Dark red Volent tango

[zendelrin]

<sup>Violence was his gift to give. It was warm and welcoming and the taste of blood encouraged him to deliver a lovely death. However, death wasn’t to come on this lovely afternoon. No, he would need to curb his reaping for the time being. Instead a nice little demonstration of power and strategy was to be played out. He was eager to shed blood and was honestly concerned that he wouldn’t be able to stop his desires from ending the life of his fellow comrade.

The clouds seemed to jump the sun quickly and quietly. The darkness began to swallow the earth beneath it slowly and his yellow eyes flickered over the darkening sky. He stood still and unmoving as the winds pushed his gray fur around his face. His rectangular ears twitched as he waited for his little battle to unfold.

The male had made a grave mistake on attempting to disgrace his name. Reprimand was to be dealt and he was looking forwards to delivering a stern message. He wanted a fight and the larger male was going to be the one to oblige him. A crooked smile crept over his black lips to show off dingy canines. His tail flicked as the winds picked up and the smell of desire tickled his nose. He ignored the hunger in his belly and delivered a challenging howl. Tre didn’t want him to be the second in command so he would be the one to prove that Zen wasn’t fit for the title.

He was curious as to how the battle would progress and who would prevail in the end. He wasn’t underestimating the wolf in any way. He was actually very curious to see how much damage he could deliver before being given any in return.

Ooc: Fail at an intro to a fight scene but eh, muse is low at the moment.</sup>

[Deleted]

One picture puzzle piece
Lyin’ on the sidewalk,
One picture puzzle piece
Soakin’ in the rain.

The evening sun had gone about its daily routine, transforming from the daytime bright luminescent orb to an orange burning ember floating above the horizon for another hour at the most. The sky, too, changed its appearance routinely with the fading light, filling the expanse of radiant scarlet and blush hues. Wispy, cool lavender shaded stratus clouds gathered in the west topping off the beautiful night. The summer air remained warm long into the late hours, tonight being of no exception… It was an evening splendid enough to catch the most relentless of eyes. There would be a fortunate few whose hearts skipped a beat at the heavenly sight of the setting sun, those who would enjoy the tantalizing idea of the earth’s endless wonders and who would find peace and harmony tonight.

It might be a button of blue
On the coat of the woman
Who lived in a shoe.

A subtle wave of discomfort had offset the gathering of wolves at Atreyu’s bluntly laid out line of disrespect for any authority Ardemu, or other’s for that matter demanded from him. The smaller Eastern Timber wolf had, in a way, promised a swift elimination for any wolf who dared venture down the wrong path of his ultimatum. Who was this wolf to demand, and expect such respect from all of those he crossed? In Atreyu’s eyes, Ardemu had done nothing worth deserving the title of Leader. Tre had learned quickly that submitting was never an option until one was proven that submitting was the only option. The large black male had never summoned respect by word of mouth, rather he diligently made sure his point was made; he deserved it for one reason or another.

It might be a magical bean.

Or a fold in the red
Velvet robe of a queen.

He expected no less than to prove himself amongst these liars and convicts that gravitated towards the trio seemingly out of thin air. Shallow emerald pools remained locked onto the Eastern Timber who briefly had turned away to focus on the Red fatale who captured his attention earlier, not expecting to be turned down… But now- Now was a different story. He spun around, only to have been beaten by the nameless male who had just been promoted, “Well mutt, if you’d like to prove your worth and challenge my title then I’d be more then welcome to oblige you.”
“Who is the hell does he think he is?! Talking to us that way…” chided an aggravated tone from within.
Charcoal lobes drifted towards the sides of his head showing his irritation in, not only the comment, but who was giving it.

It might be the one little bite
Of the apple her stepmother
Gave to Snow White.

This conversation had had nothing to do with the Knave Enforcer, but he solely decided he was suddenly important enough to offer his two sense worth towards the semi-private topic of discussion. Tre would have to show him the proper guidelines in addressing him, whether that lesson was going to happen today or later in the near future was still undecided, but it was sure to happen. If I were to kill any wolf for their position it sure as hell wouldn’t be for second best, he commented silently to himself and the voices. Tre was smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut, unlike Rapture who just couldn’t shut up. After all, he was already pushing his limits with Ardemu, and now with a decent sized band of disciples, his cocky attitude would more than likely be a certain downfall. Or would it?

It might be the veil of a bride
Or a bottle with some evil genie inside.

Sure Ardemu had followers, but, how devoted to them were they? Interesting complex… From what he could gather, these wolves played by his rules and a few of their own, and if he were to overthrow ‘demu now, before loyalty could be gained… The possibilities were endless. The idea quickly receded into a fold in the fabric of his membrane, stored away until a later date where the scheme could fully be digested and worked through. For now though, he had been pigeon holed into a predicament he didn’t quite see fit to follow through with, but he no longer had the choice to back out.

It might be a small tuft of hair
On the big bouncy belly
Of Bobo the Bear.

“Sure. Fight it out...Whoever is left standing will be my second-in-command. The other... He will be doomed as a Slave," Ardemu reconciled in conjunction with the Enforcer’s direct challenge. Emerald eyes left the Eastern Timber and greedily scanned over the nameless male, taking special note in his posture; were their any previously sustained injuries that his body compensated for and only seen by the trained eye? No… But he did hold a certain ready and willingness to oblige Tre in his presumed search to prove his superiority. “If he feels like assuming the role of attack dummy than so be it…” a wicked voice remarked.

