Hung Out to Dry [Open]

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As the sea closed over his head, he knew he was going to die.

Water churned around his paws as he fought the instinct to paddle. Bubbles spiraled upwards. The darkness was both above and below. There was no surface, only swirls of black and blue and the roar of the waves in his ears. At first, he held his breath. But as his lungs burned and his nose flooded with the salt and sting of seawater, he relented. Rikez sucked in a mouthful of chilled salt water, and he could feel his body convulse at the invasion.

The resolution to end his own life burned fiercely in the large brute’s mind as his sodden fur dragged him deeper. He was ready to end his inevitable loneliness, ready to stop all feeling and thoughts of pain that had taken over his young mind. He was ready to die. He wanted nothing more than everything to end. The bittersweet memories of his past, the gnawing sorrow of being a loner, the constant battles against the wind and snow of nature’s winter, the never-ending hunger in his stomach from the scraps of food and small kills he was able to make on his own; they were all reminders of his sorry existence. And soon, all of that will be gone.

His jaws snapped open and shut in a silent cry and the last meager bubbles of air flitted upwards from his gaping maw, Rikez’s lungs worked to breath against the onslaught of water. As his mind cleared and an absolution settled like a fog over the brute’s mind, his body was fighting for a last chance to survive. His back legs kicked, his body convulsed in uncontrolled spasms, but it was too late. Wide, amber eyes seemed to flicker with emotion for just a moment before his body went still and his lids slid shut. Peace washed over him in the split second before he was gone.

Unconscious, the black brute’s mind floated away from him. His thoughts were mere wisps of emotion, flashes of images and memory. Disengaged from the physical state of his body, Rikez saw a forest of oaks. Trees stretched towards the sky and the green canopy lit up from the ray of sun above. His old home was not always a place of peace, but it was a place he had known. The last thing he remembered seeing was a soft, silver pelt and the warming breath of another wolf, soft against his cheek.

When he opened his eyes, the world was tilted.

Was a shudder and a sharp twist of the spine, Rikez doubled over onto his side and let the wave of nausea wrack his body. As he convulsed against the course sand, his retching cleansed his body of everything it held; the small bones of his last meal, seawater, and burning mucus spewed out onto the beach. When he was done, the brute let his large head fall back onto the damp ground. His limps trembled with fatigue. He waited there, the smell of his bile curling his muzzle and his breath coming in shallow, pained gasps. It was not until his heart returned to a normal rate and he had caught his breath that the brute lifted his head.

Around him, the beach stretched along the coast in both directions. The water was gently lapping against the shore, and the grey sky overhead was a far cry from the storm had had ravaged the sea before. Only a few lopes away from the water’s edge, trees began. The forest was green and dark, with fog swirling around thick trunks and foliage holding still in the absence of wind. The scene around the black wolf was surreal, the smoky white fog giving the land an immediate sense of dread. Rikez sat could do nothing but sit there, the grey water rising and falling against his hindquarters and his bright eyes struggled to cut through the thick blanket of fog.

---

Count | 672 words
Muse | Pretty good
Notes | Anyone is free to stumble across my shipwrecked wolf. Pity him, attack him, do as you please. :p

[Deleted]

At least the past few days had not been a drag, the femme was content that she had stumbled upon Tike. The pup certainly seemed displeased, but that was not something for her to concern herself with. It had brought a smile to her face, that was important. A smug smirk had settled upon her features, hopefully things would continue this way. Life had started to become too boring, the Mackenzie Valley female needed to have a task before her. When her mind grew idle the world surrounding her could become quite violent. She was not exactly the sweetest female around. In fact, the female was a bit odd - to say the least. Her mixed skills of fighting and poisons were enough to make a sane canine steer clear of her. That was before they learned about her rapid temper and manipulative ways. She was the best and one day all the others would see that.

With confidence she strode through the lands of Descai, when she was alone her posture was proud enough as if these were her lands. Certainly they were not, she was merely a subordinate. To this day she was still enraged with her rank, the Alpha was clearly blind. Obviously he did not realize what a precious gem she was. Lips curled up as she paced, angry for the lack of appreciation she was receiving. This pack was becoming increasingly frustrating for her. It was impossible to gain ultimate power when the alpha rarely even came around, at least that she could see. Claws ripped up terrain as the violence continued to pulsate throughout her veins. Sarin craved intention, desired it, demanded it. Especially during this time of the year.

