The sun was just coming up, casting a pale glow on everything and turning the sky a myriad of colors. Reds and yellows dominated the eastern horizon while several shades of blue and black held the western, the sun battling the darkness of night to begin a new day. Everything would be waking up soon, still groggy from a decent night's sleep. It was the opportune time for a hunt, and every wolf on Anikira knew it. Tharamon was no exception, and he had a craving for large game. The male was padding through the forest, searching for the scent of a good sized deer, possibly even elk or moose. He needed the thrill of the hunt, the chase, the fight for life. It would do the one-time alpha some good.
Unfortunately, that was just it. He was a one-time alpha, not a current one. He didn't have a pack to call and set them on a buck's trail. The forgotten shadow of a growl began deep in his chest. Before it was audible, however, it was quelled, quieted until it no longer existed. He did have Nur-Rama, who, he was fairly certain, was just behind him, but two wolves were not enough to bring down prey the size he wanted. No, they would need help. Suddenly, a thought came to him. Almost immediately, he shook it from his head, much the same way he would dislodge a fly from the tip of his ear. The idea was preposterous and didn't have even half a chance of working. The wolf padded on.
Still, the idea did not leave. It continued to hover just on the edge of his consciousness like a flea he couldn't reach. It was irritating. Though the wolf mentally gave it a shove multiple times, he couldn't remove it from his thoughts. It just kept turning back up. Finally, he stopped and allowed it to take full shape. As he had initially believed, the idea was absolutely ridiculous. Tharamon looked up, giving words to a god he knew wasn't listening. That was the problem with gods: they thought themselves above the mortals they meddled with. And if this wasn't a god's meddling, Tharamon didn't know what was. He turned to the wolf who, in his eyes, belonged to him, half hoping she wouldn't think him mad after his next act. He would if he were in her paw-steps.
Then, before he could change his mind, the mackenzie valley cross threw back his head and howled. It was a command as much as an invitation. It had not escaped his notice that this lands, the Oriens, was full of wolves, even if it did not have a distinctive pack scent. They were probably all loners, since none cared to mark the borders. Still, loners rarely ate a good meal. The howl was a pack's howl to hunt. Any wolf old enough to walk would recognize it. Still, as cynical as Tharamon was, he highly doubted anyone would respond to it, and figured the chances of someone obeying were even slimmer. Then again, the plan had been shoved into his mind by one of the Great Beings, or so he believed, so perhaps there was a soul brave enough to answer the hunt-call of a stranger.
words;; no idea...not as many as I would like. =/ tags;; oh gosh. like everyone. =D mood;; cynical notes;; hehehe. I thought it was perfect. =D
The little female was enjoying the early morning, or at least she was doing her best to. She was in awe of the beauty that was the morning sky, the breeze in her fur, the forest floor moist with the morning dew. Even at this late time of year, the climate seems to be perfect constantly. What's more she was with her Leader, and seemed to be getting more and more attached to the longer she stayed with him. Not in a clingy sort of way, but more the way that- well, she didn't know. She had nothing to compare it to, but it made sense to her. It felt right to her.
But despite all that, her mood was overshadowed by the hunger that had been making its presence known the last few hours. She didn't remember until it was too late, but she had not eaten the hare she had killed just before her Leader approached her by the lake. The young female needed that meal. She hadn't eaten since she had arrived, and this was her fourth day here. Her stomach had been growling the last hour, and she was trailing behind her Alpha with the hopes he would not be alerted to it.
She wouldn't be able to carry on like this much longer. It was not only bad for her health, it was bad for her temperament as well. Nur-Rama was already socially inept, not to mention highly assertive. The semi-starvation was going to do nothing for any of that. But just as she was about to voice her concerns, she looked ahead and saw her Alpha staring at what appeared to be nothing.
"What does he see?"
Nur-Rama did her best to follow his line of sight, but she could see nothing in the distance that should have caught his interest. She didn't hear anything either. But it must have been something. She scanned the area, doing her best to focus on what was ahead, the young female would tolerate no nonsense from anyone who tried to intrude on the pair.
The wind then picked up, and carried a very appealing scent in her direction. The young female allowed the scent to linger in her lungs as she sucked in a deep, full breath. A buck! A big one from what she could tell. She about to take off and follow the scent came from, when her Leader's deep, thundering bay hit her ears, as he called out to all creatures, all wolves to follow him.
"A hunt."
Nur-Rama was thrilled, without even considering the fact that she had not been told by her Alpha to join him, she threw her head back, and her soprano of a howl joined his own.
They had hunted? They had hunted on his territory?! The big black wolf stared incredulously at the hare lying in front of him. He’d come running as fast as he could as soon as he’d heard that howl, but obviously he’d been too late. Those horrible conniving wolves had hunted on his territory.
But whoever had killed the hare had obviously not been very hungry, for they had only taken a couple of bites out of it. There was certainly enough left to give him a decent meal. He nosed at the corpse, turning it over to its other side to check that it was still in good condition. Yep, perfect – and still faintly warm. It was probably the freshest kill he’d scavenged all year.
As he bent his head to eat, he realised that it smelled absolutely disgusting, because the wolf who’d killed it had gotten her scent all over it. Oh well, it would do. At least it was better than nothing.
Lynker tore into the hare’s flesh, relishing the taste of fresh meat. The hare was soon just a pile of bones, and the wolf was sitting on the lakeshore, licking his lips contentedly. But there was still the matter of the intruders to deal with.
He scrambled to his paws and lifted his head as he sniffed at the air, trying to find out where the intruders had gone. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful odour. How could he have ignored it for so long? The skin around his muzzle pulled back as he uttered a frustrated growl. The stink of wolf was filling his nose, and he was almost gagging at the stench of it. Filthy disgusting creatures! He was filled with renewed hatred for the species, and his temporary contentment had dissolved into anger. How dare they come down to his lake? Couldn’t they see the deep grooves he and Curse had made on the trees bordering their territory? At least bears had the sense to stay away. They were smart enough to know that if they crossed the borders, there’d be consequences. “And there will be consequences…” Lynker muttered to himself “I’ll show them. They’ll never step paw in my lands ever again…”
He broke into a run, heading in the direction the pair had gone. Paws thundered on the earth as he followed their trail away from Nyspoli’s Pool and into the Zaor Forest. He didn’t even pause as he crossed the border he had set, and nor did he stop to consider the fact that these wolves outnumbered him by at least two to one. What mattered was revenge. This was the second time that his paradise had been tainted, and he’d let that other wolf get off far too lightly. Those stinking creatures needed to learn that this was his home, and he would defend it with every ounce of his strength.