It might be a bit of the cloak
Of the Witch of the West
As she melted to smoke.

Inquisitive mind recalled his banter with the Mexican wolf, quickly coming to the conclusion how this fight would differ. The small male fought with ferocity and recklessness; biting and clawing at anything within his reach, but without any specific intent, just to cause damage, draw blood just to taste it. The wound to his chest throbbed with the recollection, it wasn’t a fatal wound, but an annoyance – much like Rapture was. The nameless Grey Enforcer was giving the impression of an analytical fighter, like himself, thinking before he leapt, sizing his opponent and looking for weaknesses… If he was smart, he wouldn’t want to make the first move either, but someone had to break down. Atreyu had already done his figuring and mental preparation on how to handle the large male.

It might be a shadowy trace
Of a tear that runs down an angel’s face.

Black paws began to move under him, carrying his muscular form in a tight circle around the Grey, but purposely leaving enough space between the two that the male would have to turn and lunge to attempt an attack. Shameless eyes danced about as if holding a secret; evil words that if said would stop the male in his tracks and turn him into a pathetic excuse of himself. A sly grin on parted jaws complemented joker eyes; as a matter of fact his lolling tongue demonstrated his coolness with the situation at hand. His constant ally was falling over the land and soon enough the pair would be battling in his element. The darkness where shadows became living things and he could dissect concealed fears… This could get more fun than he first bargained for.

Nothing has more possibilities
Than one old wet picture puzzle piece.

-------------

Words: 992
Credits: Shel Silverstein, One Picture Puzzle Piece.

Ooc: So it is officially pretty lame that it's taken me a month and a half to finish this post... And yes I've had this idea the entire time... -whew- *wipes brow* But at least it's finished. Atreyu is just really complex for me.

[zendelrin]

<sup>This had been what he had been anticipating for quite a while. He loved the taste of a fellow wolf’s blood and now wouldn’t be any different. His ears twitched as the sound of thunder boomed in the distance. The flicker of lightening brightened his deep yellow eyes. A manic smile crept over his jaws in a snake like fashion. It revealed very sharp canines that held a slight discoloration from age and misuse. His muscles twitched with anticipation and every once in a while flickered under his thick coat. He was built for brutal strength but his running wasn’t the best.

He watched as Tre waltzed around him as if attempting to intimidate him but it was clear neither was intimidating the other. He carefully thought for a moment on exactly when to strike. His body froze and the stillness he displayed was unyielding even in his sites. The only part of his body to move was his eyes as he watched Tre circle him. Every muscle in his body erupted into a firing canon. He pushed with his back legs, in a lung, at Tre with his jaws open. Saliva was dripping from the corners of his mouth. His stomach demanded satisfaction of tasting his comrade’s blood.

His eyes were fixed on Tres face as he pushed forward for a direct contact. He was aiming to either clash jaws completely and then progress further or snag a portion of his face or neck. In response if the two clashed fangs and simply scratched one another, he would then proceed to advance further in an attempt to grab Tres shoulder or side. He wanted the battle to linger a little and perhaps wound Tre enough that he would either be limping or lose part of his ear or an eye. He was simply hoping to not lose control and end up accidentally killing Tre, if it came down to that moment anyway. He doubted it but he liked to keep that in mind.</sup>

[Deleted]

Broad paws gripped the grassy terrain beneath his worn pads. The dehydrated blades of the plains poked and prodded at the fur concealing warm flesh covering individual phalanges. Although the shady virile was a beast of a creature, his footfalls circling the multi-toned male were light weight and unnerving; never faltering in a steady gait around his nameless opponent as his eyes menacingly traced over the wolf’s bulky frame. Handsome features remained contorted into a devilish grin and his tail often flicked sporadically, not because he was irritated with the situation, but rather with a trifling amount of eagerness to see where this encounter would lead.

Of course it was no secret that Zendelrin’s duty was to dish out a punishment for Atreyu, for what he still wasn’t one hundred percent positive. That could be a good question to ask. Tre hadn’t pledged allegiance to the Knave’s, so this male who tossed himself into a challenge against Atreyu wasn’t a pack member, not that the slightest bit of comradery would be enough to spare anyone in his book. He didn’t have to make sure that when all was said and done, the two could still be used in Ardemu’s little scheme of things and become toy soldiers who would just go prancing about slitting the throats of those that dared stand in their way. “Who are you to be a toy soldier?” proposed a lingering voice as a footnote to the idea. Albeit the oxymoronic question had caught him off guard, he laid his rebuttal to the side for a later time when he could focus on such things as his sanity.

He refocused his thoughts on the Grey male standing before him. Oh yes, that’s where he was. Toy Soldier. Tre didn’t have limitations and reciprocations for his actions, he was his own boss, he called the shots, he said when enough was enough – especially since Ardemu was no where to be seen. He had run off with the others leaving his crony unsupervised. Atreyu didn’t think the Grey male wasn’t capable of injuring him, hell, that piece, Rapture had even gotten in a good bite… But it was just that, what the male was capable of doing, and then what he would be allowed to do in the presence of ‘Demu was what could get him into some trouble of his own. Ardemu made it clear he still wanted able bodies around, willing or unwilling, but what if Zen took it too far and injured Tre to the point that he wasn’t of any use, or worse, he ended up dead if Zen happened to be successful enough? The Grey brute had limitations and obligations to meet – there were those factors that found so many who crossed Tre’s path dead – and if he pushed those too far, he could end up punished for his actions. Yes, it would be interesting to see where this fight would lead the rest of their lives.

