Within the shadows

[koli]

Koli had achieved his goal in life, he was now an Alpha. He had suffered all of his pup life in order to become this. His father had been cruel, born the first of four, he'd been chosen to take over the pack when his father died. As the stronger out of his siblings, it seem likely he'd achieve it, so instead of having fun like his siblings, his father had put him through harsh and cruel training, often fighting and injuring him, just so that he could get stronger. Even though Koli had left his father's pack, he'd still wished to become an Alpha, and now he had.

But Koli wasn't as happy as he thought he'd be, the femme that he loved had left him, his heart broken, he had once again become cold and dark. All he could do now was resent her, he didn't wish to see her again, or to hear her apologies, she had hurt him more then anyone else had. His mother's death had been one thing, but to loose a kindred soul was another. He had been so sure that she loved him, but obviously she had only been trying to fool him. Maybe she left when he thought he was going to loose. Did she really have so little faith? Was she truely so shallow? Maybe she was, but Koli hardly cared, she could starve to death for all he cared.

But now that he'd claimed the land of kamari, he had to get a better look at them and mark them with his scent, which wasa what he was doing now. He slightly resented the land he was on, for it was dead and smelt strongly of huamns. But in many ways it was like him, dangerous, cold, dark, and he doubted that wolves would come here. Even as an Alpha he was a loner, it was his curse, it had been brought upon him when he had fleed and left his mother to die. Living here would not be easy, but hopefully in time the land would heal.

Stopping, Koli's dark eyes looked over his current position, there were strange dens of stone and wood, they looked like they'd been destroyed some time ago, the sight wasn't the most pleasent, but upon inspection, Koli found strange materials that were soft and rather warm. Koli came to the conclusion that they were some sort of warming device for the humans, thankfully they'de be useful during the colder months. It was strange that such a ugly place held such use. Maybe it wasn't such a bad place after all.

Koli sat and began to think over the recent events that brought him to this place. Although he was glad to be Alpha, he was starting to wonder what would have happened if he'd stayed in Salen. He'd been rather welcome there, and that was when he'd first realised his love for Athabasca. If he'd stayed there.. would they still be together? Snorting, Koli pushed the thought to the back of his mind. 'What if's' wouldn't get him anywhere, and he doubted that the fate between him and Athabasca would be any different. But at least the land there had been lush, and Taurus had been a rather plesent wolf. Koli owed a lot to him, if Taurus hadn't spoek to him with such wisdom, then Koli would have never achieved this. And despite his closed off nature, Koli truely was thankful.

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[ardemu]

A dark brute scourged the lands, his red-hued, piercing yellow orbs searching for anything and everything that moved. He had lost a chance to kill that femme, all because of that stupid jittery wolf! I got one down, he thought with a smirk, remembering the terrified cries Ithyph had emitted as he had savagely torn her throat from her body. "Foolish femme, sacrificing herself for that hunk of fur and bones," he snarled quietly under his breath. In honesty, it irked him that Alastor and himself had not finished off the scrawny old femme when they had had the chance. But that was before that idiot, Xaan, had come into the picture. Strength in numbers.... Bah, he thought angrily, a foam of hunger bubbling at his blood-soaked lips. The fur against his maw was plastered with the red liquid, fresh from his kill. The bloodlust was still heavy in his body, urging him to seek out and kill anyone. He had had to remove himself from Alastor's presence merely to keep his partner alive, as he knew the risks of this state.

This was an unfamiliar area of the territory. Ardemu growled quietly, his natural reaction to anything new. He had only followed the scent of blood here to find Alastor. Other than that, he had not taken any time to look around. He grinned wickedly as he scented another wolf in the area. Although he had not wandered far from the building that he had left that idiot femme's corpse to rot in, he would not hesitate to add another one to the stockpile. It would not surprise him if Alastor was back there chowing down on her furry remains, although he could not imagine that Tundra could taste very good.

As Ardemu rounded one of the buildings, he spied a black wolf, seemingly scent marking the territory. So this pathetic excuse for a territory has an alpha. A coarse grin crossed his maw, the reddened tuffs of fur inching upwards in a cruel gaze. He wouldn't mind controlling this territory... It would be quite delightful, in fact. His antics could have a home base, after all. If there were no other wolves around than this one, it would not take long to get rid of him, especially after the blood bath he had just experienced. "Oi," he called to the other wolf, halting in his place directly in the brute's line of sight. He was more curious to see what this brute would do than to actually fight him, although he would be delighted to do both.

