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 Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:16 pm
 run. Run. Run. RUN. RUN. RUN! RUN!
Johnny had never run so hard in his life. His legs screamed at him to stop, but he couldn’t find the courage. Not yet. They could be behind him, ready to snatch him up and drag him back to hell any moment he dared to slow his pace. So that’s how Johnny ran – Like a bat out of hell.
Tears streamed down the mostly pale wolf’s cheeks, soaking his face and blurring his vision. He was not the crying type, but between his impending freedom and possible doom, he could not help but get emotional.
Although he didn’t hear the pack of wolves coming up on him, he still feared they would be there soon. There was only a remote possibility that they hadn’t found out yet, and an even smaller chance that they would just... let him go. The only sound he could hear was the drumming echo of his paws, the ragged breath that fought every second to escape his lungs, and the unsettling happy chirp of night birds.
Adenru had spent what seemed like the last thousand moons telling him that even if he did escape, it wouldn’t matter. The tyrannical alpha had killed his sister, and would kill him too if he attempted to leave. The option of staying around wasn’t open to Johnny either. The scars, tattered fur, and ripped ears told that story without him even saying a word. It was a wonder they hadn’t got bored and killed him yet.
It had seemed like forever since he had found the flaw in their guard system, and now he was on autopilot, having ran for his life ever since. Pain from the morning’s torture still echoed in his hide, and visions of the horrible things they promised to do to him haunted his eyes, further blinding him. He didn’t see the ghostly figure ahead of him until it was too late. Even if he had… there was no way Johnny could have avoided a collision. A twisted scream escaped his maw as he crashed into the other wolf, knocking the wind out of himself.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:17 pm
He had been following a familiar smell for two moons now. It smelled of Nitika, though more… salty? He knew these lands were near the sea, but had never looked upon it before with his own two eyes. He desired the company of this “great lake”, one he had been told was more vast than any other body of water ever. Maybe the being, one who smelled so much like Nitika, would be friendly enough to take him there.
He smiled as he thought of the bulky brown femme. If she hadn’t shaped up when his father was around, he would have left her to fend for herself. She had got extremely irritating to the maned wolf, but thankfully it hadn’t lasted too long. He found it easy to be friends with her, but whenever feelings of love got involved from either side, the red male knew it was time to put some distance between the two of them.
The male’s longer neck fur ruffled in the night air and his ears pricked forwards listening for any signs that anyone else was near. He still smelled the strange wolves and the brine in the air, getting stronger every footfall. He was getting close, and it excited him to think of the water lapping at his feet as he stared off at the expanse of it all. The night was calm and a distant rumbling let him know a storm was approaching. Rain had not yet started to fall, and the night birds still chirped and twittered above him.
He had almost forgotten what this was like. Being on his own, doing what he wished. He loved pack life, of course, but this was invigorating. The night air, chilled by the oncoming rains, snaked through his fur, caressing his skin and causing him to shiver. It occurred to him to bed down for the night, to find a dead tree to hide out in until daylight, but he felt beckoned by the sea. He lifted his jaws skyward to sniff in the scent of those strange wolves, hoping for guidance, when a scream jarred him. No sooner had his head snapped to the side to see what was going on, than another wolf bowled him over, slamming him to the ground and leaving him breathless.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:21 pm
The pale wolf rolled to his feet and pranced nervously, dancing back and forth like a boxer on the rebound. His brow knitted in worry. Had he killed it? He didn’t… didn’t mean… oh dear. He squeeked softly and nosed the rusty male. It was just a wolf… just a wolf. Wouldn’t hurt him. Maybe. “Hello~? Are you alright?” he dared speak, constantly looking back over his shoulder. They would come soon, if they were chasing him at all. He didn’t want to take that chance, but Johnny wouldn’t leave another wolf in the path of destruction. Especially after having put him there.
He sat hard, peeping in surprise at sitting on his tail. After moving to correct the issue, he sat again, slowly this time. Looking over himself didn’t take long, and he kept glancing at the rusted wolf before him. “Oooh… damn.” He hoped he hadn’t killed it. There would be no living it down. He really would have become just like Adenru and his nasty clan, then.
The pale wolf hadn’t been hurt, and after licking his fur smooth again he rose to pace once more. This fella’ should wake up soon, or things might spell bad for the both of them.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:22 pm
Rochir thought it best to lay low for a minute. He wasn’t sure if the wolf that had just tackled him was friend or foe, and if the red male could avoid a confrontation at this point, he would do what it took.
After a few moments of listening to the other male, Rochir slowly made his way to his paws. “Ah’m a’right, yeh.” He spoke slowly, his head still fuzzy from the knockdown. “Are ye ok?”
He too took a few moments to survey himself. No serious damage had come to him, and his vision was returning to normal. This male wasn’t as small as he, and had gave him a good bashing. It was all accidental, he understood, or hoped at least.