As Atreyu completed a second full circle, the Grey’s posture went ridged and Tre paused momentarily. An intelligent mind began gauging his next move like clockwork, sending signals to his nervous system and muscles preparing for what would be demanded of them next. Dark malachite toned eyes spotted the contraction of his opponent’s muscles in the haunches and chest, and then, suddenly there is was the first attack. Zendelrin propelled his body towards Tre, and although he hadn’t aimed for any particular spot, he male had plenty of strength behind him and he closed the space gap quickly, leaving little time to steer clear of the attack, so Atreyu changed gears.

The Devil’s Advocate gathered all of his weight to his rear and lifted the front of his muscular frame off the earth, meeting his opponent mid-air. He added a little momentum to his action by pushing against the ground with his toes. As the two met in a fury of clashing fangs, each gnawing and snarling violently at the other, but ultimately neither one inflicted any damage. Tre made sure of that by placing a paw of the brute’s chest as a barrier, only allowing the two to get so close. Sure there was an ultimate goal to defeat the hard-headed male, but his main priority was to prevent sustaining injuries himself.

The disgruntled quarrel lasted just a few seconds and the two wolves disengaged; Zendelrin landing close to where Tre once stood, and Atreyu, using his gathered momentum, leapt out of reach, well over two full lengths. He created another great distance between him and the stocky Grey wolf. He spun around rather quickly though and flashed the male a shit-eating grin, lowering his head towards the grassy terrain, dark eyes peering mockingly from under his furrowed brow.

-------------

Words: 794

[zendelrin]

<sup>The thunder seemed to boom in the distance as the two clashed fangs. No blood pooled into his mouth as he had anticipated, however, he was also pleased to not have his thirst quenched just yet. The lightening illuminated the area around them to display both of the male’s features. His golden eyes flickered over Tres stance for a moment and a smile more graceful then before trickled over his muzzle. His back twitched with adrenalin as his body begged for another blow. He ignored his instinct to attack. An unspoken language began to fill his body as he in turn began to circle Tre.

No, his apparent leader wasn’t around at the moment and yes he had an obligation to ensure Tres life was sustained. However, he had not committed his loyalty towards Ardemu so in turn he truly hadn’t the need to be punished. Truth be told, neither had the gray nameless male. He hadn’t pledged his devoted loyalty towards Ardemu either. He had simply taken a fancy to the plan. However, behind his golden eyes was a hidden agenda that wouldn’t fail from his lips. He wasn’t the type to fallow the rules with out some kind of manipulation behind them on his part.

So, now the game would really begin. His unspoken words would come through his tango of violence. Would Tre be able to catch on and communicate in turn? His tail flicked behind him as the predatory glances were snuffed and a more business type behavior fell over his demeanor. His ears fell forward in a less then aggressive manner. However, the mask of dominance needed to linger over him somewhat. In case his dear old alpha did happen to find his way into the battle grounds. He didn’t want him picking up a possible betraying vide off his newly acquired second in command.

The way he and Tre had first touched fangs gave him a little more respect for the vagrant. He was particularly observant and he admired that quality. He himself had been taught to carefully analyze your partner’s movement and subtle body language to possibly counter attack them. So again he moved carefully around Tre. His tail was straight and out in order to help keep his bulky frame balanced as he attacked. But his eyes would be misleading. They roved over towards his shoulder in a hungry manner. Saliva dripped from his jaws as he played the hungry lion’s role. Internally he wasn’t in the mood now for death or a serious injury but merely a well informed violent conversation. He needed to put on the guise though, to keep spying eyes content.

As his eyes lingered over his shoulder for a possible attack, he allowed his body to act. His muscles jolted once more but less tense and more at a quick pace. He allowed his back legs to help propel him and the direction he was actually aiming for and that was for Tres haunches. His jaw wasn’t completely open, which suggested minimal biting affect if he was to grab hold of the back end of Tre. This was implying he was still fighting, but at a less and aggressive manner. He wasn’t aiming to seriously injure the male.</sup>

[Deleted]

The heavens seemed to growl as the storm brewed, lifting over the ocean and onto Anikira’s shore. Unfortunately, it was heading north from Endyt and towards the Plains. Tre scoffed at the thought of a drenching rainstorm. Rain would bring mud, and mud was slick and most unfortunately dirty… Maybe he would have to end this fight faster than what he bargained for. The lighting flashes created a visual heartbeat of the storm as the science of neutrons and protons bounced amongst the cloud fibers and pulsated from just beyond a puffy storm cloud. The effect still produced enough light to illuminate the ring for a few brief seconds, and then the vision of their surroundings would simply disappear into the abyss of the darkness. The inconsistency was causing trouble for his night-vision; he would simply have to put up with it. As best as he could, he watched the Grey male and noted his posture, and then as quickly as there was another flash, the male’s demeanor changed. The male straightened up and began a level-headed stroll around Tre, in an attempt to circle just as he had done before. Atreyu knew better, you should never willingly reveal your backside to anyone, especially those untrustworthy, which in his personal opinion was everyone he encountered, good or bad folks, none could be trusted. Tre adjusted his poise according to that of his foe, nearly mimicking him, lifting his head to a more dominate height and tail erect behind him. Paws followed through with the Grey male’s advances, following his pattern of paces so the two danced in a loop around an imaginary pillar.

