love the way you lie.

[Deleted]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7288/atreyutbg.jpg,true] Dry leather nares sniffed at the territory marker for what seemed the hundredth time since he had originally trespassed into what was known as Salen lands. “Markers! What a crock!” Atreyu audibly laughed along with the voice in his head. “They only keep honest wolves out,” remarked another voice. “And I am no honest wolf…” he replied to the voices aloud with a brief snicker at his dastardly plan soon to be put into motion. Parting his lips, the onyx male managed to blurt out a howl making his presence known to those of Salen, and requesting an audience with the alpha of the pack. He didn’t bother with the theatrics of tossing his head back, years of discipline refused him to expose his neck in such a manner; no matter if he was alone or not. Atreyu could not honestly recall the last time he had howled, he was not the type, preferring his solidarity amongst other things. The lack of use was evident in his call; his voice was not melodic at all. In fact he sounded hoarse, and he opted for short and repetitive howls to long and drawn out. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” questioned yet another set of vocals. Atreyu growled towards the voice of doubt, stopping the voice before they could continue into the ‘what if’s. The male had spent a lot of time pondering his options, weighing each one carefully and tactfully. He knew what he wanted, and he would not allow anything to stand in his way. Last winter, amidst a blizzard that buried the lower eastern territories, Atreyu ventured away from the pack lands, to the chilly shores of Caurus. Once there, Atreyu unofficially staked a claim on a portion of the territory. He slept and sought refuge from the elements in a moderately sized cavern tucked away in the hills. Often the male kept his belly full by feeding off the small game on the peninsula and the innocent that washed ashore. Atreyu waited out the winter and stayed in Caurus until the first bloom of the wildflowers in The Shydar. While he was away, a war had been waged; one he knew was imminent, between the four packs of Anikira and the ruthless Knave band. It was a war in which he held no loyalties to either side; Atreyu not one to risk his life over a cause that did not benefit him, he had made up his mind before the war started that he would not partake in Ardemu’s game; therefore one of the reasons he travelled so far north. Atreyu would have stayed in Caurus, the territory was quiet, and virtually untouched by the wolves of Anikira. He could have waited out the remainder of his life in what he would call peace. But there was a creature on Anikira that appealed to him more than being alone, the creature that initially drove him so far away was reeling him back in and did not even realize. Through the hot summer months, Atreyu scoured over the unclaimed territories, searching for his prize, but to his greatest efforts he did not find a single trace. One late afternoon, just as the nights were becoming cooler, he thought of something that had not occurred to him. Maybe she wasn’t walking freely as the times they had met in the past. Maybe this she sought protection from her fears within the safety of a pack. The search continued, staying under the radar of the pack’s scouts, looking for his jewel. Which brings us back to the beginning; Atreyu politely waiting on the presence of the Alpha, Exodus, on the outside of his borders this time. Although it was uncharacteristic for him, Atreyu could put on a good show. He would be the best pack member the Alpha had ever seen. Chuckling to himself, Atreyu imagined the shocked look on the floppy-eared females face. Settling down for a long wait, he crouched into a Sphinx-like position; relaxing and easily maneuvered out of at a moment’s notice. ***** words: 678 muse: average - below average notes: can't wait to see where this goes!!

[silver]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2129/exobg.jpg,true] Nestled away within his comfortable den, the sleeping Alpha gave a grunt. His paw twitched shortly followed by his black lip. For a short second, Exodus’ white teeth were shown. The lip fell forward and covered the teeth up again while a small whimper escaped the sleeping wolf’s throat. It would appear that Exodus was dreaming of painful things. Eye lids snapped open revealing silver optics with pupils that shrunk to deflect some of the dim light. The disoriented Alpha took in several deep breathes letting them out in whooshed huffs. When all seemed to calm down, Exodus groaned and allowed his massive head to fall back onto the ground. “My little Flea,” he whispered softly before shutting his eyes tight. Carried high on the winds, a distant howl echoed neatly in the cave. Exodus opened his eyes once more, although slowly this time. The expression in his eyes was a sad one indeed. The brute forced his paws to push him to his feet and walk out coming to a stop at the edge of the den. Exodus replied to the wolf’s howl with short message saying he was on his way. Making quick work of the travel, Exodus surveyed the brute from afar. What met his eyes took on an almost instant dislike. This black brute was almost just as large as Exodus himself was. In all his years of life, never once had another come that close to his height. Frowning in an off hand matter, Exodus came to a halt several feet before Atreyu looking him up and down with calculating eyes. A short second later, he dipped his head lightly. “I am Exodus, the Alpha of these lands. What is it that I can do for you, sir? Not many directly ask for the Alpha if their intention is simply to have permission to pass through.” The wolf did not sit back on his haunches. Rather, Exodus stood where he was looking slightly down at Atreyu with curious eyes. The brute was somehow different than others who had crossed his path recently. He could not put a trace on the difference, but it was there none the less.