Mating season was the worst for this canine and all of those around her. Her absolute need for attention grew rapidly, her sexuality went into hyper-drive. Not only was her life hell, but most of the time she would make it that way for everyone else. That mattered little to this ebony colored femme, the universe was created for her. The stars aligned themselves in order to make her life better. Few others recognized the absolute angel that she was, it was a simple fact that they were blind. One day maybe someone would be intelligent enough to realize it. That would be a phenomenal day for her. A slight chuckle emitted her maw and she trotted along down closer to the beach. Emerald optics surfing along the terrain as she proceeded.

A corpse caught her eye, or what might as well have been a dead body. It appeared to have been spewed from the great expanse of water, a cascading shiver rippled up her spine. The ocean was a bitch that was certain. For a moment she paused, tilting her head to the side to observe this canine. Who did she want to be today - that was the great question. For a second the demonic female nearly turned and left the poor brute, her perfectly clean pelt may get dirty if she aided him. 'Do not be so cruel, this may benefit you,' a look of concern cascaded over her features. A soft whine parted her lips as she approached the brute. "Hello?" a seductive question pierced the air around her, "Sir are you alright?" Cautiously she brought herself closer, claws still deep within the ground beneath her. In the event this brute wanted to fight, he would surely have one.

The smell of the brute's retching was foul to her nostrils and right there she nearly wanted to waste the canine. How disgusting of him to be seen in such disarray. It sent a wave of nausea over her; yet, her outward expression remained that of innocent concern with a sexual undertone that she simply could not shake. It was as if she constantly was aroused by the world around her, perhaps she was. There were parts of her mind that she hid away from everyone else. It was better that way, not like she needed any more mystery surrounding her.

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The fog swirled out from between the tree trunks and dissipated onto the thin stretch of beach as if the dark forest was breathing. Rikez's eyes struggled to make sense of the landscape around him as his head roared with the pounding of blood and his vision faded in and out. His neck wobbled as he struggled to right himself. With a grunt and a great lurch of his body, the black brute pulled himself onto all four shaky limbs. There he stood, with his muzzle pointed to his paws and his neck limp. He did not even have the strength to hold his head up, so instead he let it hang and closed his eyes against the waves of dizziness that was threatening to consume him.

As he stood with his head pointed to the damp sand and his eyes clamped shut, memories of the storm were slowly drifting back into his mind. It came in sparsh images and flashes of sensory feeling; the rush of weightlessness as he dropped from the edge of the cliff. the sting of salt, the cold slap of water and the brittle numbing in his sensitive paws, the twitch of uncontrolled muscles and the utter absolution and peace as his world turned dark. That is what he had wanted, what he had been ready for. But this was not what he had bargained for. He was still thinking, still breathing, still feeling.

Rage.

It filled the large brute until he could feel the bubbling anger sear at the pads of his paws. He welcomed the anger, letting it wash over him like a tidal wave and heat his skin. It was, truly, the only thing he could count on. Since being forced from his own pack, it had been Rikez’s only companion, the only thing faithful to him. As he forced everyone away, he festered in his anger until it was the only thing he knew. Rikez dug his claws into the sand beneath him, scoring the soft surface. It was cruel of fate to let him come to this. He wanted nothing but to be rid of his pitiful existence, to no longer inhabit this world. Whatever was beyond must be better than where he was now.

Rikez felt the rage that had built up in his chest, the burning hatred that made the fur on his hackles bristle. With a toss of his head, the black wolf let a growl rip from his throat and lifted his head to face the forest. As his bright amber eyes snapped open, however, he found himself nose to nose with a mirror image of himself. The strange new wolf had the same dark coat and stood at his level, but …. that was not right.

”Hello? Sir are you alright?” The wolf before him spoke in a soft voice,

As Rikez came to his senses, he realized that although this wolf was slightly taller and broader than him, she was clearly female. Her muzzle was tilted downwards, her slightly wet eyes holding him in a steady emerald gaze that shone with concern. Immediately, the black brute swiveled his ears forward and crouched defensively. His black lips pulled back to reveal a glint of white teeth and a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat. He did not deserve the pity of another wolf. He did not deserve to be alive.

”Who are you?” he snarled fiercely, ignoring the fea’s previous question as he shot back with one of his own.