His mind vigorously worked to digest exactly what was happening; one moment the male was snarling viciously, his body begging for Atreyu to make the next move, to lunge an attack, to expose himself, and the next moment he transformed into a stoically state of being. The low rumble of the overhead storm began to gain confidence, becoming louder and more aggressive, until the growling thunder died down into a silent lull. The silence lasted not even a minute when the storm released a threatening roar, the noise so intense it shook the ground beneath their paws. It had its effect on Atreyu as well, body flinching as the deafening crack opened up the skies and freed a light drizzle to rain. The two wolves paused in their tracks, the amber orbs of the Grey wolf scanning over Atreyu’s body, lingering momentarily at his biceps and shoulder blades. Tre made a note of the male’s stare, but was too preoccupied by a whirlwind of questions concerning the turn-around of his opponents behavior. Just what is he trying to accomplish here? The rain steadily amplified its volume into a torrential down pour soaking the Plains. The gentle pitter-patter of the drizzle before was nothing compared to the static the water fall created now, drowning out the low murmurs of the storm, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures busying themselves in the near by woods.

His pelt was quickly retaining water and the ground could not soak up the water fast enough and puddles began to form under toe. Preoccupied with loathing the thunderstorm, and trying to decipher his opponent’s antics, he missed the Knave Enforcer’s subtle body language that would lead to giving way his plan of attack. Luckily for Atreyu, the Knave was no longer out for the taste of flesh, or was he just playing it cool so he wouldn’t “slip up” and kill him? The brute pounced, but instead of aiming for his shoulder as Atreyu though he intended, he was near the opposite end. Ebony tail curled up between his legs, and he gathered his haunches awkwardly underneath him in order to avoid contact with the brute’s incisors. Fluidly, he spun his front half around, teeth bared to sink into tender flesh and fatty tissue surrounding the wolf’s neck, emerald gaze fixated on his opponent, observing him ever so intently, even now in the heat of an attack, he noticed something about the wolf quite peculiar.

His mind had to back pedal and start putting the puzzle pieces together again, rearranging them to form a separate meaning altogether. Although he hadn’t been paying much mind to his attacker, he was still able to calculate that when the Enforcer did progress upon him, his intent was more lax that previously, and his jaws weren’t eagerly waiting to tear at a large chunk of meaty hind quarter. In truth, his teeth roughly combed through his ass end, and not only because he barely managed to slip away… The fact that his eyes were roving over Tre’s shoulder may not have been to throw Atreyu off, but possibly he was geared for a different intent, which would in turn explain the male’s sudden change in character. Now would have to be the time to start asking some of these nagging questions floating about his head. Partially closing his mouth, he decided on nipping at the male’s neck directly behind his ear, “So what’s the name?” He concealed his words by following them with an agitated snarl, and swinging his far limb around and batting the male’s cage. “Or are our identities secret?” he whispered. The drum of the rain made it impossible for onlookers or spies to hear, but Tre was beginning to understand this game. It was much different from those he usually plays, but it was entertaining enough and hopefully would end with some important information exchanged.

*****
Words: 922

[zendelrin]

<sub>The threatening sound of thunder made the earth shudder beneath him. It’s uneasiness to the coming storm made his senses intensify. His pulled in opposite directions from the others counterpart as they began honing on any particular sound of foreign movement. The rain was beginning to tug at his fur in an uncomfortable feeling. The weight from the water began to pull at his gray multi-color fur follicles. Yet the distraction in his sparing companions gaze was a little more then discouraging. Perhaps he wouldn’t see past the fake emphases of an arranged battle? That would be unfortunate. He didn’t want to drag this out any longer then the needed in order to exchange information and demonstrate a good match. Yet, as his discouragement seemed to begin to settle, Tre seemed to snap out of his daze and confirm with the double take of persona's.

Fur filled his jaws, clenched between his teeth, and he gently released as the males mouth found its way behind the back of his neck. His hair instinctively rose on end in a retaliation of aggression, however, his body was willed to not react as he would have. He wasn’t sure if this tang was going to stray and blood would find its way to the hungry earth beneath them. He would need to trust that Tre had an interest in what he was offering. The voice offered a questioning of a title exchange. With in the pack his current title was “Nameless”. Never the less, for the current treaty the two were planning he was sure an exchange of true identities was acceptable.

“The name is Zendelrin.”</sub>

[/color] His said in-between mouth full of fake snarls. His paw came up and swiped his muzzle. His fangs opened in an attempt to grab the paw but he failed. He pushed his weight towards Tre’s body and grabbed for his shoulder again. His fangs were open enough to grab it with a slight tightness to his bite. Enough so he could speak between mouthfuls. “I shall keep my newly acquired identity as the Nameless wolf with in the ranks of the pack but you may know me as my true name.” he offered. An aggressive growl rumbled through his chest and up his throat. His orange eyes flickered around the area, scanning to see if another was watching them.