After confirming that he had no injuries, he took a moment to look over this stranger. He was a big larger, and very pale. The overabundance of scars worried the red male, but at the same time softened him, reminding him of Mingan. The black mask over the stranger’s eyes was an interesting contrast to the pale fur covering the rest of him.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:25 pm
He’d never encountered a wolf smaller than him. Well, his sister… but she…
The male spoke with a strange accent, and it took Johnny a minute to get a grasp on words he was hearing. Ok? Yes… he was ok. Just a little… frazzled.
“I’m alright. Damn, I’m sorry… I didn’t… didn’t mean to just… “ He spoke exactly how he felt. His thoughts were scattered, he was scared. Not of this stranger with the funny accent, but of what may be on his tail.
“They…” he tried, still prancing nervously. “We should move. Far away. Now? Please?” he was begging a stranger. It was like him, though. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, no matter what.
It occurred to him that making a friend or two would be wonderful. That’s what the pale wolf wanted. He wanted friends; a normal life with friends, maybe even a family. But… how could he have that with Adenru and clan in hot pursuit? Maybe he was thinking a bit fast, too far ahead… but that’s how it was.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:26 pm
He had been running awfully fast to just be on a midnight jaunt. The thought hit him a bit hard, and he balked in answering. “Move?” Move where though… and why? Was someone… something chasing him?
Maybe it was best to listen. Rochir hopped to his feet and moved. “Follow me, then.” He swung around, back the way he had come. He would take the pale wolf to his clearing. The lake would know what to do – or maybe he was just crazy in a way, and thought it would. In any case, he would see her again, and this stranger would have his comforting place to hide.
Making sure the pale stranger was following him, Rochir ran. Thankfully neither of them had been hurt too badly from the collision, and they would run at top speed. It seemed they were racing the thunder as it rolled through the atmosphere, roaring like a beast chasing after them. The sound piqued Rochir’s imagination, and he ran faster, fear nipping at his tail and urging him on.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:27 pm
Johnny was glad the red male didn’t object. He thought it a good trait to listen and act that quickly. A smile graced his maw for the first time in years as he ran, helter-skelter, through the trees and underbrush after the stranger.
It occurred to him that this stranger might be evil. A scout sent ahead of Adenru’s army to make him falter. One that was now leading him into the jaws of death. But the stranger would act differently, he told himself. Even Adenru’s wolves slipped up.
The thunder caught in his ears and he looked up to see the mottled grey sky, just visible through breaks in the tree boughs. The resulting lightning after the rumble made his fur stand on end, and he hoped the red male was leading them to shelter. This would be his first rain not endured on ashed ground, with fresh wounds and blood-filled eyes.
No, tonight the rain would wash away memories. Painful memories of beatings, death threats, and lies would wash away with those chilled drops from the heavens. Tonight there would be no bloodshed. Tonight would be a unique event in the young male’s life.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:58 pm
No such luck. Only the scents of Loki, Xieros, and birth filled the air as Hannah passed the area she had been led to, and left it again. Crossing the river was easily done this time around, and appeared much smaller now that she was bigger and wiser.
Wet once again, she took a new direction. The scent of strangers filled the air. Two males… and the weak scent of her sister! Hannah’s face lit up with new hope as she took the direction strongest marked by her sister’s lingering scent. She would finally reunite!
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:29 pm
It didn’t take long for the red male to come over the familiar feel of his clearing. The ground cover was soft and open, ready to receive the rain, and the smell of the lake was unmistakable. Breaking through the tree line, he came upon it. It smelled just the way he had left it, and his heart fluttered with joy over knowledge that no one had taken residence in his special place.
Slowing finally to rest upon his rock, he panted freely. Glancing over to the pale stranger, he invited the other male to rest wherever he pleased. They would be safe here, he trusted. It was hard to sneak up on this place with the different vantage points it provided.
“Wha’s yir story, stranger?” The red male questioned easily, figuring if it were private, the stranger could just deflect. He didn’t usually pry into wolves lives, but this was a special occasion. He had knocked Rochir down, the least he could do was tell him what was going on.
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:30 pm
Johnny slowed behind the red male cautiously. If he was being led into a trap, he wanted allowances in distance to be able to bolt away. The relief on his face was evident as he watched the red male settle upon a jutting rock, the clearing was free of other wolves. Everything seemed safe, for now.
As the first drops of rain fell, Johnny spilled his story. The water soaking him comforted him in his tale, and hid the fact that every once in a while, he would get over emotional about a detail.
He told of the attempted escape. He had taken his baby sister and fled, carrying her like their mother had carried both of them, in her jaws. He told of his re-capture, the beatings, and the mind games. He had pushed his sister away, and she had fled, but she was just a pup and he feared the worst for her. Adenru had promised him she had been rended to pieces by his own claws and teeth… but Johnny knew every wolf lied.
He was determined to find her, no matter what. Nobody would stop him, now that he was free.
