A she-wolf lay on her side on a rock warmed by the sun and shaped by the wind and rain. From a distance, she appeared fairly comfortable, probably asleep. However, as soon as one got closer, they would notice her ragged fur, her ribs as they poked through what was left of her flesh. From the distance, one might think she was resting, soaking up the nice sunlight. The reality was far different. Alanna wasn’t laying here because it was particularly comfortable, even though it was. She was laying here because she was expecting to die.
The wolf hadn’t eaten since she woke up on the cliffs a week before. Well, she had eaten a strange fruit that had tasted good but made her stomach sick and a frog or two. The entire time, she had been avoiding the pack that had just moved in. The alpha knew she was there, because she had come upon him and two others at the lake just after he had stated his claim on the land. Before that meeting had turned particularly ugly, Alanna had left, ignoring her desire to rip every living thing limb from limb. Then she had wandered, searching for something to eat.
Every time she had found prey, it had eluded her, and she had long since decided that the gods were laughing at her. She had managed, however, to find water, and a wolf can last a few weeks without food if she has something to drink. However, doing such requires rest. A wolf cannot run for long distances or be as active as this one had for the last several days with no energy. Alanna had hardly stopped to sleep, such was her hunger. Also, there was the fear of the ever present pack. The alpha would know she had not left his lands, and would most likely be searching for her.
At least, if he was even half the alpha his appearance said he might be, he would look for her. No self-respecting leader could allow a lone wolf to live within his boarders unhassled. So, the wolf had kept moving, constantly using more energy than her body could give. Then she had come to this place. There was big game everywhere, and Alanna, despair clutching at her heart, had laid down to rest. Sleep hadn’t come, unfortunately, and she was instead wracked by waking dreams.
The dreams were nothing she had never had and were not a testament to the she-wolf losing her sanity. If a wolf could cry, Alanna might have, if her pride would allow it. Unfortunately, wolves show their grief by sound, and the she-wolf would never allow a howl of anguish to leave her lips, especially not for a reason like this. Wolves lost their homes all the time. However, the thought of dying because she had lost the ability to hunt was hard to accept. Alanna was furious with herself, with the humans who had taken her home and pack, with the land that was completely new to her, even with the game who were now so accustomed to the wolf laying on the rock that they grazed just feet from her, completely at ease.
Alanna was not proud of her predicament, and was trying to accept her fate with dignity. This was proving difficult, especially because a little voice in the back of her mind kept telling her that if she were in a pack, she would be able to eat. Countless times, she shoved that little voice down. What good would she be in a pack? She couldn’t hunt for the love of the gods. The pack lived together. The pack ran together. The pack fought together. And the pack hunted together. How could Alanna be pack if she couldn’t hunt? No, she was not going to be a burden on anyone.
Another little voice, equally annoying, expressed doubts about whether or not Alanna was just feeling sorry for herself. This was a play on the she-wolf’s pride and only infuriated her more. I am not wallowing in self pity... she thought adamantly. I am going to die here, and that is the way things must be. The fates have decided, and I must only wait. She thought this to herself several times and even said it out loud to taste the words she was so set on believing. Still, something in the back of her mind nagged that this didn’t have to be the end...no matter how bad her stomach hurt or how much her muscles quivered with exertion.
words;; 762 tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; something between furious and anguished notes;; poor girl.
The newly crowned alpha galloped across his territory, reaching the western coast in very little time. The strange female had not worked hard to cover her tracks, and now that the two little terrors had been effectively handled, he needed to find this femme's intent before she did damage to his position. Vorilye was certain that she would not leave Acerbus, especially after the look he had been given during the brute's previous conversation. It was as if she felt no need to submit to his authority, and that was beyond angering to him. He would need to fix that quickly, or she would be driven out, just like every other wolf that thought it was a good idea to gallivant across claimed territory. Foolish femmes. If they were less of a potential threat, I would say the hell with it and lay their asses out, he thought sourly. He had been damaged beyond repair by a femme, and he would not let it happen a second time. Vorilye was on his guard emotionally, and it would take some serious breaking through to get to the wolf he used to be.
Vorilye had never been an intentionally cruel wolf, but he was known to have a lot stricter policies when it came to his border. He would send out wolves to search for and destroy invaders; no one was going to set a paw inside his lands without him knowing it. The fact that this female had nearly approached him, then left through his territory was infuriating. She had acknowledged his claim, and yet she had left without addressing him first. It was nearly a complete disregard of his authority, and he would be sure to knock her around a bit to let her know that he was not pleased with her treatment of the situation. Damn femmes can't even keep their heads on straight enough to realize how stupid they are being, he thought of Meridian and Angel. The fact that he was having to deal with another crazy wolf so soon into his reign was quite ridiculous. He attracted stupidity, apparently.
But the femme could not have made it too far. From what Vorilye had seen, she was not exactly the healthiest of wolves. That in itself would slow down her travels, leaving the golden-furred alpha brute enough time to track her down. The trail had been an obvious one, and he must be drawing near. Her scent was overwhelming him, and sure enough, when he scanned the rocky border of the plateau, there was a lump of fur rising up and down with the each subsequent breath the femme pulled. He growled dangerously; who the hell did she think she was?
The brute approached her with caution, knowing full well that she was not going to give in as easily as Meridian had. Indeed, she was more his equal than the two barely-matured emotionally females he had just wandered from, but she was still less in stature than himself. He stalked toward her, almost as if she were his prey, creeping and pulling himself nearer with each step. As he got within a prime striking zone, he noticed just how ragged the female was. Her bones were visible through her coat that was time-worn and disarrayed. She looked as if she had gone through hell and back, taking all of the woe and distress back to the living world once more.
Vorilye snorted. This was the wolf who had fell the need to assert her position so proudly before? If he had been near enough to notice her condition then, he would have scoffed at her, telling her that she was not worthy. And karma was a funny thing. Here she laid, near death, at the paws of the alpha she had not submitted to with all haste.