With in the confines of the ring their voices were muffled out. With the mixture of thrown out voices with snarls and growls anyone on the outskirts wouldn’t be able to make any audible language against the unforgiving roars of the thunder. They were secure for the moment to converse while battling one another. His heart was pounding within his ears with adrenalin. Regardless if he was aiming to harm, the thrill of feeling flesh tear in his mouth was very tempting. Now was a great time for his usage of self-control. He was holding back the predatory nature but he ever so gently felt the pang of desire for blood in his mouth. He wouldn’t give in to his cannibalistic tendencies, he would fight it tooth and nail.
[/sub][/blockquote]

[Deleted]

“The name is Zendelrin.”

Zendelrin…Zen-del-rin… He repeated the name several times, digesting the syllables and filing the collection into the fabric of his membrane. Endel… Elrin… Zendel…Zen…Zen. He sifted through the Grey male’s name, dissecting down to the core for an appropriate shortened version that effortlessly rolled off the tongue without a rough or disgusted aftertaste. Upon discovering a fitting nickname, Zen, he found the essence of the name, as a word, became less than fitting for his new… acquaintance. After all, zen meant to view life calmly with equanimity; zen is about doing right for the mind, body, and soul. Zendelrin so far had been the opposite of anything zen-ful. Atreyu inwardly chuckled just as the male muffled some more words, “I shall keep my newly acquired identity as the Nameless wolf within the ranks of the pack but you may know me as my true name.”

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,

So his new friend had plans with these knave wolves… Atreyu had a general curiosity for the happenings around him, and an urge to gain as much knowledge of those who made an appearance in said happenings. The information would be stored away for future reference when survival became the one and only option. Ardemu had a large scheme at paw, and Atreyu would refuse to cower in his wake, or be a part of his merry little band of followers; but if he could avoid either situation and overcome the odds because he knew a thing or two other wolves didn’t, then so be it.

And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,

The lull of thunder grew stronger, the storm continually approaching closer towards the duo. A definitive flash of lightning crisscrossed along the dark sky, illuminating the clouds with a white light. As its fingers stretched further into the expanse, the main beam struck the earth somewhere close along the horizon; in a quick second there was another ground shattering boom that shook the ground. This time around Atreyu was more prepared and remained calm and collected when the roar beckoned his attention. The rain steadily poured down onto them, pelts soaked, the grassy terrain beginning to over flow with a rush of water and a puddle formed around his broad paws. Atreyu had a gut feeling that if he were to ask outright what the male’s plans were, he would more than likely deny him the information, and then where would that leave him? He thought artfully about the situation and decided to take an outward approach to get at the knowledge within. “What’s the difference if they know your name or not?” he growled.

And joined the crying of each falling dying
flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers . . .

Emerald optics scowled at his opponent, glaring into the dark. This was a difficult game that was testing him like none other. When he fought, he fought to kill. Never to play a sparring match or act to please silent eyes; to kill, to fill his high, his adrenaline rush, to quench his bloodlust. For now though, he would play fair, but nowhere had the rules laid out that he must play nice… All the while, the two wolves had disengaged from their close quarters dance of near death, and stood a foot or two apart, face to face, but given a large right side view of the other’s opponent. As twin peaks attentively listened to his pal’s response, a short lived glimmer flashed about Tre’s shadowy eyes. Suddenly he lunged at Zendelrin, a full picture of deadly incisors, fleshy gums and salmon-hued appendage pulled towards his throat; he closed his jaws around Zen’s throat. He resisted the instinctual desire to clamp down, pierce tender flesh, taste hot wolven blood spilling into his mouth. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, lids fluttering briefly as he regained his thoughts. Instead of killing the male, he puffed out his chest like a battering ram, pummeling himself into his friend, and threw a leg over his shoulders…

How did it go?
How did it go?

*****
Words: 616
Credit: Shel Silverstein - Language
Note: I left it open at the end for you to do whatever you would like. ^^

[zendelrin]

<sup>Death was a kiss he knew to well
His claws had been his scythe
His eyes had been the poison
And his fangs had stolen the souls of many
He was the angle of death in disguise
He was the reaper

The shadows of the trees did dance over the duo. Their whispers of the coming events seemed to tickle his inner ears. He moved carefully close to Tre and allowed the voice to liquid flow through his mind. He was using all of his control to prevent himself from breaking off from the secret tango. Each bone in his body desired to draw blood. Each taste bud in his mouth screamed for satisfaction. Yet he reluctantly disregarded their quarrelling voices. That didn’t mean his body didn’t twitch with anticipation.

“What’s the difference if they know your name or not?”</sup>

[/b]

Now this question was defiantly the right to ask. He had his ideas boiling around his minds crevices. But before he could move to converse once more, Tre had taken a stance. His hairs instinctively threw themselves upright. His body froze as the fangs clasped his throat but the lack of a lock-jaw affect allowed him the self control not to attempt to rip Tre’s soul apart. He felt the male push his body to over power him but his back legs shoved automatically into the soft muddy ground beneath him. His lengthy claws were helping to keep him from slipping as he held his body firmly. The males paw pushed over his shoulder in a suggestive manner and his dark yellow eyes flickered into Tre’s.

“With my name comes a past. And with this past comes certain consequences I’d rather keep left in the archives of my story. So I shall give another alias I go by. If I am asked to give my name, I shall go by reaper with the in confines of the pack.”[/b] His voice was husky and breathless as the airway was compressed just a touch. A snarl of discomfort was give as he pushed his claws into Tre’s chest. They pushed dangerously into the fur and the sharp ends began to prink at the skin. Tre wasn’t all that much stronger then he and he would fight if he truly needed to. The urge to do so was overwhelming at the moment but he was restraining himself.

