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 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 1:04 pm
Evening was approaching; the sunlight was gently waning, veiling the lands on the horizon in bright golds and reds, whilst the glittering sky was speckled with ribbons of whitish clouds. The brighter stars were awakening where the skies were purple, and the forests and mountains were but black sillhouettes, casting looming shadows on the grasslands near Clabar and the frightening woods - those of Feileadh.
Among those sillhouettes was a wolf, poised loosely on the border of the Bones packlands, tail limp and ears erect as the male watched the coming sunset. Observant green eyes scanned the lands, calm and aware at the same time. Upon closer inspection, his coat was a light gray with a few good areas of darker colors. Most notable was the skull-shaped marking on his head, for which he was named.
For this was Skule of the Bones Pack.
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 10:33 am
As the evening was approaching, hunting was near pointless. It wasn't quite dark yet, it was quite obvious, but with the darkness of the coming night, other creatures hid away, while larger terrors came out. The hunter had found herself crouching down amongst the underbrush in the Feileadh woods that particular day, and any wolf in their right mind knew not to be alone there at night.
Creeping along with careful placement of her paws, the hunter stealthily moved through the outskirts of the woods and toward her pack. With any luck, the femme wouldn't have to break the news that hunting had been scarce. Aleni feared what would happen to her if she approached the others empty-handed, and thusly took her time getting back, listening and sniffing for any nearby signs of life.
All she found, however, was one of her pack-mates. Moving closer, the light gray femme sat beside the male, trusting that he would recognize the light brown, spiky looking patterns along her head, back, and tail, as well as the other bits of brown she had here and there.
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 12:07 pm
Gray ears swivelled and twitched at the crunching of the ground beneath the huntress's paws, and the male turned his head to regard her, knowing full well the scent and unthreatening movements of a fellow pack member. Tail thumping idly, he nodded his head, dark green eyes rolling over her features, having recognized her unique scent when she first approached. Returning his gaze to the sunset as she paused next to him, he grinned a touch, drawing a deep breath before speaking.
"Aleni." His voice was pleasant and kind. "You've come from Feileadh? I can smell it on you." Skule spied her from the corner of his eye, noticing that she had indeed come back empty-handed. Odd? Maybe.
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:51 pm
Seeing how the male hadn't made any attempt to move or push her away, the huntress decided it would be just find and dandy to sit for a while. Sitting close to the wolf, she remained alert, head held high and ears erect. If, by any chance, something edible were to wander by, she'd want to catch it. Actually, not even that. The hunter would have to catch it, kill it, share it amongst the pack. Aleni would be humiliated if she, as the sole provider, didn't return with anything, not even a measly rabbit.
"Skule." Nodding her head in acknowledgment, she continued to gaze off to the side. "Yes, yes I have. Spent all day within the woods, from dawn to dusk. And I've brought nothing." She spoke in an irritable tone, her ears twitching intently. "I'm not anticipating any good remarks from Irons."
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:18 pm
He nodded his head, face grim as she spoke. "As I suspected. Was there anything to catch to begin with, or was it just bad luck?" The gray male queried, turning his head slightly to the side as the sun continued it's leisurely descent under the horizon - it would almost be gone now, and the sky had grown considerably darker, shadows growing longer and fainter.
Maybe they still had enough time to give it one more go? The Woods weren't that far, and Skule would hate to see Aleni bear Irons' scorn. Maybe he could help... The male's tail twitched lazily, ears twitching at the smallest sound of the coming night birds and the rustling leaves. "If you're up to it, we could give it one last shot? I'd hate to see what Irons' had to say if you did go back now. Not to mention what he would do."
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:51 pm
"There didn't appear to be anything today. I couldn't pick up a scent, I couldn't find anything, not even a measly rabbit!" The huntress scowled in obvious distaste of the scenario. A day where a hunter could not hunt? Impossible! Yet it had happened to her. On any other day, she would've gazed up at the sun, enjoying it's soothing, calm descent. Not today.
Going back hadn't seemed like a possibility. Going to the Woods during the day hours was dangerous enough. At night, alone, would be suicide. As the male made his offer, the hunter hesitated. One last try sounded good, but she could do that on her own, right? Probably not. Asking the male to accompany her would make her feel as though she weren't fulfilling her duty, but then again, Irons couldn't have some rule about joining the huntress in an evening hunt. Having help was better than his scorn. "I thank you for your offer, dear Skule, but I'm not quite sure if I'd like to take that up. Are you willing to venture into Feileadh at dusk?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:53 pm
"Even a rabbit would seem a feast at the moment. I wonder what disturbs the prey... Maybe it is just the ebb and flow of the evil in the Woods in lieu of the ceremony?" His voice had trailed off to just above a whisper, ears flickering in odd directions as the night birds and strange beasts made themselves known in the deeper parts of the forests. The wolf of gray eyed the treeline warily, jade gaze hardening as he retired to silent thoughts.