With a snap of his jaws around the nape of her neck, Vorilye seized the femme, throwing her to the ground from the rocks with the slightest turn of his head. Many wolves underestimated his ability to maneuver his body in an effective manner; surely the extra height and weight could be a hindrance, but he had mastered his techniques and executed his thoughts flawlessly. He was prone to mistakes, but when the target would not fight back, what did he have to lose? He strode mere feet away and seated himself, his gaze falling disapprovingly on the female.
"Rise, and speak, femme," Vorilye demanded.
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
“Alanna, dear!” Matteo called. The she-wolf grinned and jumped up from where she had been napping under a tree. “Coming, brother!” she called, bounding up the slope to the current den, the same one she had spent the first few months of her life in. “I think it’s time...” Matteo muttered, clearly antsy. “She won’t let me near her. Why won’t she let me near her!?” he said. Alanna butted her head against his side. There was no reason to answer his question, it would probably just insult the alpha. She slinked into the cave.
“Rina?” she called, tentatively. There was an answering groan from the shadows. Alanna felt her paws carrying her towards the other she-wolf. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the light, she noticed that Rina was heaving, obviously in great pain. Something wasn’t quite right. Something within Alanna screamed at her to flee. However, the pack bond was stronger. Without realizing, she raced to the mouth of the cave. “I need water. I don’t care how you get it here. I need water.” Before waiting for the reply, and not daring to look at her brother’s expression, the she-wolf raced back inside.
Rina’s condition was getting worse. Gently, quietly, Alanna crooned to her. Rina was younger by almost a year, and this was her first litter. From the deep recesses of her memory, Alanna heard her mother saying that the first litter was always the hardest. Matteo charged into the cave only a moment later, dropping a wad of what looked like fur, saturated with water. Quickly, his sister moved the water to his mate, coaxing her into taking a drink. Expecting Matteo to leave, she was surprised to turn and see him still standing there, pacing back and forth.
A growl emanated from somewhere deep in her throat. Her hackles raised, clearly telling the wolf to get out. His return growl was deeper and far more fierce. “I am alpha here, Alanna, and you will not disrespect me in such a way.” Something felt vaguely wrong about this statement, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. She heard a groan and turned back to the she-wolf in labor. Something felt not quite right here too, but she was too distracted by the pain in her friend’s face to really figure out what it was. Suddenly, she felt teeth in her neck.
Waking from the dream that had been so vivid she had thought it real, Alanna landed with a thud on the ground beneath the rocks she had decided would be her final resting place. For a moment, she couldn’t figure out what had just happened. Then it came crashing back to her: the flight through the territory now claimed by a male sitting a few lengths away, the lack of food and complete exhaustion that had made her finally lay down and decide to forfeit her life. She realized with a start why the dream had felt wrong. As far as she knew, Rina had never lived to have a litter, and Matteo was definitely not the alpha of the pack.
Such thoughts brought her back to the present. This alpha had just spoken, commanding her to rise and address him. The authority in his voice and her exhaustion combined and for some strange reason, she found herself complying. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she dragged herself to her feet. Even in her current state of disarray, her ribs showing through her side and her hips so prominent they could probably cut flesh, she managed to meet his eyes, holding her head proud. Something about the way he allowed her gender to drip from his tongue irritated her. She was fairly certain his displeasure with her came from the fact that she was female.
In all honesty, she couldn’t blame him. Alanna couldn’t bow to any other wolves of the lesser gender either. When she had first pulled her carcass from the dirt, her legs had trembled. As she stood there, however, her will asserted itself, forcing the shakes to stop, forcing her muscles to do as she bid them. The she-wolf took a deep breath and studied the male before her, not deigning to respond to his demand. At the same time, she took stock of her physical condition. Now, with an eminent danger to her dignity, no emotion was allowed to hinder her evaluation.
It was not as bad as she had feared, though it was clearly bad enough. The male was easily twice her size and – based on the way he had picked her up and chucked her off her perch – clearly the stronger of the two opponents. Her lack of nutrition had taken its toll upon her body, and it was a high price. There was absolutely no way she could beat this male in one-on-one combat, and her pride would not let her fight with friends. Finally, she blinked, slow and thoughtful. A moment later, her voice rang out. She had been told her voice could call the birds down from the trees, but that was nonsense, though she did love the sound herself.
“My name is Alanna,” she began, still irritated that he seemed to dislike her simply because she was a ‘femme’. “And I would not be lying if I said I wish you had taken your time.” The wolf sighed, not particularly happy with what needed to be said, and unused to using her voice so much at one time. She searched for the right words. “I doubt that it is unknown to you that if we fight, I will lose, though in a better condition that might not be the case.” She cursed her sudden loss of the hunt, as if she hadn’t done it a thousand times in the last few days. “Nor can I, obviously, make it off your territory.”
“I ask for a warrior’s death,” she finally uttered. It was a hard thing to say, though her pride felt better at it being requested. The thought of dying from starvation had been harder to bear than being killed for trespassing. However, it was obvious that it took self-control to ask such boon, and not just attack the male. In this way, she could be released and he could go about his business. With a start, she realized he might not grant this request. It hadn’t occurred to her before, but now it seemed a possibility. If he didn’t, and instead forced her into some state of submission, as he very well could at this moment, and then managed to keep her alive... She would owe him her life, and that was one of the last things she wanted.
words;; 1116, no coding tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; irritated with a bit of despair and acceptance notes;; sorry about the dream... =D
This wolf was a puzzle to Vorilye. First, she had gone out of her way to approach where the femmes had been interacting with him and run, yet when he confronted her, she wanted nothing more than to be given a warrior's death. That would be such a waste, he thought with a grunt. This femme obviously had been interested enough in whatever he had to offer to approach him initially, even if he had been forced to chase her down this time. Next time it happened, there would be nothing pleasant left in this world for Alanna. He would be sure that she would regret the day she ever crossed him at that point.
