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 Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:51 am
April 17th Sirena roleplay record.
Ren
The trees rustled pleasantly in the wind above her head as she slunk down into the undergrowth, pale belly pressed close to the ground as she moved with almost robotic grace across the grass. Here it grew long and tangled, cool against the pads of her wide paws and aided her in moving silently.
She lowered herself further, piercing eyes focusing on something stirring ahead and a growl gathered in her throat at the scent of rabbit. She swallowed and drew her ears forward, every muscle in her body quivering as she held back just a moment longer.
She had to wait, and she would wait.
A long moment passed by, a cloud sheathing the sunlight briefly and casting a pale shadow over her motionless form, then in seconds she had torn forwards, jaws gaping as she struck at her prey, teeth sinking deep into flesh. The sharp crack of bone echoed in her ears and then after a vigorous shake of her head she dropped the limp rabbit to the ground. Blood now splattered across her once clean face and dripped from her canines as she raised her head to glance around. Was there anyone close by? There better not be. She growled quietly to herself, the sound rumbling deep in her chest as she shifted once more.
She lifted the rabbit and trotted out of the clearing and back into the trees, leaping up onto a rotten log and lying astride it placing her meal between her front paws where she began to chew at it testingly.
For a moment she relaxed her usually tense muscles, her tail beating cheerfully against the wood of the log she was using as her table, eyes brightening as her stomach eased in it's hungry complaint. She hadn't eaten anything in a long while, not sicne her travles from the lands of the south but she was a skilled huntress and it never took her too long to locate a wriggling beast.
She raised her head once more, reaching up with a bloodied paw to wipe at the trim fur around her muzzle as she tried to wipe the crimson liquid from her fur, only to smudge it further. Then once more she dipped her slender muzzle to her meal and tore at it's innards, the warm flesh a welcom treat to her empty belly. Atleast now she had regained a little of her strength that had been lost during her long trek.
Dag
Dagda slunk through the undergrowth like a shadow, his rich azure pelt fading to near black in the filtered light. Only the occaisional ray escaping the canopy's relentless reaching towards the sun fell upon his pelt, revealing it's true colours.
Dag was always hungry, as a hunter he was not as skilled as most, often relying on others to be kind enough to share with him. His kind were fighters, reliant on their prowess in fang to fang combat rather than hunting proficiency.
Still, that didn't stop him from picking up the rich scent of blood on the air, tantalising and enticing to his ravenous hunger.
Adjusting his course, he stifled his want to salivate and followed his nose towards the source of the scent.
Finally he came upon Sirena, and, carefully lowering his tail and flicking back his ears so as not to provoke an attack from the other, he padded over to sit a few meters away, saying nothing for the time being, just watching her.
Ren
The female wolf was probably in one of her better moods, which didn't come often and as she feasted she temporarily forgot her surroundings, dark eyes paying heed only to her meal. The warmth of the food gave her comfort and she raised her head to glance up at the canopy above her head. The dappled sunlight caused her fur to glimmer brilliantly and for a moment she looked simply angelic.
However it was a few moments later that she turned her head and focused upon a dark male who was sitting barely a few meters away. She bristled and her muzzle wrinkled in the beginnings of a snarl. True there was not much meat left to protect but the fact that he had sneaked up on her with such ease alarmed and annoyed her. She should have been more careful.
"Who do you think you are approaching me this way?" She barked at him, tone firm but not extremely aggressive.
Dag
Dag had always been nervy around others at the best of times, and the females somewhat explosive reaction to his precence made him back up a few steps, tail still lowered apologetically. He was actually quite releived that he hadn't yipped in shock and disgraced his own dignity.
"Sorry Ma'am" he replied in his usual tone, a sort of rich feral purr, completely at odds with his current submissive stance. "I merely caught scent of the kill and could not help but come a little nearer. I ask nothing of your meal, merely the opportunity to bask in the rich scent that flow around this area"
He relaxed just a little at this point, letting his ears tip forward once more into their relaxed positions, and grinning slightly, his bright amber eyes indicating his nothing but good intentions.
"But if you wish me to leave you be, then merely say the word and I'm gone back into the forest I do not make it my business to bother others."