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:34 pm
She had tracked them for quite a ways. It seemed the two males were running, and fast! Did they know she was following? She didn’t want to alarm them… just to talk with them. One definitely smelled of her sister. How cute, her sister had met a boy! Hannah smiled at the thought and continued, slowing a bit to give the strangers some distance.
It didn’t cross her mind that things had gone bad between her sister and this male. It also didn’t cross her mind that maybe he had hurt Nitika, and that’s why he smelled of her. Hannah wasn’t the type to think badly of anyone, until they proved themselves differently. She was no pushover, however. A good judge of character kept the little femme free of fights and heartache. She hoped this meeting would be not prove otherwise.
The scents grew stronger and she realized the two must have stopped. Voices grew louder as she walked on, coming to the edge of a clearing. Peeking through the bushes, the female finally saw the two she tracked. Rain had started to fall, dampening her scent and helping to keep her undetectable. Over the thunder, it was hard to make out what was being said, but the bigger male was doing all the talking. The scent of the three wolves was all but washed away by the rain now, and she couldn’t be sure which one had known Nitika.
Cautiously, the small femme made her way into the clearing. In her territory, she was the alpha’s daughter, and headed over all… but out here she was nothing. She made sure to remember that as she approached, clearing her throat to alert them of her presence, and keeping a respectable posture about her.
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:46 pm
Rochir listened with interest at the stranger’s story. It seemed he had lived a long and hard life, and the red male sympathized with him over lost family, as he had felt the same blow to his own short life. He noted the male was covered in scars once again, laying more truth on the story. It was rare that the red male felt speechless, but this time he truly didn’t know what to say.
After moments of silence, time spent listening to the thunder, he spoke. “Ye can stay ‘ere… ah’ve no use for the place. It’s safe, and prey abounds, if ye can ‘unt on yer own.” He didn’t need to say more about the importance of this clearing. The look on his face said it all. He had found the area very special, and even more so in meeting back up with his father here. If it hadn’t been for Nitika, he would still be living here… but everything happened for a reason, he speculated, even these things.
The next sound he heard was very minute, in comparison to the thunder and rain, and the husky voices of himself and his strange new charge. He turned his head to regard the soaked female approaching cautiously and moved to stand up. After a closer look he deemed her no threat, and sat again, glancing over to the male beside him to judge his reaction. Could this be one of the beings that the stranger was running from?
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:57 pm
The masked wolf gave a sort of bow where he sat. It was very gracious of the other male to just offer up this place. He had never been free, and it didn’t occur to him that this was free land… he could live on it if he wanted. He was growing more light hearted by the moment. Things were going wonderfully, and he was even pondering asking this red male if he would help him find his sister.
It occurred to him that he was being completely rude. “Hell. My name’s Johnny. I’m sorry, I’m a little rocked by everything that’s happened today.” He spoke as he looked into his saviors face. This clearing held meaning to the red one, and Johnny would do his best to keep it nice for him if he would let him stay here.
The arrival of another pale wolf set him on edge. As soon as he set eyes on her though, he knew she wasn’t from Adenru. There was just no way she would look like that and be allowed out…
“Hello?” he stood to greet her, wondering where she had come from. She was pretty, and probably belonged to the red male. Shoot.
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:08 pm
Johnny… Hm. She tucked the name away in the back of her mind for later use. They both stared at her from their different vantage points, but she didn’t feel the pressure. She was used to this.
“My name is Hannah, from the South Seaside pack along the beach. I’m looking for my sister, Nitika. Do either of you know her?” She got to the point quickly. No use in beating around the bush and leaving the two males wondering what her problem was. She spoke all this while walking, and finished her sentence with a standstill at the midpoint of the clearing. She was close enough to smell the males again, and see them more clearly in the weather.
The red one. That was it, he smelled like Nitika. She focused her attention on him, turning to face him as she, too, sat. A voice caused her ear to flick. She looked to the masked male and smiled, her ears flicking back slightly before righting themselves again. He was very handsome, she thought. Her heart fluttered as she caught his eye. “Hello~” she returned in her own lilting tones.
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 4:21 pm
”Ah’m Rochir. Nice t’ me—“ he was interrupted by Johnny’s greeting. Very well. He should have greeted her upon seeing her, as well. She was very small, and he wondered if she were even an adult yet. Then again, she probably looked bigger dry, with all her fur about her.
Nitika? Oh geez. “Ah know ‘er.” He said simply. He wondered what she wanted with the bigger femme. Sisters? Wow… they couldn’t look more different from each other. Hopefully this one had a better personality. If he was to be taking her to see Nitika, she would have to be better company than the darker female, or he would go insane.
He tuned his attention between the two. How cute, two pale wolves. Rochir hadn’t met a lot of them in his life. Most of his friends and acquaintances had been darker… except his father, but he was still not quite pale as these two.
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