"I would not offer if I was unsure, Aleni. As long as we stay on the outskirts, we should be able to make it back with no problem, do you agree?" The beta male tossed his head valiantly, readying himself to pad into the forest, tail springing up and curling a bit. This was one of those rare moments when Skule was more than just observant - he was daring, entirely willing to brave the horrors of Feileadh to protect his pack mates, and to feed them. "We will have to make do with the time we have... and anything so small as a rat or two is better than nothing."
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:13 pm
"I haven't a clue, and I doubt there's any way of knowing for sure. Perhaps I didn't travel far enough into the woods, or perhaps another pack wiped out the game in the area I was patrolling." Her own ears twitched upon hearing the strange noises. The sounds hadn't irked her the way it did with others. The horrors that most wolves knew awaited for them in Feileadh hadn't frightened her, either. Instead, they comforted her, told her that there was indeed creatures in the forests that could be tracked down and killed.
As the male spoke, she merely nodded in silent agreement. "Yes, I agree, Skule. Even I wouldn't dare going into the depths of Feileadh with only two wolves, right after sunset." Any wolf with common sense wouldn't do that. Heaving herself off of the ground, the huntress gazed toward the Woods. Although she was a little irritated that she needed aid in the hunt, she felt that it wouldn't be a smart move to go to Irons empty handed, nor did she want to turn down help that was offered by a wolf higher in the ranks than her. At least she wasn't begging for help, she supposed. "If we're lucky, we'll hopefully come across something larger than just a rat.."
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:28 pm
"Indeed, and you are wise to avoid doing so," intoned the male as he pushed onwards, towards the majestic yawning boughs of Feileadh, the shadows strange and unfamiliar, giant, twisting roots leaping from the dirt and back in again, tall arches and bridges still sturdy in their ancient creation. Their was a deep sense of foreboding, but it'd be hard for any animal to miss the mysterious beauty that rippled through the woods. Skule pressed farther, under the branches and shading canopies in the dark, utilizing all of his senses to help guide him through the forest, and ultimately, to something worthy of a hunt.
One ear trained behind and one forward, he monitored the steps of the huntress as the marched in, the beta's nose sniffing the ground and air alternately.
Nothing. Not even a whiff of another animal. Even the caws of the birds had gone silent, and all that accompanied their trek was the steady drone of bugs and beetles.
The male fancied he'd seen something move, maybe even a pair of eyes, but when he took a step forward to a bush nearby, naught but a hungry dragonfly flitted from the disturbance.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:03 pm
Following behind the male, a sly smile formed across the huntress' snout. Compliments, or anything close to a compliment, were almost as wonderful as the exhilarating feeling she got every time to she killed for the pack. As they moved forward, the female moved with ease under the branches that hung low, over the roots that jutted from the earth beneath her paws, moving out of the way of the thick trunks that provided the overcast shadows. All the while, she crept low to the ground, ears perked up and alert. It was just daily routine, with the only added difference being Skule's presence and the added eeriness of being in the woods at night.
Her nose was working rapidly, pressed against almost ever surface in her reach. Aleni occasionally stopped in her steps to gaze around, and take a quick whiff of nighttime air. It was quite frustrating, she found, that she couldn't pick up on a scent, not that of a fox nor bear, not even a damn rat.
As the dragonfly went past the beta male, she quickened her pace so she was padding along beside him. "Picked up on anything yet?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, barely audible. "I'm telling you Skule, this has gone on all day, and it's pissing me off. What if something much bigger than us is causing everything to go into hiding?"
With that, she continued to sniff at everything she came upon, anything that could possibly hold the odor of something edible. There would be hell to pay if she couldn't get anything, even with the male's help. If she had to, she'd try to take down a bear, assuming she'd even be able to find one.
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Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:38 pm
As the huntress padded up next to him, he grinned at her comments, teeth gleaming in what little light there was. Green eyes glinted, and his head turned gently towards Aleni. "I thought I did, but it was nothing...," he said, trying to sound as sure as possible, though he his eyes glinted with mild surprise at the female's next comment. She sounded almost frightened.
"We are warriors, are we not? The most feared in all the land." The light voice of the beta was full of whimsy and exultant pride. But really, was there something bigger than them? Bigger than anything they'd ever seen? Big enough to disturb the animals in the eerie woods?
Red ears perked as the pair passed, patterned tail curling and twitching silently as she watched from above. The wind rustled the leaves and she crouched lower on the branch, careful not to give her position away. Why was she up here?
She wanted to get away from it all...
The bickering of the Alpha and the Shaman, the blood-letting atmosphere, the boneyard, the 'Spirits', the ranks, the rules...
Everything.
Her ears were trained on them now, and watched, waiting, hoping the wind wouldn't shift and carry her scent down to them.
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Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:36 pm
As the beta spoke to her, she looked over her shoulder at him. "I came across a rotting hare today..it had to be days old. It was foul, certainly not fit for Irons." Shaking her head a little, she directed her attention back to where they were going. "There are far more insects than anything of prey out here, as well. I keep finding them when I think I'm coming onto something. I suppose that happened to you, too."