But looking down at her feeble form now, he snorted. Vorilye may not have been impressed with her physical condition, but she was obviously strong-willed. Maybe keeping a bitch like this around for now would be what it took to keep those obnoxious little brats in line. Fatten her up, and she might even make a nice play thing, he thought with a smirk. He cleared his throat, having made his decision.
"You do not have to make it off the territory, and I will not kill you."
The brute's eyes twinkled mischievously; he had plans for this female that she likely would not enjoy. He grinned a dangerous smile and gazed down at the femme. "Welcome to Descai, Omega. You will do nicely for my grunt work and desires..." He trailed off as his voice grew ominous. He had not intended for it to come out so sharp, but he had a dangerously twisted plot for dealing with this female. At least the munchkin wolves had been wise enough not to flee his presence. She had run, and for that, she would need to be punished.
"I am your leader. You will address me as Sir or Alpha. And this may very well be the last time you hear my voice."
She did not deserve to know his name. He had not even told the two femmes at the water's edge, and it would remain a mystery until he felt the need to reveal it. His name was his alone, and that was part of the mystery about the golden and black brute.
At this point, the alpha brute stilled. His words would no longer come; this was the most he had spoken in nearly a year, and between the three females, he was verbally exhausted. The wolves who would follow would have to do so on his terms, and that meant that he called the shots, with or without verbalization. Should she attempt to pull anything stupid, he would be swift and vindictive with his justice. He was usually a fair leader, but life had thrown him too many horrid situations for him to screw this up again. This time, his pack would be led with an iron fist. Anyone who did not like it would be obliterated on the spot. He did not need wolves running around crying to the other packs about how Descai was run. He was his own wolf, and damn it, he would lead however he felt necessary.
His mind drifted back to the little white mixed female. Meridian was certainly a puzzle; if she had not been so young, Vorilye would have shown her just how submissive she was in his eyes. He would have had her begging to be left alone; Angel, on the other hand, could be a source of entertainment. She had seemed amused by his arrival and Meridian's responses. Vorilye was not one to be used for others' amusement, and he would be quick to correct anyone who found his authority to fall under such a title.
Staring at the grungy wolf before him, Vorilye's first thought was to return to Shyia where he had left the injured female lying on the ground. He had wanted to put her out of her misery, yet this femme requested it and he denied her. He did not want her to have such an easy outlet. Part of his reasoning was that she deserved to suffer for her behavior, but the other part of him was nagging that she would be a valuable asset to the pack. As Omega, she could provide some much needed relief for the alpha. After all, the little mixed femme was too young to be used as a play thing just yet, and he would eventually figure out how to acquire Angel. It was only a matter of time before he would fall back to his old ways. At this rate, it was approaching at a steady pace.
Vorilye knew that the femme would likely be too proud to accept his offer of membership. That was purely the reason for her forced position. He knew from the little she had spoken to him that she was strong-willed; who else would request another wolf kill them to maintain what little pride was left? He was growing more detached from his emotions by the day, and this was one more stepping stone in the wrong direction. Maybe in the back of his mind he had thought this would be the solution to his problems.
He was wrong.
Last Edit: Oct 12, 2011 14:10:39 GMT -5 by Vorilye
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
If the stud decided to keep her alive, Alanna would be forever indebted to him. It hadn’t occurred to her that in the way she had worded her request, she had placed her life in his paws and he had every right, as the alpha of these lands, to either take it or make it his. Several curses flew through her mind, but none made it out of her maw. She could hold her tongue. At least, she thought she could. Come to think of it, maybe not. Hadn’t her brother mentioned something about her constantly saying whatever came to mind?
That didn’t matter. This was here. This was now. The wolf before her seemed to regard her carefully. She couldn’t read his features, not that she was particularly good at it anyway. Perhaps at one time she had been attuned to the emotions and thoughts of those around her, but that sense had been dulled during her solitary time. Many things had changed about the she-wolf during those several months. What had once been a happy wolf who knew a little bit of herb lore, a little bit about hunting, and a little bit about fighting, now knew nothing about hunting and everything about fighting. Everything else had faded into nothingness.
So, it was with her fighter’s eye that she saw what his answer would be before he said it, and her heart cried out in anguish. She did not even know this male whom she had accidently pledged her life to. It was disgraceful and utterly repulsive. However, she was bound. When he did speak, it only confirmed her fear. None of these emotions became apparent, however. Her will would not allow something as feminine as emotional strife to be her undoing. Instead, she studied him, her grey orbs taking in everything. Thus, it is no wonder that she did not miss the look in his eyes as he regarded her.
Just after she realized what it was, he spoke again. Your desires... Alanna thought for a moment. That was a game she would never play. The grunt work she could handle. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t spent time as the lowest ranking wolf in her old pack. Then again, no one had ever outright referred to her as ‘the omega’. Especially since that term was used to denote traitors. The wolf’s eyes narrowed slightly. He would get away with this open disregard for her pride but only for now and only because she was incapable of doing anything to stop it. That would change. She could already tell he was going to keep her alive, whether she wanted it or not. When she regained her strength, he and every wolf who took his lead would regret this treatment.
Still, she would not even put herself in a position where pups would be possible. It was the last thing she needed. Besides, with her unusually small stature and sudden lack of any hunting ability whatsoever, she didn’t need to pass along her genes anyway. Slowly, she allowed her eyes back to their usual round-ish shape. Unless he was paying very close attention, he might not have notice their change at all. For some reason, she doubted it. Almost as if confirming this thought, his voice rang in her ears once again. Though he didn’t really speak that often, and his voice sounded as if it wasn’t used much, Alanna found she kinda liked it. When he did speak, he was very to the point, and slightly down to earth.
Alanna resisted the urge to shake her head from side to side to dispel these thoughts. Leader, my ass... she thought bitterly. If she had the ability she would have spit at his feet. Since she was a wolf, however, she merely pulled on her lips, showing the pretty ivories that lay underneath. Almost as quickly, however, she stopped, letting her maw back into the shape it was naturally. A thought occurred to her. There was a chance Alanna could provoke the alpha into killing her. It wasn’t such a long shot. After all, most of the alphas she’d met could easily be provoked into doing something rash.
