a meeting of fire and ice // goliath

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Truth be told, she wasn't really sure what she was doing anymore. She missed Enapay and Mukki. Their absences had created a permanent hole in her heart. Absorbed in her own thoughts, she limped silently toward the water's edge and lapped at the cool liquid. Her ears flicked, drawing in the surrounding noises. She was always on alert. She couldn't let anything happen to her. She'd survived so much in the short time she'd been alive. To give in to her weaknesses now would mean certain death and failing those she'd promised to live on for. A crushing sadness settled in on her heart as she recalled the pups she'd given up in order to gain her own freedom. If she had tear ducts, she'd be crying. Instead, she found herself softly cursing under her breath. 

She had made zero progress in finding a new home and she doubted she would, at this rate. Lifting her head, she swiped her tongue over her lips and went to another pool of water. She peered into the crystal depths and after a few moments of watching the fish swim around and listening to the gurgling protests of her own stomach, she snatched a fish out of the water and carried it a short distance away. She tore indelicately at the fish, savoring each mouthful and being careful not to swallow any of the bones. She didn't dare go after larger prey, on account of her leg but fish, fish she could handle. She eased into a position where she was laying down and then shifted onto her side, stretching her jaws wide in a soft yawn.

Some days were better than others. On cold and/or rainy/snowy days, she often experienced agonizing leg pain. The pain was severe enough that she hobbled along. Most times, when it got to that point, she simply opted to find a temporary den and hole up until the pain went away or until the weather ceased to be so disgusting. She absolutely hated it when the weather was tumultuous and she couldn't find shelter. With the weather being as mild as it was, she got to enjoy herself just a bit. She still limped but she didn't notice it nearly as much. A soft sigh left her lips and she closed her eyes. Admittedly, she was exhausted. Soon enough, she was dozing off, figuring it safe.

Her dreams were relatively pleasant. She dreamed she was back with her brothers and once again, they were playing like three pups without a care in the world. It had been a mistake to take on a group like they had. They should've left that sort of thing to those that actually wanted it. All they'd wanted was a family. By the time they'd been six months old, both of their parents had died and they were left to fend for themselves. It hadn't been a pretty thing but they'd managed all the same. Things hadn't been easy for them by any stretch but they'd done everything that they could to see to it that they continued to make it through each season.

Some of the wolves had thought they should make the pack official and settle in one place but they hadn't had the ambition. Nayeli and her brothers had enjoyed being nomadic. It was all they'd ever known. Perhaps, it would continue to be all she ever knew. Maybe pack life just wasn't for her. She sighed quietly and opened one eye, looking around warily. She wanted to get up but at the aame time, she didn't. Her laziness soon won out, however, and she was closing her eyes once again to drift back off to sleep. This time, she dreamed of her previous captor and the cruelties she'd been forced to endure because of him. Really, it was no wonder she'd wanted to get away from him. She felt bad for the pups she'd brought into the world, though. Had they made it out alright or had they been corrupted? Had Enapay and Mukki been able to protect her young ones from the wrath of their father or had they, too, gotten caught up in the bastard's cruel ways?

Her stomach churned and once again, she found herself waking up. She inhaled deeply and got up slowly, her leg screaming in protest. Everything hurt and she wanted to whimper like a beaten pup but she couldn't show any sign of weakness. She had to be strong... if not for herself, then for those she'd left behind. She finally managed to stand up and when she did, she scanned the area. Surely, she couldn't stay in this place forever, though it would be extremely convenient. She shook out her coat and snorted quietly. Convenience was for those that were lazy. She needed to be constantly on the move or what was the point of being a loner? She returned to the pool and caught herself another fish, tossing it onto the ground with a triumphant gleam in her dark gaze. Fishing was a lot easier than she'd thought it'd be.

Just as she was about to lower her head to take the first bite, her nostrils flared and she caught the scent of somebody approaching. "What do you want?" She asked quietly, lifting her head to boldly face the stranger. She didn't care how it made her look. She'd had enough of getting pushed around by those that thought they deserved to be number one. "If it's a meal you're looking for, I can catch you a fish... or you can take this one." Not that he needed the fish. He was a big boy... giant, even. He certainly dwarfed her. Lowering her head, she nudged the fish forward and took a step or two back, sliding onto her haunches.

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He could have left the poor dame in peace; he had too much to do, from claiming new land to inducting new members into his pack, his agenda was brimming with responsibilities and obligations that needed his immediate attention. The scent of a strange female should have meant nothing to him now that his duties outweighed his desire to torment the solitary – but when he caught sight of the wobbling bitch, curiosity overcame him. She curbed along the water’s edge, intent on plucking from the current whatever measly creature flitted too close to the surface. There was nothing particularly unique about her that captivated his eye – her pelt was no more exceptional than his own hide of browns and blacks. Her size was average, and even at a distance he knew he would tower over her as he did all other things. Her limp, however, seized his attention with animalistic fervour, the inherent weakness in her stride an appetising sight that beckoned him closer.

She would be incapable of running, too hindered by her damaged leg to gain the speed that she needed to evade him. That was good. Fragility was an asset in his eye, and it beautified her otherwise dreary physique. It was clear that she had sensed his approach as she called out in uncertainty – What do you want?

Goliath’s ears flattened, blatantly uninterested by the dull question. A rasping breath of air left his nostrils in unconcern, expecting her to stutter out an even more meaningless and pitiable array of clichés to ward him off. If she was a wolf that favoured rhetoricals then she would not hold his attention for long, but he was not a brute so easily deterred by weakness. The fixation in his eyes should have told her of this – yet when his stare met hers, he realised that it was conviction in her eyes, not hesitancy. That was cause for curiosity.

If it's a meal you're looking for, I can catch you a fish... or you can take this one

No, he hadn’t been looking for a meal, but he was too wise to nature’s fickle generosity to turn down food when it was offered to him. His pride was too unbreakable for him to even assume she’d made the supposition of him being a poor hunter – after all, his massive size alone proclaimed that had been well fed throughout his life. His tail flicked idly as he approached, his giant form hastened by the invitation, and his head dropped to bare his fangs and abruptly snatch at the sodden creature that she’d nudged towards him. The fish was gone in a matter of seconds, barely even a single drop of blood wasted upon the ground. This bitch must have been tapped in the head to just offer him, a mere stranger, her meal. He was sure that the gesture was not one of amicable intentions, but rather, so to offset the menace that he imposed.

“An impressive kill. What a mighty hunter you are,” he rasped drolly, licking the bloodied remnants from his teeth. His maw spread into a wide, indecorous grin as he turned from her, glancing towards his shadow that spanned across the edge of the water, the enormous dark shape scattering away the fishes that had been lured there. He doubted she would be able to catch another one for herself now.

“You’re aware that such kindness will get you killed,” he continued smoothly, his indifferent, blasé tone contradictive of his threatening approach. “Not today, but one day. There is no room for selflessness in survival,” he muttered darkly, his voice accompanied by his usual commanding rumble, despite the fact that this was neutral territory. He was an advocate of solidarity among one’s own kin, that much was true, but her charity towards strangers did not come under the same bracket. Kindness without purpose was equal to foolishness in the alpha’s eyes, and his pomposity was truly apparent in his dignified stare.

“Your name?” he imposed, his voice potent with expectation. Perhaps he could still have his fun with this lonesome femme.

TAGGED: @nayeli