Lynker raced on through the night, only stopping once or twice for a brief rest. But the scent trail was weak, and he found himself going in completely the wrong direction more than once. Who knew that tracking could be so hard? He wished that Curse was here to show him what to do, but the bear was probably still fishing on the other side of the valley, where he had left him.
Lynker growled as he realised that the wolf’s trail he was currently following was not the same one he’d picked up by the lake. Shem, this was so hard! Wolves’ scents were so similar to each other! He sent silent prayers up to his guardian spirit, pleading for her to show him the way.
Lynker narrowed his eyes as he trudged through the lightening forest, grumbling to himself as he walked. He needed to find these wolves so he could teach them a lesson for daring to trespass on his territory. He needed to make sure that it would never happen again. He would never admit it to himself, but the main reason he was doing this was because he was so scared that his beautiful lake would be taken away from him – he wanted to live there forever and ever, with just himself and Curse, and maybe that falcon, Astra, if she wanted to visit.
Suddenly, a howl cut through the air, and Lynker’s ears perked up. He listened intently, trying to figure out if it was the same wolf who had howled at the lake.
No… it wasn’t.
His ears dropped back down and he was just about to resume his search when another wolf joined in on the howl. That was her! It was the trespasser! Lynker immediately turned in the direction the howl was coming from, and burst into a run. Frankly, he wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between her howl and another female’s, so he would never have been completely sure that she was the offender, but that didn’t really matter to him. Another fact that he failed to pick up was the fact that the howl had been a summons to a hunt – and that other wolves would probably turn up. He was not experienced in the matter of howling, and found the varied tones far too strange and complicated for his liking.
It was not far to where the other wolves were, and soon Lynker was close enough to see them. He slowed to a walk as he approached the pair, tail raised high, neck twisted to one side, and teeth bared in a show of aggression. He planted his paws firmly on the ground, not bothering to hide his extremely long and sharp claws. His voice was deep, and thick with the accent of a bear as he grumbled “You there! You filthy vermin! You wolf! You were on my territory, by the lake. You hunted. Stealing prey is an offence, and is punishable by death!” He had no idea whether that was actually true for wolves, but it certainly was for bears. And he was more bear than wolf, so his rules applied.
“Listen carefully now, wolves. I’m going to let you off this time, but I hope you realise that I won’t be so tolerant in the future. If you trespass again” He ended his speech with a growl and held his dominant position for a few moments longer, to get his point across.
The young female faced the ashen fool that had burst from the trees, making claim the her kill, her land, her lake as if he had some sort of right to be there.
Nur-Rama was in a rage she had felt only one other time in her life; the night she tore apart her sister. She was furious, how dare this simple fool tear through the trees and approach her as is he had some sort of authority? To approach her Leader, as is he were his better?
The young female beside herself with fury sized up the foolish brute, who in her mind intended to be dead before mid-morning. He wasn't much bigger than herself, he had maybe a couple of pounds on her, most of which she believed to be only fur. The male she had fought at her old home was bigger than him, and she held her own in that fight for hours. The stranger's fur stank of a bear scent that would have put her off getting too close, but his statement had left her no choice but to kill him, whatever the cost may be.
The female bristled to her full height, every muscle within her tense and coiled to spring. She shook with rage as she spoke, "How dare you come to and speak to me and my Alpha as if you have some right to be here?! Who the hell are you, just a fool with with no sense of who your superiors are."
A twisted smirk found its way to her muzzle as she spoke with a madness she did not know was in her.
"I suggest you turn back a flee to wherever you came from, before I tear your eyes from your dark face. Tell me fool, how you intend to defend a land you wont be able to see after the sun creeps over the tree line? Ill tear your hide from your carcass and use to line my next den if you speak to me or my Master as if you have some right to speak at all. Know your place fool."
She then without moving her head, addressed her Superior and asked his permission to make good on her threat.
"Shall I kill him Sir?"
Words;; Again, Im not sure Mood;; Highly Aggressive Tags;; Tharamon, Lynker Other;; None
Tharamon was met with a sudden smug happiness. Just after he began to call the nearest loners to hunt, Nur-Rama joined him, their voices rising and falling with a musicality unknown to any other living creature. It felt good and as a pack wolf, it set the male’s blood moving. Slowly, he allowed his voice to leave the song of the hunt and looked at the fae who had joined him. Yes, he had made a good choice, though he wasn’t entirely sure why he chose to react to her the way he had. That wasn’t true. He knew perfectly well why. She showed an amount of fight that he couldn’t help but tame. Or at least, bend to his will. A smile played with the edges of maw.
Suddenly, a stranger’s scent pulled his attention from the female. The stranger was unmistakably male, though it didn’t particularly bother him. Tharamon very rarely felt threatened, and when he was, it wasn’t because another wolf came into the picture. It was when a stranger made himself a threat. Even then, Tharamon did not always feel fear of the potential hostility. Fighting was a way of wolf life, and it was so normal, Tharamon did not give it a second thought. He did, however, turn his attention toward the wind, fairly certain he was ready for whatever came out of the trees.
He was met with a black wolf, arctic by the looks of it, who was so full of anger, Tharamon wondered briefly if it was tangible. Tharamon made no move to get up as the stranger began to speak. Great... he thought, figuring whichever god had pressed him to make the call was the same one who sent this devil. It was some sort of test to find if he was ready to lead a pack again. He was determined to pass it, no matter the cost. While the stranger spoke, threatening his life, the mackenzie valley took the time to analyze his physical condition. If it came to a brawl, neither would walk away without a scratch. Frankly, Tharamon wanted to avoid it.
He wasn’t afraid of a confrontation with this wolf, of course, just weary of it. If it were possible to diplomatically end this hostility before the battle of arms began, Tharamon wanted to take full advantage of it. So, he remained silent for a moment even after the stranger ceased his rant. With his desire to avoid physical contact, he forced his body to remain neutral, to not react to the assertiveness in the other male. In the best of times, such an act was difficult. Still, he was proud of his ability to control every muscle in his large carcass. This stranger would not provoke him into a rash decision. Of this, he was certain.
