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 Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:26 pm
 He pressed into the cave with a shiver, unpainted front leg curled awkwardly under him as it leaked blood. His ears pinned against his head as he watched the storm have its way, howling and screaming a bitter melody. His fur was drenched and body freezing from the wrath of the rain, but it didn't matter. Not right now, at least. His heart pounded as he watched the opening of the cave, waiting for a figure to show. He had been chased, after all, and he fully expected his pursuers to find him.
Strife had been running for hours after the wound of his leg was made, and it had caught up with him. He heaved with each breath, flattening against the cave floor as his muscle screamed in protest. He had picked the Red Woods specifically because he hoped it'd stop those who chased him, but it hadn't. He had visibly seen them stagger only when he entered this particular land, and if he had been paying attention he would have known why. It was too late now -- the rain was covering the scent of the pack he was far too close to, and his mind reeled from the recent escape.
His leg throbbed angrily as he shifted and a rock pressed into the wound. Strife cursed audibly, flinching from the offending object with a wild snarl. s**t, he didn't know how to take care of his injury. It was deep. If he left it be he ran risk of it infecting, but he had seen wolves power through worse. Surely he could, too. He needed to, if he wanted to eventually head back and fix what had been done.
He had to.
She was depending on him.
Strife snapped against the back of the cave as what he had appeared unfolded; a figure emerged at the end of the cave. It was... smaller than he had thought his pursuers were, but perhaps the rain was distorting his view. His mouth pulled back as a snarl escaped, body tightening and lowering into a fight stance.
"I dare you to come closer," he warned, although his threat was a weak one. Pressed into the corner of a cave made you an easy target, but Strife didn't care; he'd at least rip the throat out of one of them before they took him down. He wasn't going to die as a victim.
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:42 pm
It wasn't uncommon for Forbidden Oath to be caught in a storm. Ever since she was a child she had enjoyed traveling during grey skies, and she wasn't going to stop just because she had become an adult. Big Bad had warned her about the coming storm but she had dismissed him with a kind smile. It was because of the storm she had left the pack heart to explore. Or, more importantly, because of what Red had seen the night before.
Red Riding Hood was under her care for the time being, and Forbidden Oath enjoyed her energy. The young Seer was always keeping Forbidden on her toes with her inability to sit still. Due to this, Forbidden had begun going to sleep with Red when the Seer did to ensure she didn't sneak off. That night Red had a vision, and while the small pup protested that it meant nothing and shouldn't be catered to, Forbidden Oath had heard it clear as day; 'He's coming.'
Who was coming? Any amount of pushing resulted in Red barking back in disapproval. The Seer rejected her visions just as she always had and still refused to care for the gift she was given. So Forbidden Oath took matters into her own paws -- whoever he was, she'd find him before he found the pack. Big Bad was finally smiling again and she didn't want to risk him stumbling upon an enemy while the pack was so vulnerable. She didn't care if she was hurt, though. The pack would move on if she were to become absent. She was just a middle-aged Caretaker, they'd be fine.
She was glad she had left when she spotted a flash of black and yellow dip into her favorite cave. The storm had begun and Forbidden Oath was relentless in her surveying. Red's vision never meant 'he'd' come anytime soon, but she had wanted to be prepared. The flash of color was almost missed in the sheet of rain, but Forbidden trusted the flicker she had seen.
Was that the ominous 'he'? She'd only find out one way, and her paws didn't give her a second to consider otherwise. She padded towards the cave and stood before it in earnest, noting the reflection of orange eyes deep within the cave. Eerie. Her suspicion of it being a wolf was confirmed when the figure snarled out a threat in her direction, causing a low laugh to escape her throat.
Even with the rain she could smell the blood.
"I'm sure that has earned you plenty of welcoming encounters in the past," she answered, padding into the entrance of the cave to shield herself from the unrelenting rain. She shook off the water, eyeballing the shadow that began to shift closer. "I suggest you don't, amber eyes. You're in pack lands, and my Alpha doesn't take too well to his own being injured."
Frozen in step, the figure watched her, eyes cutting into semi-circles in what she assumed was a glare. Of course she'd find the unfriendly stranger. She wondered if Red had seen this exact sight; a black shadow with bright eyes. It'd frighten her for sure if she had seen that in her sleep.
"You're bleeding, do you need help?" She took a step closer, stiffening as a barked snarl echoed within the cave and the cornered wolf snapped backwards into what she assumed was the wall.
It seemed he was not only injured in one way. Sympathy washed over her as she leaned back, retreating back into her own space.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:36 pm
Niceties didn't become Strife, and it showed as the moment the stranger had spoken he answered with his own low and guttural growl. He felt feral, and he might as well have been, but sympathy was gone from mind. He didn't care who the stranger may be or that he might hurt her feelings -- survival was the upmost importance. His eyes lingered on the silhouette of her frame, noting her soft shoulders and slim figure. He could kill her, and easily, yet her threat didn't land on deaf ears. He was on pack lands, and he knew any pack who settled within the Red Woods, whether on the edge or not, would not have remorse in disposing of him.
He needed to stay alive; for her. For the dark black and grey wolf depending on him back... home? No, that wasn't a home anymore -- back to the hell he had been born in. He wanted nothing more than to bite back at the wolf before him, but he cared for his own skin more in that current moment.
So, instead, he settled with leaning back and glowering in the darkness, trying to summon the strength to be imposing. He was a large male, surely she'd be frightened? Except, the she-wolf wasn't moving. In fact, she was doing the exact opposite, and it pissed him off. He grit his teeth, biting back various retorts before settling on just answering her. Maybe she'd leave then.