Ren
She remained silent as he spoke, the cogs in her brain whirring as she took note of his posture, his words and of his actions as he did so. Her sharp eyes rarely missed anything and her sharper nose could smell his nervousness. Yet he did well to hide it and for that he earned a little of her respect. It was true that she tended to prefer being alone, but she supposed that having company for a little while wouldn't damage her reputation.
She stood up and leapt from the log, the remains of the rabbit left hanging on the makeshift "table" as she circled to the left slightly, eyes on this other male constantly.
Then after a moment of hesitation she eased herself back onto her haunches, regarding the stranger with interest before finally speaking once more.
"Feel free to bask in the scent of death all you wish stranger." She spoke, her voice more of a purr than anything. "Does scent alone ease the hunger in your stomach?" She chuckled and angled her head towards the kill, "there is little left but feel free to help yourself, this forest belongs not to me and so I cannot send you away." She may have been a bitter creature, but she knew her rights and the rules of the forest that were unspoken but known by all.
Dag
Dag's grin widened almost imperceptibly as the female chose not to chase him back whence he came. Still, he did not push his luck in her precence, a fighter he might be but a fool he was not, in his condition, a fight would be folly.
He watched as she moved away from what was left of the rabbit, still restraining his natural instinct to salivate, feeling it undignified and shameful to do so after staking no claim to the kill.
Listening intently to her words, Dag replied to Sirena in less formal tones than before, feeling slightly more at ease than when he first arrived.
"The scent certainly eases hunger pangs in me, it always has, why I'm not so sure, but there are always things I don't know in this world." he found himself unable to restain a minor tail wag as he was granted permission to scavenge the carcass. A greater wolf most likely would have been ashamed to accept such charity, but he was new to these woods and would sooner learn the ways of the lands as an omega than die seeking to be an alpha.
"Thank you kindly ma'am, I appreciate your generosity." he replied, eyes once again proving windows to his emotion and giving away his gratitude. Bowing his head slightly in a show of apology for interrupting their conversation, he headed over to chew on what was left of the rabbit. After all, he was a wolf and a carcass abandoned was one that could be snatched away by other predators.
Ren
Sirena twitched one ear as she watched him with that ever thoughtful gaze, her mind constantly mulling things over, always working and tearing things apart to enable her to get to the bare bones of situations. There was something about this male that confused her however, perhaps it was the way he moved or the way he spoke and carried himself. She fought the urge to growl her irritation at not being able to find answers, remaining where she was.
At his words her brow creased with a slight frown and she couldn't help but tilt her head quizzically, yes this male interested her. His ways were somewhat charming and the small wag of his tail was all she needed to see to realise he appreciated the gesture.
She gave a low whuff and shook the thick fur around her neck, pulling herself once again to her paws. When was the last time she had shared a meal? Her eyes narrowed and she mentally cursed herself at dwelling in memories.
"You interest me wolf." She spoke in a matter-of-fact way, ears drawn forwards towards him. "Would you grace me with a name?" She twitched her nose and watched him as he dipped his head and began to chew on the food. It was somehow strange to see an adult male acting like a wandering pup and somehow it affected her in a strange way, mothering instincts that had long died worming their way back into her heart.
Dag
Dagda revelled in the food at his feet, chewing contentedly on the brittle bones and finding what food he could from the animal's stringy skin, anything was food to him, and he required little for sustainence. Finally, he decided that he could pry no more nourishment from the meal, and he sat back on his haunches, licking his chops.
His eyes fell once more on the female, she was as much of an enigma to him as he seemingly was to her, he knew nothing of her reasons for sharing with him, nor of whence she came. However, he refused to pry into anothers business so soon, and instead settled to inform the female of his own name.
He made no mention of the feeling of worth that her interest in him instilled, merely nodded and said.
"My name is Dagda, feel free to call me Dag if you wish, I'm not fussy in these things."
And with that he gave her another of his broad grins, in that gesture alone seeming to request of her her own title, but in a manner that required no direct prying into her business.
Ren
The patchy wolf nodded slowly as he spoke his name and was not surprised to realise that she hadn't heard of him before. The forest was large and she doubted that any wolf had met and heard of everyone. His title was interesting though and she slipped it into her memory, not wanting to forget such things. An identity should never be forgotten, but it should also be protected.