Nur-Rama, however, answered before Tharamon had decided on a choice of action. Her words were equally, if not more so, venomous than the strangers. A very cocky and smug expression fought to take control of the one-time alpha’s face and he was hard-pressed to bring it under control and keep his facial features smooth enough to pass for the detached air of one who refused to allow his lessors to lure him into anything he would regret later. It wasn’t easy. He had only gained her allegiance mere hours before, and she was already half begging to jump to his physical defense even though he was not the one truly being threatened here. It made him proud. However, even though he was pleased with her reaction, it would not further his plans.
The largest wolf in the little clearing pulled himself to his paws and took a step forward between the two others, ears and tail high. The intention was to become the most commanding figure there. With his bulk, it just might be possible. Slowly, he blinked, acknowledging the new-comer’s words. Without turning his dome, he replied to Nur-Rama’s qestion. “Stand down.” It was a very simple command and he had no doubt she would comply, though he did figure she wouldn’t do so quietly. He had tamed her body, but he doubted he would ever tame her spirit. Besides, he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to.
“Stranger,” he began. “You are aware that you, yourself, are a wolf?” The question was casual, as if they were having any afternoon chat. It should do better to ease the stranger’s nerves than a reply in the same tone he had entered the clearing with. “I did not pass a scent marker upon entering these lands, nor have I seen the signs of a pack dwelling here. A single wolf holds no right to lands.” Tharamon had the distinct impression that this stranger was not used to wolven customs. In fact, as Tharamon took a deep draft of morning air, he realized that the stranger’s scent was a bit off. He smelled like...bear? Tharamon almost cocked his head in confusion.
He had heard tales of loners spending their time with members of different species, but had never met one, himself. It had it’s lure, of course, for another creature could give insight to the rest of their species or even others if his opinion differed from his wolf counterpart. Tharamon raised a brow. He had traveled the length and breath of Anikira and had not never been threatened with death for hunting on another’s lands. Usually it was an automatic exile unless the transgression was small enough it was overlooked. “Calm yourself, young one,” he continued, as if an afterthought. “I do not wish for a trial by combat with you.” The stranger was brave to threaten two others at the same time without taking stock of their conditions, if a bit foolish, and Tharamon respected courage when he found it.
words;; 997. much better. =D tags;; Rozy's Nur-Rama and Jay's Lynker mood;; hahaha. I really don't know notes;; POSTING ORDER! for my sanity. Lynker, Nur-Rama, Thar. Whenever Scout joins (if he does) he will be placed wherever he joins at. =D
The small tan male had been wandering around the Oreins looking for herbs and what not when he heard a wolf's song. It was like a command and an invitation all at the same time, although it sounded more like a command. It sounded like a call from an alpha. Oh grrreat, I thought these were free lands, that's partially why I came here in the first place and now I have to deal with this guy. Great. As the sound continued, he noticed that it sounded like a call to a hunt but, there was not scent of a pack and no marked boarders or at least that he could tell. This sound intrigued him. His long legs started trotting in the direction of the call which was probably not he smartest idea he's ever had. This wolf sounded big and like an alpha. He was new to these parts and although he could probably outrun the male who called, he wouldn't know where he was going and could be easily chased somewhere dangerous but, that was the farthest thing from his mind. All he wanted to know was what was going on. The sound was so odd. His lean body weaved in and out of the trees at an easy pace, he was in now hurry to get anywhere. Although he was not necessarily hungry, he never passed up a meal especially if it was going to be big. Being a loner and so small it was too difficult to eat well enough to pass up an offer such as this.
As he approached the area where the other wolves were located he quickly sized them up. The large one was probably the one who called, the female could possibly be apart of his pack and the black one was angry about something. Perhaps it was something that the female said because she looked rather agitated as well but, the large male was calm and serene. Hiya everybody! His greeting was short, sweet and to the point but, some might say it was improper to greet strangers such as this but, what were strangers really? In Scout's mind they were just friends he hasn't met yet. What's with all the hate that's going around in here? I'm getting really negative vibes from the two of you He gestured with his head at the female and the black male. He couldn't help being blunt, it was just how he was. Oh wait, how rude of me, let me introduce myself. My name is Scout and all of you are? He had his crooked smile on his face and his tail was wagging slightly and he held it low to show that he was not going to be a dominate wolf here. He could see that, that position had already been taken. His voice was smooth and savvy sounding. If he were a person he would have been speaking with a southern accent but, he was not so that is how he spoke. His gait coming into this whole meeting was smooth and slow as well. He looked around the group one more time. He noticed the female wolf was rather appealing. Not overpoweringly beautiful but, she was not a bad looking she-wolf. Maybe he just liked fiery she-wolves with attitude and sass like this one seemed to have or maybe it's because he hasn't seen a decent looking female in so long. He smiled at her. One would have to admit that his charm was rather different from most male wolves but, occasionally affective. Scout didn't want a full on relationship with this female, breeding rights he might want but, all he really wanted to do was flirt with her. His face would read like an open book and he knew it. The large male was probably her mate and if he was, he would defend her and he could be killed in the process so he changed his thoughts back onto the group situation. Words;;700ish Muse;; pretty good Tagged;;uhhh lots of people Mood;; flirty, happy, curious Other;; sorry this took so long to reply to, I didn't know I was tagged until Moony told me.
The black wolf’s eyes were focused on the larger male, almost certain that he would be the most aggressive one in this situation. He was surprised when the female spoke up, spitting out such a pile of nonsense that Lynker would have laughed if the threat behind the silly words wasn’t so intense.
“How dare you threaten me, femme? Do you expect me to cower in fear of your false threats? I know my place, and it’s a damn sight higher than yours” He sneered, shifting his weight onto his back legs so that his long bear-like claws were free to strike in the combat he was sure would follow. “You think you can beat me in a fight, do you? Bring it on. You’ll be a sorry sight when I’m finished with you. Ha! Count yourself lucky my friend isn’t here. You’d be dead already”
His attention, however, was distracted when the other wolf stepped in between him and the crazed femme. The corner of his mouth twitched into a snarl as the larger male spoke, but when he realised that the wolf was only trying to be peaceful, he forced himself to relax into a less aggressive posture. The male had at least acknowledged his claim, and although Lynker knew that the bigger male was probably not afraid of him, he hoped that he would have enough respect to stay away from Nyspoli’s Pool in the future.