"Do you think a wise wolf would answer? What if I was? What would you do with that information?" Bitterness crawled from his throat and spilled into venomous words, his tone sharp enough to cut. There she stood, either immune or resistant, he couldn't tell. The darkness covered her expression, although an irritable part of him wondered if she was smiling.
"This is none of your business. Leave, and I'll be gone by daybreak."
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:47 pm
If he thought his tone disturbed her he was far from wrong, and Forbidden could assume by his stature he had gotten away with this very behavior many times. She had dealt with venom many times, ranging from older wolves who had lost the ability to censor their thoughts to a small pup who later became an Alpha. No, instead it just saddened her, honestly. Something had happened, and while it wasn't her job to heal every broken heart she stumbled upon she still tasted the tang of remorse for the wolf before her. She couldn't fault him for his caution and aggression, either. He was a strange trapped against the back of a cave and surrounded by what could very well be an enemy.
She frowned, furrowing her brows in frustration. He'd have more problems than one once the storm relented and the pack discovered him. If she didn't have a good word for him she was sure his attitude would set off Big Bad. This wouldn't end well, and while he promised to be gone by daybreak she wondered if the storm would pass before then. He was on borrowed time.
"You're not fooling anyone, and certainly not me," she tiredly sighed, emphasizing the weariness in her tone. He was being dramatic, and she wanted him to feel that. "I'm a Caretaker, and while that may mean little to you it means I help those who need it. You're bleeding; it reeks of blood in this cave. You can stay here and let it potentially grow infected, or you can accept my help. Either way, whether you lose that leg is on you, not me."
She paused, heaving a sigh as her ears flopped down. She really just wanted to help, but if he didn't want her help what could she do? She refused to beg; it didn't fit the mother of the Alpha, did it? Yet, she could practically smell the fear in the wolf before her, and she doubted it was directed at her.
Something was wrong, and her bleeding heart wouldn't let her walk away without trying.
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Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:42 am
He hated it -- all of it. The she-wolf spoke of compassion with an edge of 'don't mess with me', and he hated the offer behind her words. Or, rather, directly in-front. He didn't want help. No, he wanted many things, but help wasn't one of them. He was supposed to be strong enough; good enough. Yet here he was, cowering in a cave during a storm while some rando chattered at him. He was supposed to be back home, or where he had known home. Back with his sister and ensuring her safety.
His sister.
He tensed, glancing at the exit. He could bolt, but his leg wouldn't carry him far without support and he was sure returning near his old pack territory would be instant death in his current state. He wasn't doing anything here, though. Laying there was pointless, and Strife had no way out. What happened tomorrow? The next day? The days after? His leg would be unattended to, he'd lose the ability to use it, and then he'd be completely useless to his sister.
Useless, like always.
His attention redirected to the she-wolf, ears flattening. If she healed him he had a better chance to return to his sister and get her free. His leg would be tended to, heal properly, and then he could be on his merry way. He didn't need it perfectly healed, either; just enough so he could put his weight on it without assistance. Then he could leave and never come back.
Then he could rescue his sister.
He swallowed air with a sharp sigh, pushing back the hatred of vulnerability. It was worth it, for her. Somewhere right then and there his sister was suffering, and the longer he waited the more days of her captivity. Grow up, his brain urged. He had to for his sister.
"Fine," he breathed, eyes closing against the admission. Fine, just for a little.
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Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:49 am
Fine, he conceded, and with that she released her own kept sigh. She hated the idea of leaving someone to rot, even if the said wolf was a disaster of a character. Her brain reeled, running through the possible scenarios that would unfold when she spoke to Big Bad. The wolf before her needed proper care, and a dingy cave damp from the humidity would not do. He needed somewhere clean and warm, which her pack could provide. They had helped the injured before; this couldn't be any different.
Yet she had a feeling the wolf before her would not make this a typical case.
"When the storm lets up I will help you to one of our sick dens. It's warm, and most importantly clean. You'll heal quickly with our care," she answered, noting the shadow shift uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea of being in her pack lands, and she didn't like the idea of his leg infecting when she could have helped; it was an uncomfortable situation.
"Admittedly I don't know when the rain will let up. May I check your wounds? I'm trained in medical care, too, but with the limited resources I have I can only examine currently."
She waited, ready to approach the shadow of a wolf the moment he agreed.
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Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:58 am
He didn't want her to touch him, spine bristling as a spike of pain ran up his leg. Deep down he wanted to pass the leg off as something that just needed sleep, and yet the pooling blood and stench of iron was enough for him to close his eyes and admit he was wrong.
"I'm not going anywhere; do whatever you need," he grunted through gritted teeth. He heard the shift as the she-wolf approached, inhaling a strong scent of... cherries? He blinked back his surprise, pressing into the ground as she finally stood before him. A flash of lightening illuminated the cave and for a moment their eyes met.
Something shuddered deep in his chest, but it was easy to suppress.
She joined his side, examining his leg attentively. Strife settled for laying his head on the cold ground, pointed away from the dutiful she-wolf. There they sat for quite some time, one wolf poking at the mess of an arm that sat before her and the other pretending he had better things to be doing right then and there. It was a foolish attempt at looking busy, but she allowed him his attempt.
Besides, she had won after all, and Strife would be heading with her back to her pack when the rain lifted. Irritably, of course, and with a touch of mockery, but that was just Strife. He was stuck, after all. Stuck at her mercy in hopes her home could actually mend his mutilated leg and lead him back to his sister.
After all, this all was really for her in the end.
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