She took careful note that he did not ask for her own name and briefly wondered why. Perhaps he had no interest in other wolves - females included - or maybe he simply didn't want to pry, either way her trust in him increased a little more. He appeared to be a wolf of few words and a strange one at that. For now it seemed that spending a little time with this wolf would do no harm.
"Okay...Dag." She spoke his name slowly, eyeing him cautiously, an inner voice telling her to leave. Yet after the months of being alone she had not realised how nice it was to have company, how good it was to simply talk. Plus, this wolf could prove useful to her. Oh yes males were certainly the weaker of the species, and this treacherous female was good at discovering and manipulating weaknesses. She couldn't hide a sly grin appearing over her slender muzzle.
"You may call me Ren." She said, tone suggesting that she really wasn't bothered about hiding her identity. However, he would have to prove himself worthy to learn her full name, best to make completely sure of one before giving a name so easily. She could not risk being uncovered by someone who might know her, she had a lot yet to accomplish.
"You seem to have a well built structure." She continued, eyeing his dark blue frame, "why not put it to use with hunting?" There was a playful glint in her eye, "or do you prefer women to do your work?" She canted her head and drew forth her ears as she shifted her weight and lay down upon the thick blanket of cool grass.
Dagda took the momentary lull in conversation to have a good look at the female that stood before him, she was entirely unfamiliar to him and even her markings were foreign to him. Often one could tell a fellow wolves native region from it's markings, and the lack of recognition made Dag a little nervy. Exactly how far had he come in his wandering?
Instinctively, his ears perked as he name was spoken aloud and he snapped from his reverie, back into the world around him. He glanced over at Sirena just in time to catch her grin, it unsettled him slightly, but still, he reassured himself, he had given away very little about himself and she could do him no harm other than if she chose to attack him. And for some reason or another, he did not see that happening at the moment, perhaps it was just his own foolishly trusting nature, or maybe he just wanted to beleive that he was worth tolerating.
"A pleasure to meet you Ren." he stated, once again providing the cursory nod he always did on greeting another formally. On her statement of his build, he grinned, he was a young wolf yet, and his body showed it, wether or not he was deeply hungry. Speaking of hunger, the pangs still rolled in his stomach and an aided hunt seemed absolutely ideal, he just hoped he didn't make a fool of himself.
"A hunt? Sounds like an idea. I'm not an expert at the skill as yet, but I have a willing body and would use it to the best of my abilities."
he grinned somewhat playfully before adding "As for making females do my work, I only wish I could, the fairer sex are always so much better than me at most of the important things." all without a single trace of irony anywhere.
Ren
Sirena stood up almost instantly, a fluid motion that showed she was ready for absoloutely anything. She was still not quite sure who this strangeer was but for now she would tolerate his presence. She flicked her ears towards him and then curved her head back, pale fur contrasting against the deep brown markings on her body.
A pleasure to meet her? Well only time would tell to see if these words would be regretted or not.
"A hunt sounds like a good way to learn from each other." She said in a slow voice, eyes tracing his frame once more. "A good way of learning another's...weaknesses and strengths." She smirked, he was not an expert at hunting? She also tucked that information securely away and moved to stride past him, the tips of her fur brushing against his as she did so.
"Perhaps it is because the females strive for perfection." She said, eyes searching his face for a reaction and then continued. "The rabbit was not enough to ease my hunger either and I will be travelling again soon." She told him, "I'll need my strength for anything that might occur on the way." Her eyes seemed to darken, or maybe it was that the sun was shaded by the thickening of the canopy above.
"The meadow is home to deer although they may have moved on since the last I saw of them." She informed, and turning to face ahead she started off at a brisk trot, not looking back. She trusted he would follow.
Dag
Dag stepped back a little as Sirena get up, once again deferring to her authority. Once again, his pride bristled as he went against his true instincts, but he would never let them get the best of him again. Her words troubled him a little, learn each others weaknesses? That sounded like something he would have said a few months ago, but not anymore. So he chose for the moment to pass over the possible negative connotations of that statement in favour of the positive. "Yes, play to each other's strengths and I actually might catch something for once."
As Ren strode past him, he caught her scent on the breeze, confirming once and for all that he had never come across her before, not even in passing as a cub. He may not have had an eye for markings, but he never forgot a scent.