“I’m sorry, sir, for threatening to kill your slave” He apologised sincerely, but was unable to resist taunting the femme just a little bit more. He had no real quarrel with the male – it was only the female who was the idiot. He would treat others how they treated him. This wolf seemed to be trying to be civil and polite to him, so he would return the favor.
“Yes, sir, I am aware of that fact. But, you see, even though I may have the body of a wolf, I am a bear in spirit” Lynker nodded to himself happily. After having been raised by bears for nearly his entire life, it was a true statement. “You may not have picked up my scent, since it is so different to an ordinary wolf’s scent, but it is there. There are also scratch marks on the trees to clearly mark the borders. All right? Now that you know where my territory is, I trust that you will not intrude again” He let a smile spread on his lips, to show that he was willing to be friendly as long as these wolves had no interest in stealing his lands. “It’s not as if I lay claim to the whole of the Oriens. Just enough to feed me and my friends. You are welcome to take the rest” Maybe that was being a bit too polite – he would never exactly welcome wolves living around his borders, but he supposed he would be able tolerate them.
Suddenly another wolf barged into the little clearing. By habit, Lynker's facial features took the position of a snarl, and his hackles were raised again, fur bristling along his spine to make him look bigger. But the other wolf didn’t seem to be aggressive – in fact, quite the contrary. “Hello Wolf” Lynker suspiciously eyed the overly friendly creature, but couldn’t find anything threatening about the male’s behaviour. “My name is Lynker” He replied after a long pause.
Nur-Rama was done, she had officially seen enough to call this entire project a complete failure. Lesson learned; rely on yourself. The young female had resisted the urge to defy her Alpha's wishes, though she wished deeply she didn't have to, and as the conversation progressed between her Superior and the black stranger, she knew there would be no use gained from either, and at this rate things were only going to become worse.
First, she now was full of so much pent up frustration at being held back she could no longer bring herself to stay on her haunches, the position she had taken in the clearing after she was made to back down, only to be further insulted by the black brute. Then taking a long look up at the morning sky, it became apparent that opportune time for the hunt had now passed and chances are the game was long gone as well. Hell even if the opportunity hadn't gone this still would have been a failure; they hadn't managed to attract any wolves that would be of use to the hunt, an ashen fool who knew less about his own kind than she did, and a jovial wolf so small he'd probably be trampled by what they were aiming to kill.
The black one may have been of some use, but even so there was no way she want help from the likes of a creature like him now, and if they crossed paths at a time when she was ever away from her Alpha, she would make good on her threat. That was certain.
She sighed, shook her head, and without a word turned and slipped away from the clearing, hoping that her absence would not be noticed by her leader until after she was long gone. The consequences of her actions she would deal with later. The young female would wait no longer.
As light as she could be on her paws, Nur-Rama padded further and further away from the clearing, headed in the direction of the lake she called her own, black wolf be damned. If she could not enjoy a hunt with other wolves, she would kill on her own. The fae scented a number of game animals that would have been an easy take down, more her speed for a quick, short lived meal, but that was no longer sufficient to appease her anger.
Suddenly she paused, and took in a long, deep, heavy breath. She had acquired her target, and she couldn't believe her good fortune. Nur-Rama picked up her pace despite the rough portion of terrain she was crossing, a rocky part of the forest floor. She knew she had some cuts to her paws, but it was just as well, she was far to focused to lick her wounds now.
The young wolf stopped as she scented the air beside a heavy thicket of brush. Whatever plants were growing around the area were doing a good job of masking the scent, but it wasn't enough to dissipate it fully, for this was a scent she knew, and there was no mistaking what was on the other side of the bushes.
A young black bear.
She smiled to herself. It wasnt a terribly large animal, it was young, not a cub, but still not fully grown, too young to be independent from its mother for sure. It was also far to thin to survive the winter the way that bears do, but it was still a great threat. The young wolf had never hunted one before, in fact, it wasn't something wolves generally ever did. They were not fond of eating or even hunting fellow carnivores, but Nur-Rama was not just looking for a meal anymore, she was eager for a fight, and if she opted to lunge for this sleeping creature, she would surely have one.
She poised, darted through the bush and before it had time to gather what was happening, Nur-Rama tore into the face of the monster, going for the eyes. To blind a creature off its guard was what her mother taught her. If it cant see you, it will be hard pressed to kill you.
And with a shrill roar from the beast, and a loud mocking cry from Nur-Rama, the fight began.
Tharamon had been looking at the wolf before him with a brow raised, trying to decide the best choice of action. Logic and rationality had never failed him before when dealing with a sane stranger over the age of two. Then again, there was a first time for everything. Before he could’ve responded, however, an iranian wolf - a breed more suited to the southern lands - appeared and introduced himself. Tharamon judged his age to be about three. He would be hard pressed to keep any humor out of his voice. The newest stranger probably couldn’t have been able to show up at a better time.
A second later, to Tharamon’s amazement, the black wolf who believed he was a bear introduced himself. Lynker... Tharamon tasted the name before daring to say it out loud. For some reason, he had the distinct impression Lynker would be important in the near future. Of course, he was more or less ordering Tharamon and those he would potentially lead to leave. That was enough to piss any dominant wolf off. However, this particular mackenzie valley cross prided himself in his ability to remain calm at pretty much all times. The gods would damn him before he gave up such an ingrained piece of his personality.
First things first, Tharamon thought. “Greetings, Scout. I am Tharamon.” It didn’t escape his noticed that Nur-Rama was not forthcoming with a response. “If you will give us a moment...?” Though worded as a question, there was enough forcefulness in his tone that few would truly believe he was asking for silence. Oh the same token, however, nor was he being a complete ass and demanding it. Tharamon was attempting to walk that fine line between tyrant and beloved leader, for he didn’t particularly wish to be either one but a mix of the two. Ever cocky, he was fairly certain he managed to.