Suddenly, the wolf grinned. “Omega?” she questioned. “You honestly think someone like me will accept such an invitation? Well, it was kind of you to offer, but you are clearly stupid. I will never give my allegiance to a cur who believes such nonsense.” Her grin was cold, hard. There was no humor in her voice, nor play nor even false happiness. The insult in her words was well placed and he might not even see it. Also, she realized in an afterthought, the word ‘cur’ might not be insulting around here. Where she came from, it was enough to start a war between packs. Of course, he could force her to the ground and even drag her across his lands and there was nothing she could do about it. Alanna knew what state she was in. She was only trying to piss him off.
words;; 845, no coding tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; annoyed, disgusted, slightly hopeful. -evil grins- notes;; this post is all over the place. poor girl. just like her thoughts.
If Alanna's intent had been anything other than making Vorilye's opinion of her lower, then she was doing it wrong. The brute was getting steadily irritated with the female, and it was all he could manage not to lash out at her. The internal conflict raged in him, and it was all he could do not to show it in his face as he leveled a cold, brutal stare at the female. Vorilye was not looking to make friends; he was looking to build a home and start over once more. This time, his children would respect him. The females would not have control over him, and he would have the ideal living situation.
Vorilye had not always been so bleak. Even after being disowned by his own flesh and blood, the brute had managed to create a life for himself. He had not allowed his unusual, "cursed" appearance to hinder him any further. Instead, he had taken the higher road and bettered himself. He had built a family, staked a claim to his home, and thought that he had the world. Apparently, he had been known to misjudge the situation. Seeing all of that crumble before his eyes had hardened the brute's heart, and he was resentful of the happier wolves around him. He despised their ability to find happiness where he had none. Vorilye was bitter, he was jealous, but most of all, he was abandoned.
This female was no better than the rest of them. The only reason Vorilye did not kill her was that he wanted the strength of numbers. He wanted to build a pack of his own flesh and blood, not one that was scraping a bunch of loners off the ground and throwing them together. He could not do that with a bunch of males; he needed the females to do what he wanted. They will not have a choice in this. He had already determined their fate.
Vorilye continued to burrow into his companion's skull with his piercing gold eyes. His lip lifted with a brief snarl as she summoned the strength to reject his offer. What could she do? She was not strong enough to hurt him in any way. If anything, she was bluffing in order to bide her time to die. He would not allow that, even if it meant forcing food down her throat and watching over her twenty-four seven to make sure. Maybe little Meridian would like to spend some time with her, he thought coldly. She was upset that I did not draw blood on her own friend. Maybe she'd like to have some fun with her new friend Alanna here. He would utilize the wolves' abilities in whatever way he could. Angel looked like she would be the prime candidate to satisfy his particular brand of hungers. Meridian would be good for explaining the ins and outs of the land. After all, she was a little too young for him.
Now Alanna... Vorilye was not sure yet exactly what she would be good for. If anything, she was simply another number. Maybe he could use her as a huntress for the pack; she certainly wasn't in any condition right now to be fighting. If she so much as attempted to attack him, the brute would easily be able to incapacitate her indefinitely until she learned her place. He was not going to deal with this sort of behavior again. Vorilye had learned his lesson the first time.
He hoped that his silence was making her uncomfortable. He deeply hoped that she was squirming on the ground in front of him, trying to figure out what was going through his head. The brute was fed up with negative behavior. In several long strides, the brute was nearly upon her, his monstrous paws on either side of her head as he threw his body weight on top of her to keep her from moving anywhere. His face was merely inches away from her neck, where he sniffed at with a finicky look in his eyes. He rose once more, his figure looming over her ominously.
I dare you to make a move, Alanna. I will make you regret ever wanting to argue with me.
His eyes spoke his mental threat. He would stop at nothing to make this femme submit to him. Vorilye was beyond introductions and formalities. He was in full-blown dominance mode. He would crush her spirits if the need arose, and he would make her wish that she never crossed his path.
Vorilye was not a wolf to be tampered with.
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
His silence didn't phase her, though it probably should have. Well, it probably would have if this little meeting had occurred about a life time before today. Alanna had heard almost nothing but silence for many long months. Words had a tendency to complicate matters. This way, there was nothing but the actions of his physique and the scents carried by the wind to show his feelings. Communication by feelings instead of a verbal medium was far more raw and hard to misinterpret.
Thus, the she-wolf was able to wait him out. Eventually he would make some sort of move. Alanna expected him to lose the battle with his emotions and tear his teeth into the tender flesh at her throat, ending her life in a very quick and effective manner. She would be powerless to stop his charge. Of course, there was dishonor in dying such a way, but it was better than the alternative. Besides, her courage in choosing the Black God's Option would then make it honorable. If she had time to sleep on her decision, the wolf wouldn't lose a wink. Still, a little voice in the back of her mind that sounded suspiciously like Matteo whispered, "As long as you're alive, you have a chance, Alanna-dear."
Before she could react to the echo of something said to her many years ago, the brute had bored her into the ground. Well, really, he had just laid on top of her, and her already quivering muscles had simply given out, dropping her to the hard dirt beneath her paws. She heard, rather than saw, the breath he took. A quick question raced through her mind. She wondered what exactly he was looking for. If he was expecting her to cower beneath him and show the white flag of her underbelly, he was sorely mistaken. However, the power he exuded had managed to make it's way through Alanna's defenses. She understood that she couldn't fight him and expect him to take her life. She couldn't fight hard enough to gain that.
He was in control. And it irritated the hell out of her. Unfortunately, laying in the dirt beneath him, she realized there was nothing that could be done for it. The she-wolf took a deep breath and glanced up. Just as quickly, her gaze left his -- not in a submissive way, but to hide the emotions she was feeling. He had the ability to force her submission. Why wasn't he doing it? Her gaze rose to the sky and she sent a quick prayer to her patron. It had been a long time since she acknowledged the gods' existence. That alone told her things were changing. A thought struck her. Was he not forcing it to simply prove himself worth it? It was a possibility. If that was the goal, he was succeeding.