---

Ardemu blinked at the other wolf, licking his maw in an attempt to clear at least a little of the sticky, hot blood from his face. That did not happen, however, and he growled lowly at the other's presence, uncomfortable to be so near to a wolf that he did not know of his alignment. Perhaps this wolf would be a valuable ally. After all, he would either have to volunteer his territory as a station for himself and Alastor and whomever else they gathered to work out of, or he would be killed. With the first option, at least he would keep his life and his territory, although Ardemu would really be the one in control...

"Hey, come here," he called gruffly. He wouldn't fight this wolf until he had a solid answer. Killing a valuable enemy would be stupid. He did not consider anyone else to be a friend; Alastor was simply a tool to be manipulated. Those femmes had been a waste of air, and the one he had destroyed would benefit them all in the long run. If this black brute would willingly join them, then he would be safer in the long run. But if he didn't, a living hell would soon follow for him and anyone else who dared to stand in Ardemu's path.

[koli]

As Koli thought about Taurus, he began to wonder how the wolf was doing. The last time he'd seen the wolf, was when he'd been a loner looking for a home. Taurus and him hadn't gotten on to begin with, but when Athabasca had been injured, the two had worked together. If Koli remembered correctly, Taurus was now the beta of Salen. He considered going to the Salen pack borders to congratulate the wolf, but it would be difficult to do so with no one to look after his lands. Maybe he'd visit him later, and if he couldn't, then he'd send his congratulations though the beauty of a howl.

It was painful to think about Athabasca, and for some reason, Kolifound it easier to think of her as the weak wolf dying beside him. To see her at her weakest, it made him feel like he didn't need her. But the more he though of her in that image, the more he began to realise that it was because of that incident that they had become close. Maybe imagining her as the vicious femme would work, the one who had insulted him and caused him to feel as if his heart was being torn apart. But even that didn't work, he'd loved her from the moment he had seen her. Oh why had she left him? Was he not good enough? He'd done his best.

Whining, Koli layed on the ground and began to feel sorry for himself. The more he tried not to think about her, the more her face showed up. Maybe the only way to give his mind peace was to find her and see her. But Koli had no idea what he'd do if that happened. Part of him wanted to rip her to shreds, but the other half wanted to cry and beg her to stay with him. It was pathetic, but Koli couldn't help what he was feeling. He wanted to forget her, and yet he couldn't, he was slowly falling into the shadows, and it seemed nothing would be able to save him.

Hearing a voice to his far left, Koli's ear moved towards the sound and he looked up. Spotting a wolf, Koli jumped to his feet and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end. Snarling, Koli's muscles tensed, what on earth did this wolf want? Was he so foolish to address the Alpha of these lands in such a rude tone? Koli wasn't going to listen to what the wolf commanded, he didn't have any power over him. "If you wish to speak then you must submit and come here. I am alpha of these lands, and I will not allow some outsider to order me about." Koli snarled at the wolf to show that he wasn't a wolf to be messed with. Koli had only just won these lands, he didn't wish to loose them. This wolf hadn't impressed him, and to make matters worse, the wolf had disturbed him at a bad time. If this wolf wished to live, he'd better improve his attitude.

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[ardemu]

Ardemu couldn't help but cackle at the brute's response. "Foolish brute, don't think that simply because you laid a claim on this territory that you automatically have total control over it." His orbs flashed dangerously. "Because I will prove you otherwise." He had been wandering this land much before this brute had showed up and decided to call the land his home. How stupid did he think Ardemu was?

"I suggest you hear me out." It was a demand, not a suggestion. The brute would need to at least hear his proposition. If not, he would be of no use to Ardemu. Why should he keep Koli around when there was no need to? After all, Alastor would be perfectly happy to feed on this mongrel, even if he was fur and bones. Such a pathetic alpha, he thought with a sneer, attempting to keep from getting angered from the brutes actions. Asking Ardemu to submit was like asking the sun not to rise in the morning. It wasn't going to happen, and anyone who believed it would did not deserve to be kept alive. "Your safety... may depend on it."

The brute grinned toothily, the obvious droplets of wolven blood still apparent all across his teeth and the edges of his maw. Any sane wolf would not face him like this. Although he had managed to escape his blood lust for a few moments, he could not be sure how long it would last. If he didn't align with Ardemu, there was a good chance his darker side would take Koli out, answer or not.