The once alpha looked back at the black wolf who introduced himself as Lynker. “Bears are omnivorous and don’t bring down the prey a pack of wolves do and thus rarely, if ever, fight with my kind for hunting rights,” he said, logically and politely refuting the denizen’s claim to land. “If you are, as you say, a bear in spirit, we should have no quarrel...as wolves and bears can exist in the same lands in general harmony.” A howl of anger suddenly split the air, Tharamon immediately recognizing it as Nur-Rama’s voice. They hadn’t been together particularly long, but there were a few things that they would both know. First among that list were the ways of recognizing each other.
At almost the same moment, the loud roar of the creature being discussed shook the branches above the wolves’ heads. Tharamon closed his eyes for a moment, steadying himself. It would not do to lose his temper now. “Unless, apparently, the wolf is Nur-Rama,” he said almost amiably. Slowly, his eye lids fluttered back to an open position. He looked first at Scout then at Lynker. “Well, you might as well come along...” With that, he trotted into the forest. His pace was brisk enough to show that he was obviously on some sort of mission but slow enough to show that he was no where near panicking.
Inwardly, he groaned. This would set his peace talks with Lynker back a ways. That would go a long way towards pushing the big wolf past calm and into anger. Generally, he tried not to become too particularly pissed off. Frankly, it was because when he did, he harbored a grudge, and said grudge could last until Tharamon’s last breath. This is what had happened with his previous pack, a pack now scattered to the four winds and half dead. Possibly all dead, but their alpha would probably never know for sure. This alone was enough to set his blood boiling. He pushed the hostile emotion down. He would retain control. It was what his entire life was based on. So really, if he had come across as completely full of himself, it was unintentional.
Within moments, he neared his charge and her opponent. The picture in the little scope of trees nearly took his breath away. If anything was brave, this was. However, Nur-Rama’s heart was lost on Tharamon as he analyzed the situation. The stud doubted his she-wolf had heard his spill about wolves and bears existing together. If she had, Tharamon was certain, she would not have completely disregarded his point like this. All that left was what to do now that the situation had come up. Though bears were, generally, not sociable animals, he was fairly certain there was enough wolf in Lynker’s psyche that he would jump into the fray to protect the adolescent that was being attacked. Before a enough time had passed to blink, the wolf barked a very demanding order. “Nur-Rama! leave him be. Now!”
If she followed the command -- which he doubted simply because her need to fight was almost tangible in the air around him -- he doubted the bear would do the same. Tharamon sighed emphatically. He knew how to deal with an angry adult bear: run. A sickly adolescent bear? No idea. If it were a wolf, he would deem it unfit to live within his lands or pack and would be exiled or killed. He had passed such judgement before. Also, he was fairly certain, Nur-Rama had already done irreparable damage to the beast’s eyes. Well... he thought, completely annoyed. If we’re going to hunt at this rate, we’ll need to go up into the mountains. That’s probably where all the game fled to when they heard this confrontation.
If she didn’t follow the command, however, he’d have no choice but to drag her out of the fight. If it came to that, she would be looking at the thrashing of her life. Of course, whether she followed his order or not, she would still be looking at a possible beating. It mattered little that Tharamon had only been her lord for mere hours. He was cocky enough to pretty much expect her to look up his rear end and read his mind. Really it was just that he believed in learning as you go. The rules he had laid out for her were in his mind and had yet to be uttered. If he were to give them all at one time, she would not be able to remember them all. If he waited to tell her she wasn’t allowed to do something after she did it and gave her a physical reminder, the lesson would stick. It wasn’t cruel, exactly, just very demanding and not particularly easy on the one receiving the learnings.
words;; 1,129. =D tags;; oh crap. Rozy's Nur-Rama, Jay's Lynker (and possibly Curse), and Scout's Scout. did I get everybody? mood;; pissed. =D notes;; sorry y'all had to wait so long...but it's a decent post. =D
Last Edit: Nov 21, 2011 12:38:50 GMT -5 by rozalyn
The brownish black femme's nose picked up on the scent of wolves about half a mile or so forth to the east which just happened to be the direction she was heading in, the thought of confrontation was killing her as well as the smell of wolves disgusting her mind and well, taste buds also.
She thought for several long minutes or what felt long to her while the females light gray eyes looked at the rays of the sun beating into the forest through the dead, autumn leaves and the dark shadows of thick dying underbrush surrounding the tree's there-self. Soon her tall, thick boned limbs strode her body forth while diving into the light of day that made the females coat sparkle, making the black furs turn a dark gray and the brown to become a blonde color.
Every time the young female was seen within the sunlight her pelt always shined and she hated it, the thought of being a light colored wolf tortured her mind, body and soul yet it was better than getting poked with sticker bushes all the time so she continued to hastily trot through the falling leaves, twigs and faintly wet ground.
Each large footprint she made left a small and barely visible animal track in printed into the leaves and soil which was naked too a un-trained eye. She soon twisted her ears from the sides forward and into a alert position, letting them search for the sounds of animals or the crackles of footsteps until the tip of her left ears twitched from a voice of a male wolf, turning her head she saw a few wolves, one looked like a mackenzie, and a few others which the breeds she had never seen before.
Freia knew that the large male was a mackenzie because in her old home there was one that was adopted into the pack and everyone beat up onto him. Silently trotting into the shadows before she was seen, her body was kept in a crouching position as if she was stalking them. The Young femme scanned each wolf with her big gray eyes while still keeping her distance in that very same shadow.
The sky was the prettiest shade of green. It was like the sky was made out of leaves in the summer time. Leaning to the right he soared over the mountain tops and through purple clouds until he saw it again. That darn crow, following him around in the sky. Why was it so annoying? Trying to catch it in his mouth and eat it he frowned, always five feet in front of his mouth no matter how close he got. Growling the Mexican wolf opened his eyes to see the morning sun rising over the wonderful field he was sitting in. Grass was everywhere, deer were grazing... It was like summer all over again! Yawning for a moment, he began to stretch before finally standing. Letting his mouth hang open and his tongue roll out he stood for a moment and gazed in wonder at the rocks that were a little ways up.