At the graceful female's comment on perfection, Dagda found himself irresistably reminded of a story from his past, of the elder she wolfs daughter who strove to become a goddess and to fly like the birds, but whose wings were scorched by the foreign sun. "Well then, those females should guard their wings." he stated almost cryptically "for the sun is hot indeed"
"I never stop travelling myself, so any food will hold me in good stead on my way." Once again he thought he perceived some secrecy on the part of the other, but he once again passed over it, merely storing his paranoid discovery for later revival. He just couldn't afford not to trust Ren, she was the first to speak to him since that day and any acceptance was better than none at all.
Saying nothing more to Ren for the moment, he merely nodded the affirmative in response to her information on the possibility of deer nearby, and followed as quietly as he could manage, onwards towards the meadow.
Ren
She didn't speak again until she was sure that he was following, the play of the sun glimmering along her fur as she went, and her eyes scanning the area ahead. She would not miss up a chance to show off her hunting skills, but she did find some of the things he had said rather strange.
"The sun is hot." She agreed after a moment of silence and angled her head slightly back to regard him. He was so different from any other male she had met, most would have left by now or be completely enthralled by her "innocent" act. Perhaps she had underestimated the male? No, she doubted it, they were all pathetic weaklings, who would whimper at their own reflections.
She wasn't too sure what he had meant by the statement about wings however and supposed that maybe it was an old legend he had heard about like the ones she had been told when she had been but a little ball of fur.
"The skies are not for wolves, they are for the gods." She said slowly, eyes glazing over as she once again found herself thinking of the past. She shook her head almost violently, a slight growl rumbling from her throat. If she thought back to those times...they would drive her mad.
"It is not too far now." She muttered, her tone somehow weary as she lowered her head and continued through the thicker undergrowth, taking care not to tread on anything that might make a noise. It wouldn't be long now, they would hunt and she would take mental notes. She would learn more about this male.
Dag
Dag followed in silence, allowing his movements to fall back into that which he was accustomed to, all of his movements seemed easy and effortless, loose, well kept muscles fulfilling their job to the optimum, every movement setting off a chain ripple across his azure and silver pelt. As he moved, he held his tail that bit higher, a little of his past mentality returning to him as he moved. All the while his eyes remained fixed on the graceful figure before him, white markings seemingly ghostly to him in this strange and dappled light.
As she replied to his comment, he gave her an easy grin, flicking his tail in a somewhat friendly manner. "Indeed, the sun is hot, and it's hand is cruel." His old pack had told many stories in the past, tales that used to leave him awake at night, wondering if any of it was true or merely fancy conjured up to explain that which could not be understood.
In response to her statement as to the sky, he nodded "Indeed, the skies are for the gods, and they can keep them, for our kind have no need of them, we have wings of our own, invisible ones on our feet with which we can soar over the land, to wherever we wish." he lets out a light chuckle "My grandmother told me that one, a long time ago, she always was a bit mad like that."
As they drew nearer, he allowed himself to lapse into silence, turning his thoughts of the past to thoughts of the present, focusing on his footsteps being as light as an owl's wingbeats and keeping close to the shadows.
Ren
Hot and cruel, she had never paid much heed to the sun and its blinding rays. True she was one to take the time to bathe in its warm rays but to her the golden ball of fire seemed dull when compared to the moon and her company of stars.
The muscles in her legs had been overused as of late but they still worked well for her, a spring ever present in her graceful gait. She moved silently except for the light tap of her claws as they met with stones that were lodged into the ground and the sound of her light breathing with each step. She wasn't as rested as she would have liked to have been but this was as good a time as any. Hunt first and rest later, that was the rule she too often lived by. She just hoped she had time to rest.
Wings...what strange images this male was bringing up in her mind! She couldn't help but smile a little at the picture of wolves flying the skies. Wouldn't that be a strange and obscure vision to set eyes upon, but what an advantage they would have in battle and when hunting!
"Your grandmother sounds wise." Sirena spoke softly, her voice a mere whisper as they drew closer to the meadow, aware of the dissapearing canopy and the increased distance between trees.
She turned her slender form sideways, circling an area of undergrowth before lowering her form further and crawling forwards, feet moving fluidly beneath her, muscles bunching beneath her fur as she pulled herself sharply to a halt.