This other wolf was obviously weakened from battle, whereas Ardemu had sustained minimal injuries in his fight. After all, Ithyph had been just a distraction to help the little alphess femme escape. He was furious for letting that happen, but between himself and Alastor, they had shown the femme just who was boss, which is something he was coming closer and closer to doing with each second that passed. The snarl in the other brute's voice produced laughter as Ardemu narrowed his orbs, a death gaze on the other wolf. "Just come near. You don't have to trust me, or even agree with me. But if you don't hear what I have to say, you could very well lose these lands you have claimed. After all, I am not alone," he smirked, a touch of arrogance in his deathly voice.

So it was up to this other brute. He would decide his own fate; life or death. Ardemu wasn't even asking that much, simply control of the brute's territory. In return, he would leave Koli and anyone who called themselves a member of his "pack" alone, at least until they were the last ones standing. Ardemu was rather... persuasive in collecting followers. Join, or die.

[koli]

The wolf before him began to make Koli's blood boil. How dare this wolf suggest that Koli didn't rule these lands. Had he not fought and won them? Koli remembered every detail of how he came to be the alpha, and if he remembered correctly, he had claimed these lands, therefore making him alpha of Kamari. "You are the fool if you think so blindly." A snarl erupted from Koli's lips. He was giving the wolf a final warning, though slightly weakened from the fights a few days ago, Koli still had a lot of strength within him, and if needed he'd take down this wolf.

But again this wolf seemed to think that he had athority over Koli, why on earth would Koli listen to him? So what if his safety depended on it, Koli did not care. He had no one to protect, no one to love him, and no pack. What could be worse? If he died, then he died, it did not matter. It would be a shame to die an unfufilled life, but Koli wasn't going to be a wolf who feared what events were in the future. He lived in there here and now. Those who lived in the past were always haunted, and those that lived in the future always feared what was to come, and Koli would not allow himself to become like that.

Noticing the blood on the brute's lips, Koli became more wary and he sniffed the air Koli checked to make sure that this wolf wasn't planning an attack. He could smell other scents, but none that aroused suspicion, but he'd be alert, just in case this wolf was planning something deadly. "I consider myself a fair wolf." Koli said with slight force behind it, he wasn't ging to allow this wolf to walk all over him. "So I will hear you out. But once you have finished you will obey whatever command I give" It was a demand, not a request. If this wolf didn't then Koli would kill him, this wolf had obviously been in some sort of fight, and if this wold was a danger to others then Koli had to stop him.

But he was willing to hear this wolf out, after all what was the worst that could happen? He'd already had his heart broken, and for Koli nothing could be worse. Especially given what time of year it was. Koli could already feel it in his bones, winter was here. Looking up at the darkened sky he knew that sooner or later it would be snowing. To think, I could have been with her now, we could have been trying for our own pups Pushing the though out of his mind, Koli snorted and sighed. He wouldn't allow himself to become weak with such thoughts. He'd vowed to hate her, but it was harder then he'd thought. "Speak then wolf" Koli's senses were on the highest alert now, if this wolf wasn't alone then Koli wouldn't stand a chance in a fight, so although it hurt his pride, he would listen to this wolf.

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[ardemu]

Ardemu's hackles raised dangerously, his tail flicking between an irritated and dominant position. He was not in the mood to deal with a hero wolf! He smirked angrily, an icy stare set on this brute. He hoped that the wolf would agree to hear him out. If not, there was not much he could do to save himself. He would have to tear the brute limb from limb, let his blood spill across the earth that he tried to call "his" territory. That would show him exactly who was in charge on this continent. Ardemu wouldn't let these mongrels believe they ruled the land that was destined to be his...

An almost sigh of relief escaped the brute's maw as Koli agreed to at least listen to his plan. His terms, however, were not so inviting. He would never listen to this wolf, but he gave a convincing nod, one that appeared sincere. In truth, no wolf would ever be his master. How would he rule if he answered to someone else? Alastor was a violent, deadly wolf, but he was not meant to be a leader. He was destined to follow, to be told what to do. That other wolf, Xaan, would probably have been a good follower. But he was too absorbed in "doing good" and "defending the rights of the innocent" to be of any use of Alastor and Ardemu. That was why they had torn the brute to shreds. It had not taken him long to deal with Ithyph, and the other brute had attacked in the mean time. Ardemu had hardly been scathed by the encounter. With his henchwolf's help, it had not been difficult to take down the coward femme and a semi-decent fighting brute. He did not find this wolf before him to be a threat. If he did not agree to Ardemu's proposition, or tried to spread word of the knaves across the continent, he would be slaughter meat.