---

Count | 598 words
Muse | Eh
Notes | This is my second go at this post. The last one was completely lost when my internet decided to crash... as I was hitting the post bottom. -.-

[Deleted]

The Mackenzie Valley femme was quite displeased with the reaction she received from the brute. Mentally she scoffed at him, disappointed that she had not simply wasted the worthless creature. He believed that he was better than herself or held more authority? It was all she could do not to stick her muzzle into his face and laugh. 'Bastard is lucky I didn't slip him anything, next time maybe I will,' her thoughts were snarling and vicious within her own crania. Had the bitter liquid absorbed his life, Sarin would have been satisfied. It was plain to see that he would be of little worth to Descai, particularly with such an attitude problem. At least she had been respectful within her ways.

Lips curled back to reveal ivory incisors, the subordinate permitting her features to match those of the newcomer's. A deep growl pressed from her chest into the air around them, if this brute wanted a game - he certainly was going to be getting one. After all, did he really think that she would back down? He was the one who tainted her shores, it was not the other way around. Despite being the monster that she was, Sarin had opted to offer a manipulative concern for the brute's well being. 'Apparently he cares not for his life,' a growl mixed with a chuckle escaped from her muzzle now. It was impossible for her to avoid the half-laugh from escaping, the entirety of this event was becoming far too comical for her.

"Who am I?" her voice sounded as if she was surprised that the brute did not know of her. It was as if the subordinate believed that the world knew who she was and just where to find her should anyone need an autograph. Lips lowered themselves to their traditional placement, and ebonite paws brought her closer to the brute. Emerald orbs studied his features, he looked worn down, tormented - but perhaps everyone did. Carefully she paced herself in a gentle circle around the brute, part of her wanting to brush against him at times. Sarin used her better judgment and instilled some slight distance, he was filthy and she was not going to simply hand him an easy strike upon her. If Rikez wanted a fight, he was going to have a hell of a time winning against Sarin. "The better question, whelp is: who are you?" Her voice was sarcastic, but there was almost an undying wanting within her words.

Attention was vital for this bitch to survive, but there were no limits to how far she would go to get such a reward. As long as the female believed that she was in control, then she would essentially do anything in order to attain praise from another. It was not beyond Sarin to attempt to sleep or slaughter her way into power or control of any situation, but that was not to say she could not fight. The bitch trained almost solely on that one task, to be a great warrior. Regardless of how she would attain such a rank, that was where she wanted to be. None would be holding her back.

"Speak quick, I am spending my precious time on you and you're giving me quite the reason to believe that you-aren't-worth-it," her last few words came out harsher than the rest. It was quite apparent that she was taking some offense to his rude greeting towards the canine that could have been willing to aid him. Sarin was not one for compassion; she believed that this wolf should have been immediately grateful for her assistance. Not once did it cross her mind that he had just been spat out by the water and was not exactly in the best state. No, all she wanted was praise. What a good samaritan she was being.

The pretty little female with her mostly ebony pelt wandered back from the brute a bit. She settled with her emerald gaze held sternly upon him. 'Either he is going to answer my questions or I am going to have to tear him limb from limb,' the thought was slightly arousing to the femme. Cannibalism had never been far from her mind, not to say that violence was always with her.

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As Rikez's amber eyes locked with the fea's striking emerald orbs, she transformed. Lips pulled backwards, wrinkling her snout into a goulish scowl. Her features became sharp, her teeth glinting out at him and her brow furrowing. The black brute could almost feel her stare as it burned a hole in his fur. All previous thoughts of weakness that he had felt within himself vanished as she challneged him. In the times that Rikez faced an enemy, everything else in his mind melted away, leaving a clean slate. Everything was clear as he focused in on the fea before him and bend his limbs into a slight crouch.

"Who am I? The better question, whelp is: who are you?"

The fea spoke in a growl, her claws digging into the sand. Rikez could hear a slight air of confusion in her words, as if she truely could not believe that he did not know her. Nervously, Rikez flicked an ear back before angling both of them forward again. She must be someone important, he though bitterly. Just my luck to be found by someone with authority.

She did hold her self with authority. Rikez could see it in the tallness of her shoulders and boldness of her gaze. She was studying him, her lips slowly pulling back to their normal placement and her muzzle relaxing. He could feel as her eyes swept over him with bold confidence. Despite this, however, he could tell that she was not an alpha. There was something quite particular about this wolf.

"Speak quick, I am spending my precious time on you and you're giving me quite the reason to believe that you-aren't-worth-it."

