager to reprimand loners who stumbled into their lands. His assumption was that both of those factors came into play in heightening the white wolf's senses, and he debated the best course of action to take advantage of that knowledge.

"Eden, hmm?" he nearly purred, not alarmed by the monotone voice he heard from the stranger. It took quite a lot to unnerve Venom, and even more to frighten him. "Well, my friend, I would love to learn more now that I've stumbled upon you, if you would be so kind. I do so love to hear wolves speak about that which they are passionate." The 'plea' he gave for information was a thin one, but aimed toward the part of the stranger that might like to revel in what he enjoyed about his life in a pack. Truthfully, Venom could care less about this wolf in particular, but his purpose here was to learn; additionally, it would be much easier to keep this wolf talking if he showed interest, though he was fairly certain he would get nowhere talking to this male. He did not appear to be a wolf of many words, and the chance that he might be attacked by a wolf with several advantages on him was higher than he typically liked. It might be smarter, after all, to turn tail while he still had a chance. But, naturally, he was prone to stretching the boundaries and sticking his nose where it didn't belong if only to see exactly what he could get away with. "If nothing else..." he started again, having assumed it would take several moments for the white wolf to speak, "Could I at least get your name? I will admit, I am guilty of polite curiosity from time to time."

Words || 522
Tags || Elijah
Notes || I wonder if it would make sense for us to have another Eden wolf pop in? Otherwise I imagine this thread will be ending quite soon since Elijah clearly does not like Venom. xD

[Elijah]

That word again. Friend. He frowned at the stranger in front of him, ears flicking backwards slightly at the tone and eyes narrowing a bit at the word when it was repeated. I am not your friend. But the words remained in his head, always unheard by others as was his typical way of doing things. That was just how Elijah was, silent and thoughtful, and rarely did these thoughts ever actually make it out of his head. The stranger in front of him wanted information, that much was painfully clear, but the fact that he was dumb enough to stick around after being found trespassing was what irked the white wolf the most. He could have easily crushed the wolf in front of him already, but he figured that Than would not appreciate his open willingness to kill another wolf within Eden territory. Especially if he did not give him ample time to actually leave their borders.

Slowly, almost as if the process was painful for him, the male let the fur on his shoulders flatten and his muscles relax, but only slightly. He was still obviously prepared to tear this wolf limb from limb, but at the moment there was no immediate threat to himself or the pack that he guarded. No other pack members were currently present, which meant that he would only be defending land and himself, neither of which seemed to be endangered too much at the present moment. "Could I at least get your name? I will admit, I am guilty of polite curiosity from time to time." His head tilted ever so slightly at the sound of the male's voice once more, but instead of an annoyed growl - which his mind wanted to instantly produce - a small chuckle escaped his jaws instead. "Had your words been true, you would have first offered me your name." He said, refusing to give any information to the wolf in front of him for the time being. After all, he would not give him what he wanted until his own wishes that he leave the territory were fulfilled. Plus, he was unsure of how much information about Eden that Than wanted to spread about Anikira at the moment. They were still a fairly new and small pack, therefore the other packs of the island could pose a threat to them and their territory.

"Unlike yourself, however, I do not mind being impolite. In fact, I do believe it is still you that is being rude and remaining within pack territory after being asked to leave." He said, repeating his wishes that the wolf leave Eden territory before he lost his self control and ripped him apart. Oh how he wanted to. How he wanted to leap forward and dig his teeth into the hide of the wolf before him, but he managed to hold himself together with surprising ease and keep himself from killing another wolf, at least for the time being. Who knew what the future would hold, but for now, he was simply defending his pack's territory in a mildly aggressive way, without yet outwardly attacking the murderous stranger before him.

Words: 526
Tags: Venom
Muse: Low
Notes: bringing in another Eden member (and someone Elijah feels the need to protect) might not be a bad idea.

[Kiara]

She was no longer a puppy, no more a young orphan with no memories of her true family or of how she came to stumble upon those whom she called mother and father. With the passing of her first birthday, she had grown into her adult body, now standing tall and slim with long agile legs. Her once deep purple eyes were now a glistening neon hue that stood out gorgeously against her red and black fur. Her once playful and oblivious nature had turned into a more mature and thoughtful personality. She held her head high with a straight posture and took pride in knowing that she was the daughter of the alpha.