"This continent... Many of the wolves here are weak," Ardemu spoke slowly, the plan glimmering in his orbs as he spoke. "The packs do not have much support. There isn't much standing between me and total rule of these lands." He smiled, a more welcoming smile than evil one this time. "You could be of so much help. Together we could conquer the territory, and you could be the alpha of all the lands combined. I would simply wander the lands and thin out the weak links as I see fit. We would make a good team, you and I." This was in no way his intent. The brute would not have any chance reading the knave brute's true intentions from him, as he was not sure exactly what he planned to do, thus making detection of the lie nearly impossible. "You don't even have to fight. I will take care of the dirty work. Once the others are out of the way, you can step up, take your place as ruler. There is only one thing I require in return."

This would easily be the hardest part of convincing Koli. How many alphas would agree to forfeit the borders of his land so the rogue wolf could come and go as he pleased? But Ardemu could sense that there was some darkness in this brute's heart as well. He could play that to his advantage. "I need a place to operate from, a sort of "home base," you could say. And in return, any wolf that has harmed you in the past, or any that you see as a threat to you, I will take care of them for you." This was something he could sincerely promise the brute. After all, if the wolves were a threat or had hurt him, they had in some way associated with Koli. Destroying links to the new alpha could help him in many ways; namely, isolating him from the outside world as much as possible. Ardemu would have one last thing to promise. "And any wolves that were under your rule, or prospective members of your pack, would be safe. I would not double-cross your trust."

Now, to wait. Would Koli accept his proposition and help him further his reign of terror across the continent of Anikira? Or would he be yet the next victim of the Dark-Hearted brute known as Ardemu?

[koli]

This wolf was really starting to irritate Koli. Who on earth did he think he was? This wolf was on his lands and he was acting like he was boss. This wolf was lucky to still be alive. Koli had no idea why he was being so patient with this wolf, maybe it was because the wolf had mentioned that he wasn't alone, but Koli hadn't caught the scent of anyone else. And he shouldn't be afraid of a group of wolves, maybe the only thing that was stopping him was his curiosity, but even that was starting to die away. If this wolf continued to act in such a disrespectful way, then Koli wouldn't hesitate.

The wolf gave an apparent convincing nodd, but due to the wolf's earlier attitude, Koli was not convinced. He didn't really trust anyone, especially someone like this brute. He'd tried trusting someone, and that had backfired, and Koli would never let that happen again. He'd been a wolf of shadows, a vicious blind selfish brute. But his eyes had been opened thanks to Taurus, and he'd stupidly put his trust in other wolves, only for it to backfire. Although Koli was still loyal to Taurus and would never harm hin in anyway, Koli had returned to the wolf that he once was, he could almost feel the thirst for a kill running through him.

Koli felt slightly insulted by the wolf's first remark. He was part of this land, and he was not weak. He was a strong wolf, born and raised to fight and be better then those around him. He was an Alpha, and he wouldn't take kindly to an insult like that. If he had to, he would prove his strength to this wolf, but Koli was also wise, and he wouldn't waste his energy on something so foolish, at least not yet. But at least he knew a bit more about the brute before him, he was one of those wolves who wanted to dominate the whole world. His father had often spoke of wolves like that, and at one point Koli had desired to be like that, but he'd soon come to his senses, this wolf clearly hadn't.

Obviously this brute knew nothing about Koli, though he would have once been tempted at such an offer, to be Alpha over all, Koli no longer desired the same thing. Ruling all the lands would be tough, there was more room fore betrayal, and he couldn;t protect everyone at once, it was an impossible dream, and Koli had abandoned it long ago.

But now the true intention came out, this wolf wanted free access to Koli's lands. Well, that wasn't going to happen, not in a million moons. To do that would go against all the roles of an alpha, and it would put his future pack at risk. Surely this wolf wasn't stupid enough to ask such a thing? Although the offer to kill anyone who bothered Koli was tempting, Koli would much rather do it himself. He could think of a few wolves already, his father for one, and Athabasca. But he wanted to be the one to hurt them, otherwise it would be meaningless.

This wolf was trying to take advantage of Koli, it wasn't obvious but Koli was sure of it. Koli didn't know wether or not this wolf was lying, but Koli was going to play along for now. He had connections with the wolves in Salen, so he'd try and arrange for the two packs to combine to kill this wolf. The world would be better off without him. "How can I be sure you won't double cross me? You havn't shown any indication that I can trust you"

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[alastor]

Sharp teeth gnawed on the remaining bones, determined to get every little morsel off this female's carcass. While feeding the male had made quite a mess, blood covering his maw and front half. No matter, as long as he was enjoying his feast. The fur and the bones was the only evidence of the creatures existence that still remained in this world. Blood-shot eyes held a small regret for Robin's death, but not because he felt guilty for killing her. No, he wished it had be a slower death to see the agony in her eyes. Maybe he should have played around with her more and taken chunks of flesh off while she was still alive. So unfortunate. His next meal would be a more interesting show, he'd promise that to himself.