Another thought came to mind, one far more painful than anything she had previously thought when it came to this particular alpha: what use could she possibly be in a pack? The pain was almost unbearable, causing both eyes to shut and her tail to slap the ground it fell so fast. A gust of air was dispelled from the deep recesses of her ribcage in a sigh. It wasn't submission, and Alanna was sure he wouldn't misread it. It was defeat with a bit of self-loathing thrown in. She turned her head away so he couldn't see her shame. “It would do you a favor to just kill me, Alpha,” she said, falling into the formal tone one used with one's superior without conscious effort. Even with the formality, Alanna's pain and bitterness was obvious in her voice. "I'm not worth your trouble...not when I could never repay you..."
words;; short. >.< tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; disgusted with herself mostly, awed slightly notes;; sorry it's short. gotta take a dog to the vet.
The femme's body language seemed to contradict her words. Vorilye was not going to kill her, mostly because he knew that she did not really want to die. Given her circumstances, he could understand the discomfort and the pain, but he was not going to allow a perfectly good femme to waste away because of his cruelty. Vorilye needed more wolves to build his pack, and so he was content to accept the sack of bones that was Alanna in order to meet the ends he desired. She would likely amount to something; he had a gut feeling about this one.
As she spoke to him once again, asking him to kill her once more, Vorilye had to bite back a laugh. She is still on this? I have already told her that that is not an option, he thought almost bitterly, had he not been so amused by her failed attempt. He was past the anger; now, he was finding that she was quite a source of entertainment. He shunned any feelings of distress or pain. For now, he was just going to live and let the pack build. Here soon, he could deal with his issues, but right now this was no place for it. The brute stared at the scrawny femme, his eyes giving away none of his interior dilemmas. She did not need to know about him any more than he decided to share. His past was his own business. These wolves were simply a means to an end; maybe he would find something positive along the way, but he could never be sure of that.
Vorilye raised his brow at the femme's final comment. Alanna had virtually discredited herself, saying that she was not worth the effort. However, the new alpha felt differently. He would not have bothered putting effort into recruiting (or forcing, whichever better described the situation) the femme into his pack. If she was not worth it, he would not be here. He would have left the loner to die by herself slowly from starvation. In a sense, the brute was being merciful by taking her under his wing. He could provide a sense of stability for her, and that would be a matter of life and death for him. She would likely, at some point, find a way to repay him. A life was worth much more than any physical gesture, but the brute was well aware of this. She would be indebted to him, and maybe that was part of his motivation. She could not possibly resent him forever when he had provided a method to live. He was enabling her to continue with her life instead of wasting away into nothingness, completely forgotten by the rest of the world.
Vorilye would not taken the femme's behavior as submission, but she seemed to have finally resigned to her fate. While he was curious to inquire as to why she sought him out initially if she was just going to request his hand in death, he would not be bothered to speak with her any further. If anything, his eyes asked his most pressing questions. Why do you want to die so much? he thought. Despite all his trials, the brute had never been anxious to die. His life was the one thing that had persisted through all of his problems. It would be the last thing he ever had, and he was proud of it.
Yet this female had so readily offered herself up to death, and Vorilye could not comprehend why she would do such a thing. He was not going to be the one to lay her to waste; she could be useful to him once corrected from her current state. The brute was not going to allow her to throw that away.
Slinking away from her, while still keeping a watchful eye on the femme, Vorilye darted toward the brush areas of the plateau. His paws made hardly any sound as he crossed, his nose pressed to the terrain as he sought out a small game animal to nourish the depleted femme. With the brute's luck, she would completely snuff his offer.
Even so, the brute continued his effort, finally scenting a rabbit's burrow not more than five yards from the edge of the rocky cliff. The brute dug furiously at the terrain; to his credit, there were no young rabbits in the burrow, but a doe attempted to dart from his scratching claws, effectively plowing into the brute's body. He snapped greedily at her neck, quickly ending her suffering as the buck followed suit. Once the brute had made quick work of the pair of rabbits, he gathered them in his jowls, carrying them back to where Alanna still remained virtually helpless. He dropped them by her muzzle, his golden eyes pleading gently with the femme.
Eat.
Last Edit: Oct 19, 2011 13:19:34 GMT -5 by Vorilye
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
Alanna was amazed. She had never in her life said something so derogatory about herself. I'm not worth it!? she thought. The she-wolf didn't move, didn't even twitch when she answered her own question. No, she wasn't worth it, not right now, but could she be eventually? Probably not but again, she had a chance as long as she was alive. This brute was offering her life. A life full of hell, but a life. Would she accept it? Then again, with what she had just said, would he finally grow tired of the 'game' and dispose of her as she so desperately wanted?
Or did she want it? Originally, she thought that was her only option. Now...maybe not. Alanna had to put effort into not looking up at him, she was afraid something she was feeling would show in her face, and he didn't need to know her that well. However, now that she thought about it, she didn't really know what all she felt. With him standing over her and the despicable words that had found their way out of her maw, she felt degraded, humiliated, disgusted with herself, and somewhat laid bare. With his silence, and her lack of looking to read his thoughts, she had no way of knowing his opinion of her. For the first time, that bothered her. For the first time in over a year, it bothered her to know that another wolf had a very low opinion of her.
Alanna, for the life of her, couldn't figure out why that bothered her. Finally, she glanced up, fairly certain nothing showed on her face. She found her gaze locked with his almost instantly. Though the she-wolf knew she should, she couldn't tear her eyes away. The question he thought came through loud and clear. Then again, perhaps she was simply assuming he wanted to know why she had such a death wish. Finally, Alanna looked away. Though the question was on her mind, she did not try to figure out why she had looked away first. There was more things on her plate to deal with at the moment. As if confirming her thoughts, the she-wolf's stomach chose just that moment to heave. At this point, there was nothing to throw up.