[Deleted]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7288/atreyutbg.jpg,true] Soulless eyes scanned the horizon on the plateau of Ryn-Eldbel, impatiently waiting for the Alpha to creep up over the drop off. Occasionally his body would convulse in muscle spasms from the anticipation. Anticipation in waiting for the Alpha, a wolf he had been avoiding for the longest time; and waiting to lay his eyes on the floppy-eared female, to see the look on her face when they’re introduced as pack members. He could practically taste her on his tongue… The scent of her in heat fogged the atmosphere of the territory; it had been driving him crazy all winter long. It took everything he had to not hunt her down and force himself on her again. The idea brought a wicked smile to his face just as the silhouetted figure crested the top of the man-made valley. Atreyu found himself pressing into the moist ground, digging his claws in as if the smallest wind might pick him up and blow him away. This was uncharted territory for the murderous wolf. ‘Playing nice,’ was not in his vocabulary. He felt ready to bolt until the large male came to a rest, still several meters away, in front of him. There was something in the way the Alpha looked at him that settled his nerves. His silver gaze was judging, calculating; determining if Atreyu was truly a friend or should be seen as what he was, a foe. In a sadistic way, he relished in the idea that the male was giving him a wide girth, meticulously observing him as if he were a potential threat to his throne. Although he was trying to shoot for just the opposite, it was in his nature to love being feared. Smiling, again for all the wrong reasons, he nodded curtly to the Alpha of Salen, and rose to his full summit. The Alpha was a smidge larger than Atreyu, and his size didn’t go unnoticed by his counterpart. Dark emerald eyes mimicked those of the Alpha; where as any other wolf might have shied away from the stare of a high ranking wolf, particularly this one, with his exotic eye color and matching tattoo that was rumored to be the sign of greatness. Sure the sign intrigued Atreyu, but it was not enough to rein in his instincts. He felt jittery, like he wanted to dance around the male, he wanted to be the one to bring him down, hear him beg for mercy...to see the floppy-eared female crumble under the weight that her protector was dead. “Pull yourself together!”

[/i] commanded a voice that was louder than all the rest. “If you don’t, he’ll see right through you! He is no fool!” Atreyu didn’t underestimate this wolf. Even though he could see he was getting up in years by the telltale sign of a graying muzzle, that didn’t mean he wasn’t in good physical condition. It just meant that Atreyu was in better shape. For no matter how hard they tried, no one could outrun the effects of age forever. The Alpha interrupted the conversation taking place in his head, and Atreyu mentally stored what was spoken aloud as he finished listening to the voice, resulting in a pause between the Alpha’s last word and Atreyu’s first. Oh, I just thought I’d come here to torture your floppy-eared pack member… Luckily, the time skip seemed more like Atreyu was choosing his words than listening to imaginary voices…

“Well sir Exodus,” Atreyu clenched his teeth on the prefix, not at all accustomed to respecting someone. “You either believe that I’m just a nomad passing through, or you’ve experienced a lot of trespassers in your time…” His voice was calm and steady; feeling more relaxed now than he had the entire day. Not to mention, the inward conversation between the voices kept a genuine smile on his mug. “So which one is it?” The rhetorical question was just that. Atreyu had only paused between his comment and question for affect, he wasn’t trying to press Exodus for an answer.



*****
words: six hundred forty-seven
muse: high.
notes: me and 'Nali are working on my "perfect post" definition, so with some helpful nagging, I shall be more prompt to reply. ^^[/size][/color][/blockquote][/center][/td][/tr][/table][/center]