The hot desire to consume was quenched by this female's blood, like water to a dry mouth. He was sure he'd be hungry again, but for the time being he'd at least wouldn't go completely blood-lust. As long as nothing totally tempted the cannibal to tear it to shreds. Rising from the spot he had been lying during his meal he shook his pelt and licked his chops. Brown eyes trailing around the ruins, he couldn't help but smirk at how the whole kidnapping had gone so perfectly. Yes, the rabbit had escaped, that was a loss. But death had been circling the injured bitch like a starved vulture and he doubted, as sad as it was, he'd ever see the girl again. Not the type to mourn for the dead, or care about anyone else, Alastor stretched his muscles and dug his claws in the soil. Better see where that 'leader' of his had vanished too while he indulged on such a delicacy.

Treading around the pieces of glass and broken stone, Alastor quickly picked up the males scent. With his chemically manipulated mind, any sense was twice as powerful. Not that the cannibal needed to track the male down that far. Actually, he could see him a few feet away talking to another brute. A sadistic smirk twisted on his features. Maybe this Ardemu guy wasn't half bad at all. Look, he had already found a new chew toy. Alastor could only hope the male would be so kind to introduce this new pal to him. Head lowering aggressively, the male slowly closed the gap between him and the pair. There seemed to be some tension between the two. This day was moving wonderfully...

Knowing he probably would be snapped at for 'intruding' on there lovely conversation, Alastor for once was polite and stopped a small distance away. If the male wanted him, he could call him. The last thing the monster wanted was the other blood-lust male to throw a tantrum about how jumping into a scene was disrespectful or shot his ego. Taking a seat he allowed his muscles to relax, watching the talk between them as curiously as a pup. The aggressive front he held before had began to vanished. The male wasn't the brightest light bulb, but he could put the puzzle pieces together. If Ardemu wanted a fight, he would have already leaped at the other's jugular. He wanted something that this black male could only provide alive. What though?

[ardemu]

A smirk crossed the deadly brute's face. He could almost smell the alpha's uncertainty. Fool, he snarled in his head. What kind of wolf would consider refusing an offer like this? True, he had not outright refused yet, but he could see the ebony wolf was doubting Ardemu's credibility. "Double-cross you?" he scoffed, looking with a gaze, half of amusement, half disbelief.

Never in the brute's life had his credibility been questioned. It was a dumb move; angering Ardemu was easily one of the least fun things do to. If set off, he would frenzy and attack. Luckily, for the mean time, he was keeping his composure. How long it would last, that is what he wasn't certain about. It was easy for the brute to get angered, especially when dealing with other wolves. He could get along with other violent wolves, but most regular wolves were lucky to escape a confrontation with him without some nasty battle wounds, if not death. Why would a so-called alpha want to flirt with death?

"Brute, if I had wished to double cross you, why would I have kept you alive this long?" he growled. Koli's question had been a dumb one indeed. It wasn't often that Ardemu would offer such a deal to a wolf. "You obviously have never heard of me before," he mused, an amused twinkling in his orbs. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ardemu," he barked, a defined glee in his voice. "I can tell from your scent that you have been on this continent for a while. Remember the wolves that lived on the dry lands?" he inquired, smiling slightly at the memory...

---

A sudden change in the brute's attitude was obvious. "Those foolish wolves," he continued, a blood lust filling his composure as he twitched excitedly. He could remember their heartbeats, the wonderful sounds of pain the femme had made when they had killed her. "They are gone," he snarled. "Eradicated. Crushed by my paws." Alastor's too, he remembered momentarily. As if on cue, the cannibalistic brute appeared, seemingly done with Ithyph's carcass. "About time," he growled, motioning for the brute to approach him. After all, Alastor was just as much a killer as himself. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with.

"I don't believe you understand my generosity here. I am a killer, a beast," he hissed lowly, rage evident as his body quivered, yearning for a chance to lunge at this brute. He would restrain himself... for now. "If I had wanted you dead, I would have taken you out before offering. But you have a chance to join us, to have our protection." He glanced back at Alastor, an obvious impatience around him. The other brute needed to get his butt off that ground and head over to back him up. After all, Koli would have a much harder time saying no to two blood-thirsty brutes. "I don't believe you understood me before," he added slowly, growling as he did so. "You can join, live, and have our protection." A dangerous smile crossed his reddened lips, "or you can die. Either way is fine by me." He paused. "Make your choice."