Beginning to walk it seemed like every five steps he took only got him about an inch further. Looking off to his right he noticed a few little pups playing. He went over to join them just as they disappeared. Frowning he continued to walk on until his head crushed into some painfully hard invisible object. Shaking his head and closing his eyes he tried to wash away the pain that began to throb in his brain. Opening his eyes he saw he was in the Zaor Forest not far from where he had met that one wolf... Lynker? Was that his name? Regardless he had been a bear wolf that surely had no sense of what a wolf acted like. He grinned at the thought of his new friend and set off to find him. Sniffing the ground he couldn't find the bear stench anywhere. Frowning for only a moment before he continued to search he caught a small whiff of it. Loop grinned widely and began to follow it as it weaved throughout the entire forest. Going one way and then turning around to go back and going off in some weird direction before making a complete circle. the brute found himself getting lost in the scent and sometimes making large circles himself where the scent overlapped.
Eventually after making circles he began to smell the bear scent so strong it was a little overwhelming but it didn't matter to the insane canine. He heard a large amount of conversation going on ahead but he assumed it wasn't Lynker but some other wolves talking far too loud for his liking. Keeping his nose down and hoping not to disturb the wolves nearby he kept walking. Stopping for a second to make sure he wasn't picking up another scent and leaving his original he moved on until something stopped him. It really wasn't his choice whether he stopped or not for he hadn't seen it there. Assuming it was just another tree he ran into he gazed up to see a wolf standing there. Oops, he thought to himself. Maybe he should've been paying closer attention.
Words: 518 Muse: ^^ Notes: rawr ^^ this should be interesting ^^ feel free to bite him Freia
The female that he had noticed completely ignored him, a response that he found rather rude. What had he done to deserve such treatment? He couldn't come up with anything. The bear-like wolf was slightly more welcoming. At least he had the decency to tell him his name although he did address him as "wolf" when he had clearly told him his name. Lynker. It was an odd name for an odd wolf. He thought it fit him very well. His eyes traveled to the big male who he had thought would be the most aggressive to him but, he was pleasantly surprised. The big male name Tharamon was rather friendly. He was the most welcoming wolf here. His long thin legs trotted his body closer to the big male. He only wanted to be in the company of those who would treat him with decency. He would be glad to befriend the others but, he was no fool. He knew sitting by the others would be dangerous so he sat down at the side of Tharamon. He had no way of knowing that this could be a place for a pack member. He had not been in a pack in years and had long forgotten the order of things. He sat down and let his tongue hang out of his mouth while his tail wagged. He completely dismissed the tension that the others were feeling.
Tharamon had asked or told him to be quiet. His words were a question but, his tone was a command. He assumed that it was to continue the conversation that he might have interrupted.
The female had disappeared. He turned his head to look for her but, didn't find her. He turned his attention back to the other wolves. A loud noise crashed into his ear drums. Who was that? What was that? Scout had no idea. He turned his head to the large male, looking to see if he knew what was going on. He looked like he knew who it was. Tharamon had told him to come along with him. Yay! a field trip! Scout followed behind Tharamon at a good distance. He was not used to moving very fast.
The female was fighting a bear?! She had guts. It was only a small bear but it was still a bear. The creature made his nervous. He tensed his body up but did not let out a growl. It was not his intention to be violent with the bear, actually it was quiet the contrary. He wanted to run from the fight and get as far away from it as fast as his legs would take him but, something held him here. He couldn't figure out what it was. Maybe it was the tone in Tharamon's voice or maybe his fear was paralyzing him here. Either way, he wasn't going to move. The Iranian was on high alert. His ears were pointed straight up and his eyes quickly moved around the scene. He noticed another wolf hiding in the shadow. She was a darker wolf and definitely a female and she was soon joined by another wolf, who was a male. He did something that he thought he would never do. He let out a bark. It was a bark of alarm, it was high pitched and nervous sounding. They were making him even more uncomfortable and he couldn't take all of this. The bear, the fight, new wolves it was all just to much for the little wolf. Perhaps they were going to attack him, maybe they were not friendly. He let out another bark. This one was lower and more raspy. Most wolves would use this as a threat or a display of anger, he used it as a bluff. He knew he would not fight them but, he wanted to try to scare them away. He thought this would make him feel more comfortable. The little wolf's paws danced in place as he looked at the pair, turning his back to the bear and the fight. Realizing that this was not safe either, he turned around in circles trying to keep his eye on everything around him. They were not fast circles but, when he moved, he moved quickly. Still, no growl escaped from his lips. His body remained tense. He knew that being this way could be even more dangerous than staying calm but he really had no control over that anymore. It had escalated far beyond what he might have been able to stop. All he wanted was this to be over, to be somewhere calm so he could relax his mind. The Iranian would probably be tense like this for weeks unless this stopped soon. He wanted so badly for it to stop, he hated being like this.This was not who he was. He was the calm, fun-loving wolf not the stressy, tense one. His thoughts raced, not being able to concentrate on anything.
He stopped his spinning only to back up from the situation. He was getting behind the large male but, not so far behind so that he might look like a pup. Not that he didn't already but, he still wanted to keep what little dignity he had left. He didn't bark but his body was still tense. He had not said a word and that's how he intended to keep it. Not a word would slip from his tongue until this ordeal was over. The facial expressions on him were still alert but less alarmed. He could not bring himself to sit even though he wanted to. He tried to bring his bottom to the ground but, kept standing back up, too scared to even sit. He had never been in a situation like this one before. In his mind he pleaded the gods, if there were any, to take him from this situation if they had any compassion at all.
Words;;1081-ish Muse;; great Tagged;;Rozy's Nur-Rama, Jay's Lynker, Loop's Loop, Freia's Friea. Mood;; scared to death Other;;
Lynker frowned as the new wolf, Scout, moved to take a place next to Tharamon’s side. So they were ganging up on him, were they? A low growl began to rumble in his throat. He couldn’t see anything wrong with his greeting, or why Tharamon’s was so much better. Maybe it was his aggressive stance, then? Abruptly, he stopped his growling. It wasn’t going to help him make friends here, and he didn’t really want a fight, although he wasn’t afraid of one. Even outnumbered three to one, he would still try to protect what was rightfully his. Which brought him to the question – where had that female gone? He should have been keeping a closer eye on her. He hated the thought of being attacked while he was so off guard.