His yellow eyes scanned the forest for only a few seconds. The rest of his body was clearly paying full attention on Tre’s grip of his throat. It would take a lot to tear the life from his body. He was thankful for a thick coat from his heritage. A growle erupted from his throat as he pushed his back legs forward to push his paw into Tre’s chest. The claws curling inwards to break the skin and his jaws moved towards Tre’s head. He could still move his neck around regardless of Tre’s grip on his throat and his canines were sharp enough to make some damage to his skull.

His jaws clenched Tre’s ear and his voice whispered into it, “I am planning on gaining Ardemu’s trust and helping him achieve his goal of taking over the other territories. Once he achieves his goal I will come and seek you out. Then, we shall reap him of the little soul he has left with in his body and deliver it to the angle of death. Thus, we can take over the Knaves together. I don’t see one leader as a mandatory affair so why not share the glory as equals? If the issue arises of one of us seeing the other unfit to rule, then they may challenge the other. I don’t see this happening if we both obtain what we want but if the issue rises then we can deal with it accordingly.” [/color]He offered. Why beat around the bush? He wasn’t in the mood to prolong this battle any longer then needed. After all, neither was getting the satisfaction of tearing the life liquid from their counter part.

His canines began to rip the soft flesh that was Tre’s ear. Slowly piercing it., and if he jerked his head away the tear would become completely through the ear. His claws pushed deeper into Tre’s chest and the threatening growl erupted from his throat. He was becoming impatient for Tre to release him and his temper was starting to flair. However, he subconsciously willed himself not to snap.

He wondered if Ardemu was going to witness this battle from his own eyes or if he would send a minion out. He was sure it was the later of the two. His tail flicked to keep his balance but the mud was making the pair slip. The unforgiving thunder tore at the skies skin and allowed the blood to begin to flow faster. The lightening threatened to burn the ground around them as it touched the earth just a few miles away from two pair. He was hoping they could avoid a nasty sting from the lightening claws.
[/sup][/blockquote]

[sloth]

Somehow Sloth had completely missed the approach of a storm. He was completely oblivious to the dark clouds and rolling thunder right until they were directly overhead. Only when water began to soak his pelt did he chance a glance at the sky, a frown creasing his muzzle. Falling water did not bode well for him at the moment. It only added to the anxiety caused by a full bladder. Coupled with lightening that struck much too close for comfort, it was amazing the sudden shift in weather hadn't caused him to lose all control.

As thunder continued to rage above him, drowning out most sounds of the spacious plains, the silver brute finally settled on a place to relieve himself. With a lift of his leg he took his sweet time desecrating an unfortunate bush, a contented sigh sounding more like a moan as it caught on wind. Natural actions just felt too damn good, especially when they were often ignored in favor of doing something of higher ore interest. Sloth would sooner hold it than wake up to go relieve himself.

Long minutes passed before he finally lowered his leg and took survey of his surroundings. He was felling much better now, much less antsy. And since he'd once again ditched the band he'd pledged allegiance to in favor of fulfilling his own needs, he figured why not take advantage of the alone time? It wasn't like they'd miss him all that much. That idiot Astar did a fine job of preventing anything interesting from happening. Unless Wrath was around... Put those two femmes together and mmm! A cheeky grin was on his maw as the images of Wrath and Astar's earlier argument flooded his mind. There was just something about two femmes at each others throats that always turned him on.

Paying little attention to where he was going, Sloth allowed himself the distractions of his perverse fantasies. After all, neither fae was around to scold him. Rapture's disappearance and reappearance had been of little help as well. How come that Mexican shrimp was able to get some action out of season but he wasn't? Pausing briefly to scratch at his stomach, his shoulders shrugged lightly. Though he was often slow to catch on, that was one question he actually knew the answer to. The Mack. Valley brute had more respect for femmes than the Mexican did, even if the idea of the two of them teaming up on Astar only strengthened his unfulfilled craving.

A disgruntled sigh morphed into a curious hmm as auds suddenly picked up on something between the rumbling of the Thunder. His nose too was assaulted by a new scent, the stench of soggy wolf. Curious now, Sloth trotted in the direction of the new found stimuli, not bothering to speculate about their sources. It took some time, for the pouring rain made visibility troublesome, but eventually he found what he was looking for. There in the distance was Atreyu and the unnamed Enforcer, locked in a tangle of fangs and claws. Again the brute grinned, though this time for different reasons. Lust for sex was replaced with a lust for blood, causing him to eagerly approach the dueling canines. Maybe his little side trip would be more exciting than he'd expected.

"So this is where all the fun is!" he barked over the roar of the storm, tail swinging slowly in excitement. Hungrily he took in the tattered forms of the two powerful brutes, watching their calculated dance with great interest. Sloth was indeed too daft to catch on to their ulterior motives. Thus, he enjoyed the sight as if it were real, eagerly watching for the moment one wolf would fall. Looks like he was getting his show after all, even if it was two brutes battling instead of the two fiery femmes.

[Deleted]

(** Read note below before reading post **)

“Just kill him now… Go for it… You know you want a taste…” whispered a voice from within the confines of his sub-conscience.