With Skule's next comment, Aleni nodded in agreement. "I know that, dear Skule. We're meant to fight, hunt, and kill. But there are larger animals out here, ones that I couldn't possibly take down by myself. I don't know what they're called, but they stand tall when they're on their back legs." Although she had seen few, she knew they existed, she had seen them before.
Continuing to pad along, nose working vigorously, she suddenly stopped. Something was there. Something had to be there, she could smell it in the wind. "Skule." She whispered, nudging his side, eyes narrowed. "There's something nearby.." As she spoke, she turned around, a soft growl making its way up her throat. The scent was familiar, something that she had smelled before. But what?
"I don't think it's something I've ever hunted, but something about it...something about it seems awfully familiar." Gazing around her, she finally allowed herself to look up within the trees, for she knew that some animals stayed in them, such as birds. Her eyes locked on a figure hidden in the leaves. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to make out what the silhouetted creature was, fighting back her want to bark and snarl.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 2:06 pm
"Irons'd have us rot if we brought him that..." the beta intoned, a small chuckle working its way into his words. He kept his head level, eyes searching through the trees as he padded on, mindful of Aleni's whereabouts.
"I am not sure of what you speak of, my dear, for you know this forest better than all of us... pray we do not run into anything like that." His elegant voice carried on in a deep hum as he continued, almost a growl that resonated from his body but didn't make much noise at all. Just subtle vibrations. His senses had just caught the slightly familiar aroma as he was nudged, and his eyes widened marginally as he searched the area, then finally followed the huntress's gaze into the trees.
A light chuckle echoed among the branches as the female stilled herself, careful to keep her footing on the tree as she made ready to leave it. The other female's snarl made the hair on her neck turn to needles, raising and making her form look bigger than it really was, though there was no real need for it.
She knew who they were.
She had been watching, listening.
"About time." Indira muttered, jewel-red eyes glinting in the waning light that filtered through the leaves as she turned her head. "What are you two doing in the forest at night? Out on a little... date?" Her body arched as she flexed her muscles, claws scraping at the bark as she suddenly leapt from the branch she sat on.
The wind ruffled her reddish fur as she came down, tail held quite high as she landed in a crouch. She was rather large from this point, even larger than Skule, who was a fairly average-sized wolf himself, and her head was held low to the ground, lips raised in a sneer.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:14 pm
The huntress paid little attention to the beta's comments. Of course she knew Irons would never approve of a foul, rotting hair. It was also quite obvious that she new the woods better than most of the pack, which usually would've earned Skule a very smug smile. As for running into the massive creatures she had seen a few times prior, she couldn't care less. If anything, they would either run or see if they couldn't take it down. Usually it wouldn't seem like a good idea, but at this point, it seemed like a possibility. It all depended on if they found anything to hunt, or if they really did run into the grotesque, hairy beast.
However, she continued to stare up into the tree, eyes narrowed. It was still difficult for her to see who was in the tree, but as the creature's hackles rose, she knew it had to be another wolf. "Show yourself." Aleni hissed, mere moments before Indira spoke, and she immediately recognized the identity of the tree-hider.
"A date? It's nothing of the sort." She spoke curtly, settling down onto her haunches. Date? With Skule? In the horrifying woods at night? "We're out here hunting, actually. Just a late-night hunt, and we're hoping to find something big." Shooting a quick glance toward the male, she hoped he would follow along and say they were just hunting for their own amusement. She would never tell Indira that she had been having trouble that day.
"What about you, Indira? What are you doing in Feileadh at night?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:11 pm
"Indira. I was wondering where you'd gone off to." Skule spoke shortly, eyeing her large form as she lumbered towards them, quite amused. "It is as Aleni says - thought it'd be nice to test our wits against the forest horrors, and perhaps... come out lucky." He turned his head towards the huntress, nodding quickly before returning to the red female.
"Irons will want you at the ceremony soon, Indira. It's in your best interests to come back with us." The beta took a few steps forward, tail raised in authority, emphasizing the fact that she really had no choice in the matter.
Lest she rebel, of course. Then Irons'd just rend her limb from limb.
"What? You thought I was sad, confused, lost, alone?" She snapped, claws raking at the dirt beneath her as she paced. "Was doing a little hunting myself... for plotters. Spies. Traitors." She looked pointedly at Skule and Aleni, snorting, before turning back towards the way she had seen the pair come. "I'm never any of those things." She was naturally stubborn, a bit too curious for her own good, and she tended to veer to the darker side of the track...
And she was also extremely competetive, even power-hungry.
"Hunting? Tch, I bet I could catch something so big, that'd even Irons himself - that mangy mutt - would consider stepping down to lay the path for me." The last word was said through a greedy grin, her head held high as she loosed a malevolent cackle.
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