The others didn’t seemed to have noticed the femme’s disappearance. He was about to warn them, thinking that her ‘Master’ ought to know, but was distracted by the words Tharamon now spoke. That was unfair! Yes, it may be true that bears didn’t often fight with wolves over prey, but Lynker was different! He wanted to be a bear so much sometimes that it hurt, but his body needed to be fed with the food of a wolf. He didn’t want to have to fight for territory rights with these lowly creatures! This wasn’t his fault!
The sound of a loud roar jolted him out of his angry thoughts, and he immediately regretted not warning the others of the she wolf’s disappearance. Damnit! He knew she would go and cause trouble! Luckily, the roar’s owner was not his brother, Curse. Still, it was obviously a direct attack against Lynker and his claim! At Tharamon’s next words, Lynker let out a harsh laugh, then leaped forwards and bounded across the land in front of the larger male, not wanting to show disrespect by getting too far ahead, but impatient at the other’s slowness.
Meanwhile, Curse was ambling along peacefully back towards the den, waiting for Lynker to return. He suddenly came to a halt when the first roar reached his ears. Normally, he wouldn’t have really cared that another bear was being attacked, but this one sounded far too close to the lake for his liking. If the attacker killed its victim, what would stop it from attempting to take over Curse’s territory? Curse was still only a cub, really. Sure, he was large for his age and was already a skilled fighter, but it was still a couple of years before he would reach maturity.
He broke into a loping run, anxious to reach the scene before there were any fatal injuries. Judging by the tone of the roar, the bear was young – and Curse had a soft spot for youngsters (even though he was still considered one by many). The bear also sounded sickly, so would be unable to defend itself properly against the attacker.
When he became close enough to realise what the attacker was he became enraged. A wolf?! A wolf trying to attack a bear? Ridiculous! Wolves only attacked bears when they had their whole pack behind them, or when they were certain of a win. Bears were much stronger than wolves; and smarter too. Curse hated wolves. He detested them. Apart from Lynker, of course, who, in his mind, counted as a bear anyway.
Lynker arrived with Tharamon and Scout, in time to see the aggressive female beginning another lunge at the young bear. His hackles bristled in outrage, and he was about to rush forwards into the fight when he heard Tharamon’s command. He paused, but was unsure of why he was letting the femme have a second chance, when she so clearly deserved to be executed. The nervous bark of a wolf behind him alerted him to the presence of even more of the crazy creatures. He spun around to face them, infuriated by the added complication of having to size up and assess the new wolves, until he recognised his friend, Loop. Good. It was nice to know that he at least had one ally in the mess this situation was turning into.
As Curse burst through the trees, he saw that a bunch of other wolves had joined the one attacking the innocent bear. Lynker? Was that Lynker he saw there? Surely the wolf-bear wouldn’t willingly be taking part in this. He must be trying to stop them.
Curse reared up on his hind legs behind the littlest wolf, who was standing slightly behind the rest, and roared as fiercely as he could manage, swiping his paws wildly as he pushed past. He roared again as he charged through the crowd of wolves, towards the little black bear. “Get away from him, you filthy murderers!”
He barged past the attacker, and pushed the black bear away, easily thwarting the smaller one’s attempts to continue the battle. “Don’t be foolish, little one!” he hissed “There are too many – you can’t kill them all!”
The youngster was heavily wounded; one eye was completely ripped out of its socket, and there were several wounds on the bear’s shoulders. Luckily, the other eye was fine, so the bear wouldn’t be completely blind. “Quick! Run!” he urged the other forwards, nudging it with his snout to get it moving, before he turned back to face the wolves, an angry snarl contorting his features.
Nur-Rama's assessment of this bear as a target was, in her mind, an excellent decision. The bear was young, inexperienced, sickly, and now partially blinded. She had torn out one of its eyes, and had seriously wounded its shoulder. But a wounded bear was not a dead one, and she kept her guard up as she continued her assault. The young female was relishing the release, the chance to show her power. Even being small, and alone in her assault, she was fast, she was strong, and was rapidly learning the skills that would be required if she was to hopefully take the land by force.
"I will have the Oriens to call my own, and those against that rule will be dead or driven out, one way or the other."
The little female saw the bear weakening. It was not a skilled fighter in the least, but it showed some determination to live, which is really the only thing that made it a worthy adversary aside from the fact that it was a bear. The creature seemed to have no skill for standing on its hind legs, leaving its front paws to strike at an enemy. The most that it did was leap up briefly and come down hard on its paws, but Nur-Rama was far too quick to be crushed in such a fashion. It did strike out with one paw and balance on the other three, and it did bite as well, but that was doing little to aid against her attack.
Nur-Rama however, was not unscathed by the fight, he'd gotten her once, and she had 2 twin gashes in her left hind flank. They hurt, but did little to slow her down. Her blood was flowing, and adrenaline had her in-tune to her fight, and nothing would break that concentration, that is, nothing except the voice of her Superior. He was commanding her off her assault with such a tone that it broke her clean out of her focus mid-stride.
The female halted, and took a few steps away from the bear, considering. By the tone of his command, she knew that she was in trouble, she left in the clearing having not been told to do so, knowing that she was supposed to stay. Nur-Rama knew there was no way she was going to get out of that, and yet her Alpha's tone insinuated that there was something more to what she knew she would be punished for. There had to be something else that she had done, though she didn't have a clue as to what.
Nur-Rama sized up her options, she could abandon the assault on the bear now as her leader had directer her. She knew from his tone that it was an order, and she would only have one warning. Or she could choose to disregard it, finish what she started and let whatever happened later happen. The young wolf was still pondering as she suddenly heard the voice of a shrill bark of warning come from behind her, followed by a loud roar from a second bear.
This new adversary was a grizzly, far bigger and in much better condition than the creature that had been on the receiving end or her anger. She snarled as she saw the grizzly push her target away, and then stand to defend it. However in that second, her choice was made for her. Attacking this bear on her own would be a bad choice on her end. Her paws were bloody and cut from her trip to find the bear, she had spent a fair amount of energy on her old adversary, and she had a damaged leg as well.
"I'm not in condition to take on a standing bear. Not one of that size."
Nur-Rama may be aggressive, and she was brave to the point of it being sometimes foolish, but she was not stupid. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she chose to heed her Master's order, and backed away slowly, snarling, and never taking her eyes from the grizzly. As she passed, she couldn't help but catch the sight of two new wolves from the corner of her eye, hiding in the shadows.