He shut the voice out as Zendelrin began his monologue that revealed itself easier than Atreyu had originally thought. “I am planning on gaining Ardemu’s trust and helping him achieve his goal of taking over the other territories.” His new acquaintance did have a mischievous scheme with these Knaves after all… “Once he achieves his goal I will come and seek you out. Then, we shall reap him of the little soul he has left with in his body and deliver it to the angel of death.” Oh boy… His plan was getting really good… Atreyu didn’t really have the “come-see-conquer” knack; he usually left packs well enough alone. But what the hell, a new place to wreak havoc, why not try his ill-suited temper in a pack. “Heh… You! Join a pack and be the merry little follower who bows down to an Alpha?!” commented a voice before Zen’s voice overpowered the inward rant. “Thus, we can take over the Knaves together. I don’t see one leader as a mandatory affair so why not share the glory as equals?” Hmm.. Interesting… But what if- “If the issue arises of one of us seeing the other unfit to rule, then they may challenge the other. I don’t see this happening if we both obtain what we want but if the issue rises then we can deal with it accordingly.”

[/b] That answered that question… If he truly liked being in the Alpha position, then maybe, just maybe he would come after Zen for his title, but this island seemed fairly large, just big enough for both their attitudes.

When he first advanced onto the brute, he didn’t expect him to take much action. Although, admittedly, he was pleasantly surprised that his partner could hold his own against the force that was Atreyu. Who’s to say how a genuine battle between these two would end… But that would be saved for a later date; Tre had many more lives to vanquish before he would again beckon his strength against a hardy opponent. Then again, that day may never exist in their futures. Either way, Tre expected the wolf to lose his stance and tumble into the quagmire earth beneath them. Instead, the male dug his claws in further, braced himself and took the hit, then pushed back; teeth gnawing dangerously close to his brow and temple. If Zen were to make a mistake or show true aggression, Tre may walk away with a few new scars, but at the least, he would walk away. His jaws tightened slightly, showing Zen that he had a good grip on his windpipe and wasn’t hesitant on killing him. He would trust Zendelrin for as far as he could see him, but once out of sight, there was no telling who he was or who else he was making deals with.

Zen had settled on biting Tre’s ear while he quietly spoke his thoughts about Ardemu, his little gang, and the future plans he had in mind and how Atreyu should play along. His pretty little painting of their blood stained path that lay ahead of them sounded first-class, but at the moment, Tre’s mind was buzzing with the most pressing issue; Zen was biting his ear! He had even gone as far to puncture the tip of it in fact. Atreyu fought the urge to jerk his head away from the pain and discomfort but reckoned with instinct and kept his head as still as possible, he was not in favor of losing a chuck of his ear! Furthermore, Zen poised himself by placing a single paw on his broad chest, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t for that damn Rapture sinking his teeth into him a while back. The sore hadn’t healed and was only being further agitated by Zen’s weight, and the individual claws daring to tear into his tender skin. He growled irritably, nose wrinkling further into snarl, his jaws putting just a bit more pressure on Zen’s throat causing him to sound hoarse for the remainder of their “talk”.

He would have tossed Zen on the release, but with him dangerously close to ripping his lobe, he decided against it and sided with simply letting go of him. Pleasantly, Zen returned the favor and the two wolves parted briefly. His right ear lobe was hot with pain and blood matting the short hairs. Being too involved with other thoughts and being entangled with Zen, he didn’t realize who had shown up to join their little game of charades; the large pale lazy son-of-a-bitch Sloth. Dark, fiery eyes momentarily drifted over his form; no doubt Zen noticed his presence too, and Atreyu took the chance. It was either now or never or else they would lose their cover. What if the behemoth male decided to join in and gang up on Atreyu? Oh sure, he had little worry of being able to hold his own in a fight against the two, but then, would Zendelrin hold back, or be fearful of the pale brute catching onto their little act? At that point, if Sloth tried to intervene, Tre would not, could not restrain himself from shedding what he now deemed unnecessary blood. Just as Ardemu saw the pale brute’s talents – large intimidating size, and willingness to do whatever he was told – Atreyu saw them too, and he would make a valued addition to his future pack. He really was starting to like this idea…

Tre had no clue all what the third male had seen, but he knew that if two wolves, much like themselves, were truly battling one another, neither one would settle on a gentle release, especially with the grip Atreyu had; Zendelrin would have been dead. So he pushed forward, lunging towards Zen’s front paws, and for a moment it looked like Tre was bowing down in front of him until his teeth found their way around his left limb. He bit down, not sparing his partner any pain or bloodshed. Devilish eyes glared up at his opponent, silently expressing that this was just a way of paying him back for the ear business. Lost in the sensations within his mouth, blood dribbling onto his eager tongue, muscles, tendons and veins wrapping themselves around his canines, he didn’t hear the soft lull of thunder anymore, or as it quietly died down briefly…

Instantly, possibly by a stroke of luck, a bolt of lightning struck the single tree they were standing close to. The shock caused him to release his grip and jump nearly out of his skin, and he landed several feet away from where the duo once stood. The pathetic looking tree that had lost a good portion of its leaves early in the season came crashing down onto what would have been on top of the pair. Tre quickly regained his composure as the sound of thunder roared overhead. Quickly evaluating the situation, the fallen tree had created somewhat of a barrier between the two Knaves and the lone wolf. Maybe this was a good enough time as ever to end their get-together. Atreyu looked towards his accomplice and passed a silent acknowledgement of Zen’s proposal, and then as soon as he was reassuring Zen was on the same plane, he turned tail and headed towards the mountain. Maybe it was about time he explored more of his future territory…