[koli]

This wolf clearly lacked manners and the ability to socially interact with others. He was rude, obnoxious and blind to the world around him. And although Koli knew it was wrong, he was strangely drawn towards this wolf. He reminded himself of Koli back when he'd been within the shadows, when he had prowled through a world of darkness, killing those he felt did not deserve to live. Weeding out those he felt would some day stand in his way of power. Koli would never truely allow himself to become thatwolf again, he had changed a lot, but it was beggining to tempt him to agree to this wolf's demands.

"I have heard of you Ardemu, you are part of the Knaves if I'm correct. My father often spoke of such wolves as if they were heroes." Holding back a growl, Koli remembered how cruel his father had been. It seemed almost like fate that Ardemu would approach such a wolf. But Koli did not care, he would crush his father with the wolves he admired. He would seek his revenge on all those years that he had felt pain because of his father. And as for Athabasca? Well, he'd deal with her himself. No one would lay a paw on her except him. If she was to die, he wanted to be the one to do it.

A sudden change in Ardemu's composure and voice caused Koli to step back slightly. What on earth was going on? It was starting to put Koli off, and as Ardemu talked of wolves he had killed, a light began to shine within Koli. Was this what he'd become if he joined them? Killing a few wolves who deserved it was one thing, but suddenly Koli began to feel that this wasn't Ardemu's plan. But Koli dared not refuse him when he was in this state, especially when Ardemu now had backup. Koli had caught the wof's scent not to long ago, and if this wolf was anything like the Ardemu standing before him, then it would be unwise to fight them.

Koli's mind began to work like clock work. His sharp mind began to go over all the possibilities. It would be hard to fight two wolves who were like this, and Koli doubted that he could kill Ardemu before the other wolf joined them. But Koli knew that if he joined these wolves, that he'd become an enemy to all, and Koli didn't want to severe the ties he already had. But maybe, just maybe he could come up with a third option. One that Ardemu could not foresee. Koli would act as double agent, he would appear to be with Ardemu and the Knaves, but he would build up an army to stop them. It was a long shot, but it was all Koli could think of for now. "I choose to join you. But I wish to make a few adjusments." Koli said boldly. "When you enter my pack lands. You must use the same method as other wolves use, so as to not arouse any suspicion. You must show me some respect when on my lands."

Watching Ardemu closely, a small thought came to Koli's mind. "And I have one small request. You mentioned that you would take care of any wolf I wished to no longer belong to this world." Seeing the wolf in his mind's eye, a dark chuckle escaped Koli's lips, they would pay for what they had done. "There is a wolf that has caused me much harm, I wish you to bring them to me. This is one wolf I wish to kill myself."

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[alastor]

Hearing the other blood-lust wolf's words he rolled his eyes before coming into the picture. Getting up he walked over, brow raising at how bossy Ardemu was being. Whatever. Orders were orders, might as well not get on his bad side for now. Ears perked up as the focused on the other male, feeling a little out of place with the conversation going on over his head. Not that he was here to listen or care about these little whelps problems. They could whine and cry about revenge all they wanted. As long as he got his fill and the enjoyment of torture, he didn't give a shit about what made them feel better.

He smirked at Ardemu's little speech about killing the Desert pack. It was fresh memories, but still so pleasant. If the cannibal had cared more about credit he would have growled at how he used the word 'my'. Of course, that's not how Alastor's mind would at all. The gear didn't turn to a rhythm that believed in good or bad, light and dark. As long as his burning hunger was filled the other brute could take all the credit a way like a leech. What triggered his attention the most was the last part of Ardemu's tirade. Lovely options. Eagerly he awaited the other wolf reply, watching his reaction like the observant beast he was.

He loved expressions. Probably the only good features that were ever created on a wolf that were actually interesting to analyze. Body language was it's own fun, coming in arrangement of cowers and aggressive motions. Faces though, they were a different story. That's how he got all the names of his new victims. Raven, Rabbit, Robin, and Mouse. Robin's had been the most intriguing to say the least. He didn't know why she acted like she did, he couldn't put his paw on it at all. If he hadn't killed her, he probably would have asked. Why would such a scared creature all the sudden wash away that fear and replace it with aggression? What made her all the sudden think she had a chance to save here Alphess? She could have ran, she could have saved her own pelt. Instead she wasted it and now both of them were dead.