On this particular day, she found herself at the creek that ran through her pack's territory. It was a cool day and a drink from the cold water quenched the thirst she had gotten from her early morning hunt. She still found herself staring in awe at the reflection of her eyes the way she used to as a pup. Unfortunately, she still had not learned why she was blessed by the Great Spirit with such unique eyes but before she could give it much thoughts, she was brought back into reality. Her head snapped up and her ears perked at the sound of a quickly approaching wolf. She quickly junped back into the brush and crouched down, not wanting to be seen by the intruder. No more than a minute had passed before the wolf ran past her. He was a black wolf, male, with green eyes. However, what alarmed her most was the fact he smelt of fresh blood and that he only had three legs. However, she knew the missing leg was an old wound as it was already healed. The smell of blood however was too fresh for comfort. She was about to go after him when a second wolf crossed in front of her. He was a white wolf and one she had met once before in an encounter her pack had with two loners.

Once both males had passed her, she waited another minute before quietly getting to her feet. Carefully, she followed their scents and moved closer to where they were.  Once she was close enough to see and hear what was going on, she crouched back down, hidden by over grown shrubbery. Almost imediately, she could tell the black wolf was not a good wolf and the word murderer rang loud in her ears. She wanted to show herself right then and drive him away from her pack mate but she heald back. She wanted to know more about the situation before she got involved.

Kiara's ears were pinned flat against her head as she kept listening to their conversation. She almost growled when the black wolf called Elijah a friend but knowing it would alert the wolves to her presence, she stayed quiet. She could tell, however, that it made the white wolf just as mad. She was surprised he didn't say anything about it but she applauded the control he had over the situation. She could also very easily tell that the wolf was lying when he apologized for intruding. She snarled silently when the white wolf told him the name of their pack as she hated the idea of the black wolf knowing anything about them. It wasn't until he asked for more information that Kiara had finally had enough.

Getting to her feet, the tall maned wolf walked calmly to where the males were sitting. Her posture was perfectly straight and her head was held high. Though she offered the other Eden member a respectful bow, her eyes never left the black wolf. "Who are you, and why are you in Eden's territory?" she demanded calmly asking basically the same thing Elijah already had. "No cruel murderer is going to be welcomed in my father's pack so unless you have a good reason for being here I suggest you leave like he has already asked you to do," she motioned to Elijah though once more kept her purple eyes glued to the outsider. "And so you know, I can assure you, he is no friend of yours," she added matter of factly, speaking the words she knew were on the white wolf's mind.

Words || 732
Tags || Elijah Venom
Muse || High
Notes || Throwing her in to put in her two cents ♡

[Venom]

The expected words--those being that Venom need first reveal his name, then leave--came from the white wolf's lips and Venom said nothing for a time, giving the other a taste of his own silence. It was mildly infuriating, to be faced with such a stoic and quiet companion, but as always, the dark male was determined to make the best of a tentatively bad situation. He was just about to open his mouth and speak when an interruption came, in the form of a frankly ridiculous-looking she-wolf.

The female carried herself in a way no whelp deserved to, which sparked a flash of annoyance that Venom kept carefully behind his expressive eyes. They met the female's purple eyes--which would have been hard to avoid, with the way she was glaring at him as though she could possibly frighten him--and he very nearly laughed out loud, settling for a vicious smirk. This youngster would learn her lesson soon enough, whether it was he who taught her or someone even less forgiving. But not was not the time; the other male in the clearing would certainly not allow any harm to come to her, and Venom was not in a gambling mood.

Haughty and childish words left her lips, and Venom's smirk turned into a joyous grin, his teeth bared as she gave him more to work with than he could have hoped for. "Daughter of the alpha, hmmm?" he cooed, his ears perked up to the top of his head as he picked himself up only to throw his body into a flashy bow, as though she deserved such a display. "My apologies, dear sweet girl. I had no idea I was in the presence of such a high-ranking wolf," he added, lifting himself to stand again, if only to make his escape easier, were it necessary.