Suddenly, the alpha was gone. She could no longer feel the safety of him looming over her. Safety? she thought in wonder. Again, she disregarded the question. In this state, she wasn't going to get any answers. Still, the she-wolf pulled herself into a sitting position, watching the wolf trot away. Alanna looked at the ground between her front paws. Apparently, he had finally lost interest. For a moment, she fought with the urge to call out to him. First, because she didn't know what she'd say, and second, because it would probably be unbecoming. At the sound of claws scraping dirt, Alanna looked up. The alpha had disappeared. A scent test told her he was still there, just out of her line of sight.
A moment later, he was back, two rabbits dangling from his jaws. They were dropped just before her. She stared at them for a moment, completely uncomprehending. Her stomach lurched at the scent of a fresh kill and her mouth watered. Slowly, her tongue licked along the side of her upper lip. There was absolutely no hiding the hunger she felt. Slowly, she tore her gaze from the rabbits and looked at the wolf who had killed them. Though his motions were gentle, there was a definitive order in his eyes. Do I have a choice...? she thought desperately. She didn't even have to look to know the answer: no. Alanna looked back at the kills. With Alanna's size, the two rabbits would go a long way to getting her back into some sort of healthy appearance.
Suddenly, the answer to several of her questions hit her so hard she nearly yelped: she respected this male. That admitted, she allowed her thoughts to go further. She wanted his approval. She wanted to please. That last thought had never entered her consciousness before. The she-wolf mentally kicked herself, but could no longer ignore what she was feeling. Alanna looked back up at the alpha who wouldn't give his name. Unfortunately, she knew what had to be done. He was right, she didn't truly want death, but could she do what she wanted without irreparably wounding her pride? Unfortunately, yes.
Slowly, gently, the she-wolf moved forward, disregarding the meal that had been laid before her. Tail and head low, she stepped to the alpha to whom she was honor bound. She glanced up, asking permission. Before actually waiting for it though, forcing herself to go through with this since it had already started, Alanna's tongue rasped against the male's cheek. In a simple interpretation, she was thanking him. If he wanted to go deeper and decipher everything else that lick meant, let him. In the mean time, Alanna turned and almost pounced on the meal he had given her. With a little dignity, however, she ate them. Devoured every morsel and even some of the bones. In a word, Alanna was starving. Almost immediately she felt better.
And, again, almost immediately, the feeling left her. She had to tell this wolf her weakness, and be completely truthful about it. That was going to take some doing. She looked at him for several long moments under the guise of appreciating his physique. Of course, she was appreciating what she saw, but that didn't mean her mind wasn't racing. Finally, she spoke, her voice raw with shame, "Because I cannot hunt. Why do you think I'm almost dead anyway? I fear I could not bring down a fawn with a broken leg." The words kept coming; she had lost control of her voice. "What could you possibly do with a she-wolf that can't hunt? Not breed her, I'm sure. Those pups would be a waste of space, just like their dam. I haven't been in a social situation in over a year; I don't even remember how to behave in a pack. How could I ever possibly repay you for the gift of life...the life that now belongs to you, my Lord."
words;; didn't count...but not as short! =D tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; haha. she has no idea. =D notes;; poor Alanna, she has no idea what to do or say. hehehe. x]
Suddenly, the femme's lack of drive made sense. If she failed at even the most basic survival skills, then it was no surprise that she had nearly died from starvation. In fact, the brute was slightly impressed that she had managed to stay alive this long if that were the case. Vorilye was slightly distraught by Alanna's revelation. How would she survive outside of a pack setting, or possibly in a pack setting, without knowing how to hunt? Obviously she must be good for something or she would not have survived this long, he reminded himself with a shake of his head.
Vorilye did not pity the femme, though. He had provided her with the basic nourishment to get back on her feet, but she would not accept mindless gratitude or blind following. He wanted his pack to respect and possibly fear him, but he did not want them to feel indebted to him. Vorilye was certain of one thing; he would shape this femme into exactly what he wanted her to be. Skills could be learned, and they could be taught. Vorilye was an impeccable hunter by his own standards, and well-versed by the universal standards. He would be able to show her what she needed. The pack could always rely on Angel and Meridian for food, or potentially to show Alanna what she would need to do to provide for herself. She has got to have something going for her.
Alanna had continued to ramble about her lack of socialization and inability to function in a pack. Vorilye snorted. She thinks she is socially inept? She is talking to the quietest alpha on the continent. There is not much more social issues than a leader who tries his hardest not to speak to anyone. He was amused by the sheer thought that Alanna felt she was not well off socially. It did not take much to learn how to function in a pack. So long as she listened to the other wolves and none of them ate each other, they would get along just fine.
Once again, Alanna's words were met by Vorilye's silence. He was not going to address her concerns verbally, as he felt that would not help any of the situation. The brute was content to sit and watch her with curious eyes. She obviously had more strength, even after the small meal that she had been presented. The brute was interested to see what she would do. After all, now that she had some strength she could potentially flee. He was starting to feel as if that was highly unlikely, but he could not be certain. He did not know this femme well enough to understand the workings of her. What he was going to do was allow her to get all of this self-loathing out of her system, because after this conversation, Vorilye would not put up with it.
He figured that she would feel that she owed him. He did not want her to feel that she needed to stick around because of his assistance. While he was not allowing her to leave, he would not allow her to destroy herself, either. Vorilye knew how important life could be, and he was not going to be the one to throw away her potential. Not now, not ever.
((OOC: Sorry, these aren't coming out too great.))
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
Again, Alanna couldn't believe her own words and immediately thought about taking a vow of silence. Of course, she couldn't keep a vow like that. Alanna was horrible at keeping her mouth shut, especially if she was feeling any strong emotion, anger being the main one. She tended to say whatever came to mind when she was particularly pissed off. An emotion she was beginning to feel now that she had laid herself bare for this stranger to analyze and judge. That wasn't something she did. Whether or not she did so a year ago meant nothing. Alanna didn't do it now, and the fact that she had gave her a little jolt of anger, the only emotion that had a tendency to give one strength.