(Exit Atreyu)
[/blockquote]

*****
Words: 1136
Notes Okay, the next few paragraphs after the first may be a little confusing, but I wanted to cover separatly Atreyu's direct thoughts on Zen's little idea, and their fight and how he's feeling about that. So, if you think of the 2^nd and 3^rd paragraphs as part of addressing the fight scene, then you'll understand it. Hopefully that makes sense... *sheepish grin*[/size]

[zendelrin]

<sup>The darkness had become ominous around the wolves. Its unforgiving bathing seemed to make his skin crawl against the cold of the rain. Yes, the thick fur was good for keeping him warm, that is if he wasn’t soaked trough. His ears twitched as he carefully analyzed his companion’s reactions. His tail flicked unconsciously as his ears pulled back to the muffled voice of sloth. So, finally someone had come to witness the little tango of deception. His fangs were bared but the tips of his lips curled up in a satisfied smile as the feeling of fangs pushed into his paw. He was a very masochistic being after all, and the feeling of pain was very revealing.

Lightening threw it’s self between the pair and consumed the tree in flames. Its dark gray unloving bark was easily cracked through. He managed easily enough to remove himself, as his counterpart had done, from becoming fertilizer for the grass. The red fell from the small wound that Tre had inflected. It’s unique color made his yellow eyes remember just how mortal he could be. His hairs remained naturally erect along his backside as he bound towards his fellow pack mate. His eyes lingered on the eagerness that seemed evident of sloth’s features. He was easily tempted by the idea of a blood bath as much as he would have been. Being a third outer party member had its perks.

“Lets go.” He ordered. He had protected his title after all. His yellow eyes lingered on Sloth for a moment. Judging if he was to also protest his title as Tre had done previously. The eyes told it all, he had a sublet but very present look of don’t fuck with me glance. He turned his head from sloth and began to move off towards the direction of the pack. He was sure their leader would want a full report of Tre abandoning the idea of joining the Knives and Zen triumphantly running him off but sparing his life during battle. It had been a hard task, even if he had been displaying a perfectly played out masquerade. That inner thought, its voice so desperate and venomous still nagged at his ears for death. It would have its way soon enough, but not with Tres blood but another’s.

The rain wasn’t as potent as it had been previously. He was already as soaked as he could be so the uncomfortable feeling would soon pass. He was curious when Sloth would begin to interrogate him of the pervious battle. His stride wasn’t as smooth as it had been when he had first entered the area. No, Tre had caused a little damage to his paw with out him protesting. So naturally he had a very small limp. This would pass over the next few days he was sure of it. His ears twitched to the rumbling sound of thunder in the distance and he smiled inwardly. So, his plan was now beginning to unfold. He had began to place the correct pieces that needed to be placed.

Waiting, this was the new game he would play. He was already annoyed at the idea of dealing with the pig headed females. Ardemu wouldn’t need to worry about him stepping on his toes when it came down to sexual cravings. For him they were pretty rare. He was more excited by bloodshed then a female deep in her heat cycle and begging for it. Maybe he would enjoy it if he could draw blood the entire time. Maybe break a limb? Now that sounded wonderful. The only way he would enjoy his physical desires was if it involved his obsession for blood.</sup>

[sloth]

The faint scent of blood mingled with that of fresh water, barely detectable over the stench of soggy earth. It was still there though. That was enough to make their falsified battle real. So long as he could distinguish the hint of blood, Sloth was positive the two great beasts were engaged in a deadly battle. His simple mind was no risk for them.

Sloth paid no mind to the lessening rain, tail wagging excitedly. His eyes were riveted upon the two brutes, absorbing every action. So transfixed was he that when the lightening stroke too near for comfort he gave an audible yap of panic. The sound of splintering would and crashing branches had caught him off guard. As it made to fall upon clashing fangs, Sloth barked again. Excitement was the result of his second cry, however, eyes hungrily watching for one of the adversaries to be flattened.

Luckily (and to the Mack. Valley's disappointment), neither male was struck by the falling timber. Atreyu's leap of fright successfully separated him from the demon that was Zendelrin. Then after several moments he turned and walked away. Just like that they were finished. No chase. No hunt. No deadly blow and a field spattered in red. Sloth's features fell, his disappointment evident. Was no one going to give him the entertainment he wanted? Wrath and Astar's fight had been broken up, Rapture had had his fun out of eyesight, and now the Enforcer was letting his opponent walk away. Ardemu's little pack of follows were turning out to be quite boring.

Sloth dropped his head, tail ceasing to swing. The fight was over, Zen's large form limping towards him. The look in his eyes caused the silver tinged brute to back an ear. What the hell was his problem? Sloth shrugged his shoulders at the gruff order, turning and lazily falling into step. He didn't know what the brute was expecting of him. He had no intention of putting up a fight though. Argument meant he'd have to exert some sort of effort. That currently was not at the top of his to-do list. He wasn't going to bother asking questions either. The little fight he'd just witnessed had resulted in nothing but boredom. The brute had no desire to be put out further by the details. With the exception of his hunt, this was turning out to be a rather uneventful day.