This intrusion, however, was clearly a god-send. The daughter of the alpha was clearly more important than whoever this white wolf was, and despite her strange appearance, this was Venom's ticket to either safety or information, and he would take it. A wolf hardly out of the den and free of her mother was a wolf he could easily manipulate. "My name is Kimset," he lied flawlessly, flashing his teeth again in a cheeky grin. He often used names that carried no significance in order to protect himself and Imperium, though it had been years since he had claimed to be his lost brother. "And, again, I sincerely apologize for having wandered so thoughtlessly into a territory I am clearly not welcome in. I would be happy to depart, if that is what you wish, my princess."

The words held none of the sarcasm that he had thrown into his first comment, but neither were they quite as warm as one would expect, but they were likely the right words. But he wasn't finished; not quite yet. "In light of meeting you, however, I must say that my curiousity remains. I wonder, what type of pack could spawn such a charming and self-assured young girl?" came his velvety voice, his eyes keeping their hold on her purple ones with intensity. "Clearly this is no ordinary, run-of-the-mill place, but something more... exotic. How lovely."

Words || 568
Tags || Elijah, Kiara
Notes || Venom is a shit the end.

[Elijah]

It was clear that his lack of speech was irritating to the male wolf before him, but just before he was sure that the black canine was bored enough to leave, a feminine shape appeared beside him. It was a familiar face, a scent that he knew all too well, but a wolf that he had only met one time before. It was the daughter of the Hamovi, his leader, and he knew she was young and inexperienced. This, unfortunately, was a fact that her words and the stranger's reaction instantly revealed upon her arrival. The large white male sighed inwardly, looking over at her and listening to her repeat everything that he had said, and then give the stranger more information that he knew he was looking for. I had this all under control, now you've gone and made him more interested.

But the words of annoyance and frustration at the young female's inexperience remained tucked neatly in his mind and did not escape his mouth in her direction. Instead, he flicked his ears backwards and stood up just a bit straighter and taller. "You have been told multiple times to leave. If you do not do so now, you will never leave these borders, but be left to the scavengers right here." He said, finally curling up his lips in a mixture of annoyance at the male and frustration at the naive female. But, of course, he would never let on that she was part of the problem here. No, instead he made it appear that all of the aggression was pointed towards the stranger, and though he had been offered a name, it was not one that he wanted to believe. It truly did not matter either way, for this male would soon be off their lands or fertilizing the ground that he now stood upon. Which of those happened, however, would be up to him.

Words: 319
Tags: Venom, Kiara
Muse: Low
Notes: Sorry it's short and took me so long, I just know that Sammy wants to get Venom out of here sooner rather than later

[Venom]

Venom shifted his gaze back to the large white male as he once again asked him to leave, and the older wolf weighed his options. If he stayed here, it would likely result in a fight, and while he was confident in his ability to stay alive, he did not know what sort of opponent this scarred young wolf would be. It was likely not worth the effort to try, as he could easily slink away now without any harm. It was clear that neither of these wolves--even the silly girl--was going to cooperate with him, and there were other wolves he could be speaking to instead of wasting his time here.

What a waste of a day, the male thought to himself, keeping the thoughts off his long face as he remained silent still. First I didn't get to eat what was rightfully mine, then I get stonewalled by this child and her older brother. Ah well, I suppose... Cobain will have to send a more convincing emmissary next time. A soft sigh nearly escaped his lips, then, for Venom was good at his job most days, and this hitch was very much displeasing to him.

"You have finally convinced me," Venom started, his tone a dry, drawling tenor, "that my skills are put to better use elsewhere. I do hope I've been quite an inconvenience to you." With a cheeky grin and a wink, the three-legged male turned his body and began to lope away, ears flicked back in case one or the other attempted to attack him as he fled back into the forest and away from the uncooperative wolves.

Words || 305
Tags || Elijah, Kiara
Notes || Posted before Kiara with Luna's permission. Putting the thread in the archive request post.