Her demand snapped at him with a force that made his claws dig deeper into the soft ground. His body arched, taunt and rigid. He was a spring, ready to unfurl. Her brazen words snapped at him like a blow to the muzzle, and he felt his skin grow hot with anger. Her precious time? He was doing nothing to keep here her, had done nothing to make her come up to him as he lay on the beach. In fact, he couldn't want anything more than for her to simply turn away and leave him to rot among the drying seaweed that littered the high tide mark on the sand. He wanted solitude.

But with the dark fea glaring at him expectantly, Rikez forced himself to open his muzzle, and speak.

"I am Rikez," the black brute growled. His eyes were still blazing as he struggled to contain his fury. "Now tell me, who are you and what is this place?"

---

Count | 463 words
Muse | Boop, okay
Notes | I rushed this one a little bit.

[Deleted]

Vibrant eyes gleamed at the canine, he had certainly washed up on the wrong shore. Perhaps any other pack would have treated him with a bit more respect, Descai did not extend such an offer. Rather, they were quite harsh upon who was granted entrance within. From what the subordinate had gathered, her Alpha was not particularly fond of males. The only one she had stumbled upon was his son, he hardly counted. With his filthy appearance, Sarin doubted that this brute could be of much assistance to them. 'Although having a brute around would be fun,' the thought entranced her mind for a few moments. The thought of having a brute to toy around with was quite exciting; however, with Rikez in such a disgusting state - he was hardly appealing right now. Perhaps upon cleaning up the brute would hold the ability to capture Sarin's ever wandering eyes.

Audits quivered delightfully as his words rose out to answer her demands. 'A rather quick response,' a glint of approval cascaded upon her features for a split second. A shield soon did mask it, but if the other canine was paying any attention then he would have noticed. The Mackenzie Valley female had always been rather partial to those who responded swiftly to her words, it proved that they truly were paying attention. The idea was one of great importance to her. Love was something that had never occurred within Sarin's life, never between parents or acquaintances that she could recall. It simply made no sense to the female. How could one want to give up everything for another creature? It was absolutely foolish, childish. She held the same opinion upon starting a family. It was disgusting. The Beta had been pregnant and Sarin eagerly was awaiting what would become of her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Rikez, unfortunate it had to be under such circumstances," her tone was sweeter than before. There weer many things that she wanted to do, but simply could not. Although her body craved companionship, this newcomer did not seem as if he held the ability to satisfy her. Mating season was half-way over and still the subordinate was struggling to maintain her sanity. Assuming she had anything sane left within her head. There would be no point in getting herself all worked up, then problems would arise. Shaking her crania slightly in order to shoo away such thoughts, the female spoke once more, "I answer by many names. You may call me what you like."

Her body leaned close towards the brute's audits, "But, between me and you - my name is Sarin." Quickly she pulled herself back away from the canine, eyes gleaming as if she had just spoken of some big secret. In actuality, there was nothing to hide. Unless a new pack member had recently been accepted, all the others seemed to know her name. It was only common considering that she had been within Descai's ranks for several months now. 'Hopefully I will get my acknowledgment soon.'

OoC| Mine is no good, I am tired but felt like attempting a post.

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As the words left Rikez's maw, he could see the demeanor of the fea before him shift ever so slightly. Her ears visibly twitched, and something just short of a shiver rippled along her pelt, causing the very tips of each hair to tremor. He might have imagined it, but he fancied he saw a glint of satisfaction shine briefly in her eyes before it vanished once more. Stumped, the black brute blinked at her in confusion, letting the angry lines in his muzzle smooth out slightly. His limbs relaxed, elbows pulling straight and raising his shoulders higher so the two wolves were nearly level once more. Then he took his first good look at her.

Sarin was broader than the females he had seen in passing on his travels; she was more rugged, more raw. The way she held herself, her fearless gaze - these were both things the brute was not used to addressing. He had lived a life of chasing others away, a life where wolves dared not cross his path, a life where strangers ran in fear at his very appearance. The muscles in his back and limps, the fierceness of his muzzle, and the cold hatred in his eyes; those were things he used to avoid situations like this. But now... he simply did not know how to respond. This fea was altogether quick-tempered and fierce, but had not attacked.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Rikez, unfortunate it had to be under such circumstances."

Sarin's voice had transformed. It dripping like honey and made Rikez hold fast as if his paws were trapped in its sticky embrace. As she continued to speak and she leaned closer to whisper her name, he had to fight the shudder that threatened to wrack his body. Instead, he stood absolutely still; trapped, rigid. The large brute had never been spoken to in such a tone before. It stirred his emotions and clouded his mind.