Still, she had given him the information, and there was nothing she could do to take it back now, and she found herself wondering what he thought of her because of it. If she wasn't already pissed, she was now. Her shame and anguish was quickly being channeled into anger. It was easier to feel and didn't hurt. What, exactly, was she angry at? Mostly herself, but also this dominant male that had shown her she didn't have to cross the river into the otherworld. A slight snarl was threatening to emerge on her face. With a bit of will power, she kept it from showing, though the male could probably see her irritation with the way her tail lashed and her hide twitched.
The male had completely ignored her simple thank you and the title she had grudgingly given. It insulted her pride. The fact that she had done it to begin with insulted her pride, but the fact that he had not even acknowledged it poured salt in the wound she created by doing it in the first place. It was just another thing to fuel the fire. Still, she kept her anger in check. For a moment, she wondered why her emotions were going from one extreme to another. This thought process was quickly quelled. It made sense. She had every right to her self loathing, and it was too easy to turn an emotion one doesn't like into anger. Subconsciously, Alanna was looking for things to make her mad. The raw emotion she was filled with had to go somewhere.
Now, he was simply looking at her. The she-wolf's eyes narrowed. What was he waiting for? He wasn't openly hostile, so unfortunately, Alanna couldn't become so. Instead, he was just watching. Did he think she was going to run? Probably. That was another thing Alanna could use to fuel her anger. Hadn't she just said her life was his to pretty much do with as he pleased? Well, obviously the message didn't get across. Mentally, the timber wolf kicked herself. How could she have done this? Her life belonged to not just a stranger, but a stranger that was clearly lacking some basic form of intelligence. Maybe that was why he didn't lose himself to his emotions, he probably did even know what they were.
She regarded him cooly, trying to decide if maybe it was a good idea to run. Based on his size, the fact that he was healthy, and the muscles in his bodice, the chances of her outrunning him were slim and none. Besides, she couldn't run from duty. Her pride had taken enough damage for one day. Slowly, Alanna pulled herself to her feet, getting a feel of her own muscles. Once standing, her figure naturally fell into a fighter's stance, her shoulders and neck contracting rhythmically to stimulate the blood flow necessary for a brawl. Did she expect one? No, not really. She wasn't even conscious of doing it. The only movement she made on purpose was to lift her tail and head far higher than any omega had right to.
In fact, she was almost challenging his rank with the placement of her gaze, directly into his eyes. If he didn't acknowledge her respect, she damn sure wasn't about to give it. "What are you waiting for, Alpha?" she asked, letting the last word fall off her tongue like a disease, her contempt obvious in her face. "Think I'm going to run?" She expected no response and would probably get none. Hell, he wouldn't even bristle at her tone. Originally, she had thought it his strength, now she was fairly certain it was stupidity. He probably didn't even realize she was insulting him. "Idiot...you've probably never even heard of honor or loyalty."
words;; 784 no coding tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; pissed. =D notes;; hehehe. such feminine behavior. "This makes me sad so I'm going to get pissed at it."
Alanna's body language should have been construed as threatening to the brute, but he was not concerned about her. Vorilye could read others well enough to anticipate whether she would attack or not and, at the moment, he did not feel threatened by her behavior. He knew that she was not strong enough to fend off an attack by him. Part of the brute wondered if she was attempting to provoke him in order to get the desired result; her death. Was he really that undesirable that she would go to such extreme measures to get away from his pack? The brute snorted. Certainly not, he though confidently.
He was not just being arrogant; the truth of the matter was that Alanna would not stand a chance against him in her current state. Virtually any wolf would be rendered defenseless under such circumstances, so Vorilye had to admire her courage for not backing down in the face of defeat. As she rose to her paws, her posture became threatening, almost challenging, to the brute's authority. It took every ounce of his being not to laugh in her face and throw her back to the ground. He was not trying to make this wolf an enemy, yet around every turn Alanna was trying to make him angry. There was no visible logic to her behavior, and quite frankly, it was starting to piss Vorilye off.
The brute stared her down, his eyes narrowing at her challenging demeanor. Vorilye was not honestly threatened by her, but her behavior itself was a sign of disrespect that he would not tolerate. He did not claim these lands to be put down and made into a fool. By allowing this femme to get away with her current behavior, that would be exactly what would happen.
"Back down," he snarled at her, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. "You are acting like a pup, Alanna. Provoking your superiors is a damnable offense. You are lucky that I am strong-willed." He sighed heavily. Why did these femmes keep causing him problems? He would have been better off staying a loner and keeping to himself. At least that way he would not be required to talk to these insolent wolves. He could have hunted and cared for himself, not having a care in the world. But Vorilye had craved his former glory. The brute had no intentions of staying the under dog any longer than what was necessary. He was trying to repair the mistakes of his past.
Alanna could hold her head high all day and he would not respect her any more for it. At this point, all it would do was anger Vorilye further. This bitch needs to learn her place, he leered in his head. She was pressing every boundary the brute had assembled for himself. He had not wanted to let a femme get under his skin again. He would not allow her to manipulate his behavior any further; Ithilwen had done that for too long for the brute to tolerate it any further. He was uncomfortable with the way this confrontation had turned, and he would make Alanna very aware of his displeasure.
Vorilye's unnaturally gold eyes bored condescendingly on the female. "If you can learn to live in your position, that is the day you will escape it," he sneered cryptically at the femme. He was fed up with her behavior. He had spared her life, fed her, and now she was turning on him like he was a common loner. This definitely would not do.
Last Edit: Oct 24, 2011 14:23:08 GMT -5 by Vorilye
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
Alanna had managed to work herself into a frenzy of anger, completely devoid of the pain caused by her inability to hunt. Though it wasn't exactly what she had intended to happen, it was as if she had no control over her emotions. They were running loose with nothing to check them. That was extremely unlike her. Alanna had always said the first thing that came to mind, but as a general rule, she had never allowed her emotions to rule her logic. Irrational behavior was why she didn't particularly like other females, and now she was acting just like them. At that thought, the wolf tried to force the current of anger to submit to her control.