The first part of Koli's little reply disappointed Alastor. It was a yes or no question. Why go into unnecessary history? Like Ardemu really required the whelps life story and the satisfactory of being called a 'hero'. The male's legs began to tense up now, wanting to get a signal to finally launch his body towards the other black wolf. Alastor could be extremely patient, but he was already sick of this wolf. Why not just kill him and take the lands? To the beast it sounded a lot more exciting than being his personal janitor. Worst of all, he asked for adjustments. This caused the large wolf to release a snort – as if a held back laugh – and then let a smile reach his features. Eyes than went to his leader, head tilted slightly to the side. Would he really compromise? Or would he keep the our way or the highway type of attitude?

The dark chuckle caused his attention to shift once again, restraining a second roll of his eyes. He had to snap himself back into reality and allow a very important part of the other male's deal register. Kidnapping? Immediately he growled, already disliking the plan. He wouldn't only be a janitor. He'd be the maid picking up the master's groceries. Alastor never understood the pleasure of killing enemies, as everyone was prey to him, but he did comprehend one thing. If you hated someone so much, were so revengeful, why couldn't you do it yourself? You'd think with so much anger and hate the other wolf would be capable of doing he task of search and destroy by himself.

Another idea nibbled at the cannibal's heels. He was going to have to do the pick-up, wasn't he? Damn. “Who is it?” he said between a frustrated growl. He didn't care if it was out of line speaking up, but he wanted to have an notion of who his next target would be.

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[ardemu]

The dark brute smirked, evidence of the brute's defeat before him. No wolf would dare to turn down an offer like the one he had made, but he could not help but not trust this wolf. It was obvious that the decision had been forced; they would need to keep an eye on him...

"Of course. Whatever you wish," he grumbled irritably as the alpha brute laid out his terms. It would not take much to bend the rules, especially because Koli had no way to enforce it. He would cater to the wolf for now, though, as they did not have any other choice. Their plots had been discovered in the free lands, and they could not stay there long without being confronted. The brute concentrated on the black alpha wolf, ignoring the rolling fog that was slowly spreading across the territory. It was eerie and disturbing, exactly the way Ardemu liked it. "Alastor, this is your assignment," he snapped at his crony, though fully aware that the other brute had assumed this to begin with. "I don't wish to soil my paws with such things," he spat in anger.

He looked to Koli thoughtfully, the visibility here becoming worse by the moment "You will rarely see us," he guarenteed the wolf. The less the pack noticed them or knew of their plans, the better it would be. That way, they could plot without worrying about being crossed by these emotional wolves. The fewer of them that were involved with their schemes, the better.

Shooting a look at Alastor, Ardemu grunted. He would leave Koli and Alastor alone, though not venturing far in case of trouble between them. "I'll return," he promised Alastor. "You can take care of this just fine." He shot a threatening look to Koli, making it plain that if the brute tried to go after Alastor, Ardemu would make his life miserable. He would make sure the black brute would never have the chance to gather a pack, to make good use of his newly claimed territory. The brute's fangs were bared slightly, his tail stiff and his expression cold. He would not let the wolf think he had any power to tell them what to do. Alastor and Ardemu were simply doing the brute a favor in exchange for something that they would have received, regardless of whether Koli had agreed or not.

So under the cover of the fog, the yellow-furred brute trotted away, leaving Alastor and Koli to work out the details of this arrangement. He settled in to listen not too far away, though easily hidden within the billows of the fog. His acute hearing allowed such an act without impairing him at all; vision was not what drove the monster. No, it was the scent and sound of his prey, his brothers. They encouraged the attacks on themselves whether they believed it or not.

Now to figure out just how to do this, the thought fluttered into the brute's mind. They would need to gather more support in order to take the packs out. And it would require much careful planning to ensure that the packs did not join together in an effort to defeat them...

[koli]

Koli did not trust this wolf at all, there was something very untrustworthy about him, and Koli was trying to work out how he'd go about defeating this wolf. He couldn't lave Kamari, at least not yet. He'd ally himself with the Salen pack, it was a sensible option, he'd then gather wolves and he'd build his own army to take this force of brutality down. He might not be strong in numbers, but that would soon change and then Koli would stop this evil deed. But untill then he'd take advantage of the power that he held. He would get revenge on all those who had hurt him, he would make it known that no one could cause him pain ever again. He was his own wolf, and no one would ever be able to defy his authority again.