As she leaned away and shot him a devious glance, Rikez struggled to come to his senses. Part of him felt hot from the closeness of this strange, dark fea. It was not a hotness of anger, however, but something new. This was something the black brute did not have a name for. He almost forgot for a moment the second part of his question, the part that was probably the most important. His maw opened and closed twice before he was able to speak clearly, and when he finally did, his emotions were masked by a hard and slightly challenging tone. "Sarin," he dipped his head slightly in an attempt of acknowledgement, "what is this place? Is this forest home to a pack, or are you a free traveler?"

Inside, Rikez's mind weighed the outcomes. If this fea was one of few, he could leave undisturbed and begin his wanderings again. If she was part of a large-ranging pack, however, his path would be more difficult. A slight flick of his ear showed the brute's annoyance. As the hotness drained from his paws and he waited for Sarin to answer him, Rikez bit back a frustrated growl. He simply could not shake the anger, no matter what distracted him. It was always to return, to plaque him. He should have just died when he had the chance.

What a cruel hand of fate. Is this some sort of sick game, a script I must obey and follow?

---

Count | 593 words
Muse | Pretty good
Notes | I feel a lot better about this post compared to the last one! Also, is it taboo to quote Sarin's speech in my posts? I tend to do it in order for it to be clear what Rikez is reacting to, but I want to make sure that it's not annoying for you.

[Deleted]

Accidentally, Sarin had stirred up her own mental state by bringing herself so very near the brute. Something about the closeness was nearly arousing to the femme, a sense of lust almost washed over her entire being. Emerald gaze drifted to the male's paws for a few seconds, lingering there only until her hormonal rage could be controlled. This brute would not be given any satisfaction from her; rather, it was necessary that he remain blissfully unaware of her mental state. 'Maybe once he cleans himself up, I could humor this mutt.' Demeaning the canine before her was the only way that Sarin could justify the way her blood had begun to flow. It was only pity, that was all. Iron reinforcements were established within her mind, making the thought concrete.

Emerald eyes lifted themselves once more, the dominating gleam was back within them. Rikez needed to know who was in charge, at least for now she was. Eventually such an honor would be taken from her again, but now everything was as she had dreamed. Authority and power seemed to be seeping from her every pore, for once Sarin felt accomplished and happy. As much joy as she could anyway. The Mackenzie Valley female had not exactly been blessed with good fortunes that granted her a positive humor. Audits perked slightly as the brute spoke her name; a wave of reassurance passed over her, his tone gave no hint that his hormones had begun to stir. This merely aided Sarin's denial of her own moment of weakness. This brute did not feel it and neither did she. It was enough to satisfy her mental chaos for the moment, most likely it would cross her mind later.

"This is Acerbus, one of the territories that the Descai pack controls," her voice was quite straightforward, as if this knowledge was common. The female expected herself to be known everywhere; therefore, her pack received the same rights. Besides that, Descai was the most powerful group of wolves within Anikira. They would dominate this pathetic island one day, there was little doubt about that. Sarin tilted her head to the side, glancing at the brute with eyes that were partially inquisitive yet demanding all at once. It was nearly impossible for the femme to carry herself any lower, especially to a canine that visibly held no authority over her.

After a moment her voice ran out once more, "Where did you come from?" Although she still held a tone that demanded a response, there was a small indication that she was genuinely interested. He had just washed up onto their shores, she believed his story must be somewhat unique. Audits quivered as they too wanted Rikez to speak quickly in response to her requests. Sarin was not a canine of patience, instant gratification had always been her closest friend. Immediate rewards guided her towards success, that was what had brought her to Descai. Power oozed from this pack, they were ambitious and intelligent enough to pursue their goals in an efficient mannerism.

She shifted her attention from the brute for a brief period of time, in order to lift her hind leg to offer a loving scratch behind her ear. Although the female partially wanted to express interest in the brute's story - it was simply impossible. She had already attempted to offer the most genuine kindness possible, now he got this attitude. Another surge of hormones passed through her. Cautiously, she wandered towards Rikez once more and paced a few laps around the ebony canine. Emerald eyes focused upon him, studying his build and pondering his worth to the others. She would not be able to accept the brute, that was the Alpha's job, but Sarin could certainly test him. A slight chuckle passed from her lips, this was turning into quite the fun game.

OoC| The speech thing does not bother me at all and I'm sorry for the delay.