"Hopefully the two new wolves would not prove to be as ignorant as the as the black one."
Having backed about 5 yards from the bear, Nur-Rama turned, as she did so, she dropped her aggressive stance. Her bristled fur relaxed and smoothed out to her normal look, and the young female paced slowly toward the wolf that had claim to her life, knowing that was what he wanted. It would do her no good to pretend she didn't know that was what he expected of her, she knew she was in trouble, and now she had to answer to her Lord.
However, Nur-Rama did not cower as she approached, as most wolves in her position did, and as she probably should have. Her tail swayed with the bouncing gait that was her natural pace, but her head was lower than his own, out of a natural respect to his dominance. She and her Superior were not the only two present, and though she knew he would more than likely be making an example of her to these others, she would meet her punishment with the same confidence she used to defy her Alpha with. The young female was not below these others in the clearing, and she would be damned if she showed any submission to them that was only for her Master.
A mere two yards from her leader, she stopped, and looking in his direction, but not meeting his gaze, she spoke,
"You called for me, Superior?"
Words;; 900 at least Mood;; Bluffing bravery in the face of her Dominant lol Tags;; Tharamon, Lynker, Scout, Freia, Loop Other;; I may have done some slight power play, I don't think I did, but if I did sorry!
Last Edit: Nov 23, 2011 11:39:47 GMT -5 by rozalyn
The entire scene had spiraled into chaos. There were a couple of wolves hiding in the shadows who, if Tharamon’s gut was right, were fighting. A new bear had appeared with a scent strikingly similar to Lynker’s. Two more loners had come to say hello, albeit in a roundabout fashion, hiding in the bushes. Lynker was furious, but at least giving Tharamon a chance to reign in the wolf who gave him allegiance. Scout, the small iranian, was more or less hiding behind the big mackenzie valley cross, though he didn’t blame him. Again, the best thing to do in the face of a big, pissed off bear was run, and it was exactly what the male wanted to do.
However, Tharamon hated chaos. His life was ordered and made perfect sense whenever he could make it that way. Also, he never tried to move particularly fast. Tharamon was deliberate, if he was anything. Rarely did he make a rash decision or look for a fight when words would suffice. However, extended thoughts were required to know if words could take the place of a physical blow. Thus, as soon at the earliest opportunity, the large male turned his mind in the direction of all possible outcomes, which he wanted, and how to react to each individual. It had been years since he learned to separate logic from emotion.
Wolves were social creatures by nature, but long terms of loneliness tended to make them cautious of others. And, of course, there were mental disorders that caused an otherwise normal wolf to despise company. This could explain the decision for two of the wolves to hide in the shadows. Then again, so could the appearance of the bear. As a matter of fact, the appearance of the second bear was enough to make Tharamon want to leave in an above average speed fashion. However, as the only wolf with a claim to leadership in the area, he was not at liberty to turn tail and flee. He looked at the younger, half blind bear with longing as it fled the scene. Of course, no one would see the longing, but he felt it.
After a quick assessment, Tharamon decided that the first thing that needed to be dealt with was the bear. However, a quick glance told him that would be nigh impossible until everyone had some semblance of calm. On top of that, he had a decision to make: deal with Nur-Rama here, in view of others with his anger directing his actions or later, where the strangers wouldn’t reap the benefit of an example and could possibly take him for a weak leader. Turning anyone into a public example was a fantastic way to make that wolf an enemy. Even with the faults he had seen, the once alpha liked the spirited little she-wolf. Still, first things first.
He channeled a little extra energy into his vocal cords, threw back his head and howled, “Enough!” It wasn’t as loud as a bear’s angry roar, but it was definitely loud enough to catch the attention of everyone in the immediate vicinity. As soon as he was certain he had it, the wolf drug himself to his full height, tail erect and ears forward, daring anyone to dispute his claim as the most dominant wolf here with his posture. “Nur-Rama you have shamed and displeased me,” he said, his voice harsh and asking for no response save silence. “No one,” Tharamon continued, letting his gaze roam over those present. “Is here to fight.” He ended the sentence looking at the bear. That was more for his benefit than anyone else.
“Come out of those bushes,” the wolf continued, directing his lyrics toward the two newest wolves. “Now then. Fighting is a waste of time and energy, and there’s hunting to be done.” He turned back to the bear and Lynker, moving until he could see both of them while looking in the same direction. “I’m sure we can work out some sort of agreement on hunting rights. Bears do not eat the same game that wolves do, and a lone wolf cannot bring down a decent sized deer.” There was no doubt in his mind that Lynker would understand the message. “There was no need for this confrontation.” Tharamon sent a quick glare toward Nur-Rama to remind her that he hadn’t forgotten her transgression.
“However, it did occur, and repercussions must ensue.” The great wolf sighed heavily, forcing the cloud of anger out of his thoughts. This was a situation he had never dealt with before. Could he and the other wolves here, if they joined him, subdue the bear? It was likely. However, it was not possible that they would walk away from such a fight unscathed, and it was possible some would not walk away at all. Also, there was Lynker to consider. There was no doubt in Tharamon’s mind as to whether or not the bear was his aforementioned ‘friend’. Had the bear been a lone wolf and this territory belonged to Tharamon, there would be no punishment as he did not allow trespassers. However, the victim had been a bear, and this was not Tharamon’s territory, though the aggressor was Tharamon’s charge.
“You will regret your decision, Nur-Rama,” he said a moment later. “But now is not the most opportunistic moment. Understand this: any more bear fights and I will give you to the bears.” He meant it. There could be no doubt. It had not bothered him that she had not groveled. On the contrary, if she had, he would have been infuriated. “For now, find a patch of level ground and sit your ass down on it. I don’t want you out of my sight, do you understand?” Tharamon noticed the gashes on her leg. They didn’t appear to be bleeding bad enough for her to die, so he left them alone for now. “The next wolf to start a fight will answer to me.” It was not an empty threat, no matter how much he hated brawling. Few wolves could obtain the title of ‘alpha’ without a battle here or there and no one could remain alpha for any length of time without one.
words;; 1049, no coding tags;; buncho de peeplez. =D mood;; ticked the crap off. =D notes;; hehehe. no more fighting. ^^
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