With the relisation that the other brute would be performing this task, Koli didn't know how to feel. He didn't know anything about this wolf, the two had hardly exchanged words, and he was worried. What if Alastor harmed the wolf he was after? Koli was the only one who wanted to bring pain upon that wolf, he'd hate it if his wish was taken away from him. And there was a dangerous look in this wolf's eye, one that Koli was weary of. He'd have to be very careful when this wolf was around, it seemed he was very loyal... and strong. And although Koli was a good fighter, he didn't wish to find out how a fight with this 'Alastor' would turn out.

Mist began to form and a growl escaped Koli's lips. This wasn't good, what if these wolves took this as an oppurtunity to attack? It wasn't too thick yet, but chances were the fog would get thicker, and Koli didn't want to be fighting blind. But thankfully the rougue leader went away, and a sense of peace filled Koli. At least he wouldn't have to fight two wolves. But Alastor had been orderd to listen to Koli, so hopefully there would be no need to have any fights. "The wolf in question is called Athabasca. She is a black wolf, she'll most likely have a scar on her side. She has caused me great pain, make sure that she is brought here alive. I wish to get my revenge by myself."

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[ardemu]

Ardemu grunted quietly, listening to this hopeless brute as he made his demands to Alastor. He could not just sit back and let Alastor deal with this; he wasn't sure the wolf had enough brain capacity to take an order from a weak wolf like Koli. He begrudgingly trotted back to the pair and growled lightly to his minion, jerking his head in a motion telling the other wolf to move along. Gazing back at Koli with a dangerous look, he proceeded to speak.

"You have your demands. You are free to go back to your little pack life. Do what you wish; we will not bother you unless we have need of your assistance, which is not likely." A smile pressed his cracked, black lips as he stared down the ebony brute. This killer had to resist the urge to attack the alpha, but it would not be a good idea to keep tearing apart the packs without reinforcements. He had succeeded in wiping out the alpha from the desert territory, which likely would have been a decent headquarters. But they would be much more conspicuous if they adopted the land of the wolves they had killed. And there was always the strange notion of spirits. What if the members of that pack were haunting the territory. He was not scared of the living, but Ardemu definitely feared the dead; his one true weakness.

"You going to go or what?" Ardemu grunted angrily. He turned his back on the brute abruptly, relying on his acute hearing to assure that nobody would follow him and that this alpha wolf would not attempt to sneak up behind him. It would be a foolish move to take on an opponent such as himself, particularly with Alastor nearby. The cannibal wolf was not sociable, but he had his uses. Intimidation was definitely one of the perks.

So, to prevent any other wolves from overhearing his plans or possibly discovering his whereabouts, Ardemu glanced around and inhaled deeply, finding that no threatening scents were nearby. He would take some time to bail out on this land. It would be good to stroll the free lands, possibly to recruit some new wolves. After all, it had been by chance that the brute had found Alastor. He would likely find more wolves that would do his bidding, and possibly a few more that would join his service a little less willingly... Ahaha... The dark chuckle echoed from his maw and repeated countless times as it raced through the brute's mind, his paws heavy and dangerous as he bolted across the terra, his course set for the free lands.

[koli]

Koli couldn't help but let a growl escape his throat as Ardemu returned. Why couldn't he just leave? Was it so hard for him to put one paw in front of the other and leave his pack lands? It seemed so. Koli didn't want this wolf on his lands anymore, he was disrupting him and he'd insulted him. He'd finished his buisness, so why couldn't he just leave? The deal had been made after all, there was nothing else that needed to be said or done.

As the brute approached, the hackles on Koli's neck sttod on end and he bared his teeth. "I do not take orders from you." Hadn't Koli said that this brute was to follow his orders whilst on his land? Koli distictivly remembered saying it, so why was Ardemu giving him orders? Koli let his snarl die down, it would not be wise to fight this wolf. Not when he was on his own. He was still recovering from his fight to gain these lands. "Remember our agreement." He said straightining up. "When you find her, make sure you inform me. Be sure not to injure her too much. I want the satisfaction of causing her as much pain as possible." Looking at the wolf Alastor, he wondered who it was that would perform this task. He didn't trust either wolf, but Alastor seeme'd the lesser of two evils. "Is this clear?"

Koli didn't wait for an answer, he assumed that these wolves would carry out his orders. After all, he was giving them free range of his land... for now. He'd build numbers, and he'd contact the Salen pack. If he allied with them, then he'd be able to put an end to Ardemu's reign of terror. Koli might have been a cruel and dark wolf himself, but what Ardemu was doing was beyong what Koli thought was right. And he had to stop it, even if it meant risking his own life in order to do so.

--Koli has left--

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