In this, she succeeded only slightly. After a moment, she decided the reason for this was trauma. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that she was more than likely acting stupid. Of course, if she suddenly made herself stop this behavior, it would only throw the alpha for another loop and probably make him dislike her even more. That was the usual reaction to the unknown anyway. Since she had already allowed herself to reason that she had some sort of care for his opinion, Alanna knew she couldn't switch back to decent behavior on a whim, though she thought such an act might be within her abilities. Might is the keyword there... she thought irritably. The anger she was trying to bottle would not be put down without a fight and there was the fear of what it would leave behind.
And then there was the fact that at that moment, Alanna truly did think the alpha's skull was full of rocks instead of brain. What other explanation could there be? There was one...but she wouldn't even allow herself to dwell on that one. Still, it kept popping up. He might...just might...be disgusted with her enough that his entire purpose of drafting her was simply for a number. That, in itself, was nothing to be particularly ashamed of. However, Alanna believed she was nothing more than a number. She was weak, and -- as far as she knew -- unable to aid pack life in any way. Being 'just a number' was suddenly something to regard as dirty or unwholesome.
Finally, the male responded to her insults. At first, Alanna was amazed that he spoke, as he said he wouldn't. Then, upon further evaluation, he had not used a definitive when mentioning his voice, and she had pretty much put him in a position where he didn't have a choice but to speak, since brute force had already proven useless. At his first two words, Alanna felt herself impressed. He had managed to put the force of dominance behind his words, something he had not done before. Doing so made most wolves yearn to obey the order, whether they were loyal to the speaker or not. Alanna however, had more reason to obey than just his tone. She could not, with good conscious, disobey an order given by her new liege lord, no matter how much she despised him for it.
So, even with the insult he threw at her a moment later, Alanna backed down, though only slightly. He did not order her to lay at his feet, though if he knew the power he held over the once proud far, he might. It would go far to asserting who was boss, no matter how much Alanna resented the prospect. For a moment, she had stood still, letting the words and tone he used wash over her. This time, she did not hide her mental struggle. In some twisted way, she found herself wanting him to understand. If he did grasp the full implications of her comment concerning who owned her life, and used it to his advantage, he would redeem his worth in her eyes, even if he did manipulate her to whatever ends he desired.
Better to be the pawn of another because of an honest mistake than to be the vassal of a fool who didn't even understand what the relationship entailed. Finally, her honor won, and her head and tail drooped. Not far, of course, but far enough to no longer appear challenging. The last thing to change was the location of her gaze. She was certain he had seen her struggle with herself to disobey him and hoped that he understood why she couldn't. The self-loathing would only escalate if he didn't. Also, she found herself dearly wishing that he would in some way acknowledge her will and her honor. They were the only things she was proud of. To see them spurned tore into her soul.
The last thing he said drilled into Alanna's ears. If I can learn to accept it... she mentally repeated. That was a problem. The she-wolf didn't have it in her to accept the bullying that came from every wolf in the pack to he with the lowest rank. Alanna would take it from the alpha if he commanded it, for she had no choice, but she would never lay down to an entire pack. The she-wolf took a steadying breath before replying. "You're right. I am acting juvenile. As for luck, I have none of that, as far as I know," she said, her words soft, directed at the ground between his front paws. "I have no choice but to respect you, even if you do not realize it or respond to it, but do not think I will respect anyone else who does not earn it, Sir." Again, the title slipped off her tongue as if it were dirty. Alanna would not give a more respectful or submissive behavior by choice, and she hoped he understood that.
words;; several. =D tags;; Uru's Vorilye mood;; hahahahaha. notes;; she'll be good...if he makes her. rofl.
A smile played at the lips of the alpha as Alanna spoke to him once more. One would find it strange that Vorilye respected submission so much more than authority. He found the quality attractive in other wolves, particularly because it was directed toward himself. His opinion of Alanna was dramatically increased by her acknowledgement that he was correct. Maybe it was just the boost to his ego that he needed, but Vorilye respected her much more after those words. He was not a fool, and he would not allow himself to forge any sort of attachment to the female, but she was a notch higher in his good books now.
He was growing uncomfortable with staying in one place for such a measure of time. Vorilye felt confident enough in Alanna to be able to keep up; after all, the small meal she had been provided was quite possibly more than she had consumed in a long time. That would provide enough energy for the femme at this time. He needed to move forward though, and he wanted her to follow as back up to scout the territory. He was anxious to secure all of the land and be sure there were no more unwelcomed visitors around, and he could not do that by sitting around.
"Come with me, Alanna," he instructed with a light smile, letting her know that he was past the gruff exterior. Wolves that really got to know the brute would understand why he acted the way he did, and by addressing her so kindly, Vorilye was allowing her a momentary window into his true self. It was not the wall that he built around himself any longer; it was the true Vorilye, the wolf that had been wounded too many times and left vulnerable time and time again. It was the brute that longed for commitment but could not bring himself to become attached because of Ithilwen. It was the wolf that wanted revenge on his family because of the pain they had caused him, yet he loved them unconditionally for unknown reasons. There was so much more to the brute than what was on the surface, and it was a rare occurance for him to let his walls down, even for the briefest moment.
A howl cut across the territory, alerting the alpha to another loner that had stumbled upon his claim. His defenses immediately rose, shutting off the momentarily exposed brute once more. He was secretly pleased that the wolf had actually given him the courtesy of howling before entering his lands, but he was still a potential threat. His golden socks bounced against the earth, carrying him toward the howling brute. Glancing back at the femme, he gestured casually with his head to follow him.
((OOC: Sorry to cut this thread, but I'm trying to follow my own liquid time rule lol. You can put Alanna in the thread with Vorilye and Wutender next.))
Last Edit: Oct 28, 2011 12:16:43 GMT -5 by Uruviel
Vorilye || Mackenzie Valley Brute || Eight Years Old