Ahead of them six deer grazed, their heads bowed low to the ground, muzzles tearing up the foliage that grew up around their hooves. One of the little herd was a youngster, still wobbly on its feet but hardly any meat on its bones. One stag also stood, watching over his little collection, but he didn't seem to be as alert as he should be and it didn't help that he was gazing in the wrong direction.
Ren flattened herself to the ground, piercing eyes gazing ahead as she focused on what one they could try and bring down. She knew it would probably be risky, but the more dangerous and difficult the hunt the more chance she would have to observe the male. She turned to Dag and gave him a sly grin. "Take your pick." She whispered quietly, not wanting to alert their prey.
Dag
Dagda smiled to himself as Sirena spoke of his grandmother, indeed the old female had been clever, her wisdom renowned throughout his homeland. He remembered breifly her last moments with him, how no longer able to hunt in her old age and with disease ravaging her frail body, she had faced the onset of age with a grace and strength that he had never once witnessed since. Wheresoever she was these days, Dag wanted to impress her with his own "winged feet" and as such, made an extra effort to do well this hunt, his every muscle tensed to the maximum, every breath calculated.
His eyes fell on the stag for a time, and he felt the old hunger rise up in him, oh how he wanted to chase down the creature and feel the warm lifeblood wash his muzzle. It would be a glorious battle between wolves and deer, possibly fatal to both, after all those antlers were as sharp as any fangs in the forest. Chaining his ferine urges, the azure male let his eyes wander the rest of the herd, finally coming to rest on the unsteady youngster. It was of better odds to catch, but would not be much of a meal for them both.
Feeling his judgement was clouded by his blood-urges, Dag redirected his gaze towards the ground and whispered. "I'm not sure..not sure at all. I'd say it best if you make the choice this time, you have the experience in this field."
All the while he felt his pulse racing in his head, the snarl rising in his throat and that wild fluttering feeling deep within himself that he always felt prior to a hunt, the sheer fury of it all terrified him, and was the whole reason behind his inability to hunt efficiently.
Ren
Deep brown eyes watched him, cool and calculating as he seemed to be lost in thought. She wondered briefly what deer he would chose, would he seek the easy option and go for the youngster - thus proving her theory correct, or would he go for a stronger and bigger meal?
Her body quivered in anticipation and at his answer she could not hide the brief flash of irritation mixed with dissapointment that crossed over her face. Very well, she would make the choice. This very thought boosted her self-confidence once more, for surely if he could not make such an easy decision himself than he had just proved himself weak.
She fought the urge to laugh aloud and simply turned back to regard the little group of deer. They were relatively close, huddled together for protection, the stag standing apart by a few meters.
Her muzzle wrinkled, lips pulling back to reveal lethal weapons secreted in her jaws. There was no way in hell that she would be seen picking off a little gangly baby with more bone than meat. Her eyes turned to the stag, scanning it's own fearsome weapons somewhat nervously. The creature had an awesome power in it's body and even though her heart cried out to attack the stag she knew better than to try it.
She also dismissed the female standing next to the youngster, even a doe could land a hefty kick, especially a protective mother. So she was left with little choice, it had to be one of the three females without young. It didn't take her long to decide on the smallest of the three, apart from being weaker it was also wandering a little from its small herd, head still lowered to the grass. It was a deep chestnut in colour and was the only one with a white face.
Her hackles rose a little as she finally made her decision and she swivelled her head round to glance at her new hunting partner. "The one with the white face...see it?" She paused to let him catch sight of it and then she let out a quiet breath. "We'll have to be quick and deadly, if you have wings at your heels now is the time to use them." Her voice sounded a little rushed, the adrenaline beginning to flow through her veins.
"I suggest we split up, one of us chase and the other make the catch then together we bring it down." She waited to see if he had anything to add before deciding who would take what responsibility.
Dag
Dag almost physically winced at the dissapointment he saw in the females expression at his pathetic inability to choose which creature to hunt down. His pride had never really taken so many self-inflicted blows in one day, and it pained him just to let decisions like that go. Well, either way, he would take his role in the hunt unflinchingly, he didn't doubt Ren's judgement.
Still, that didn't stop the humiliation.
He returned his gaze to the deer before them, watching them graze obliviously, his tail waving very slowly behind him, the only way he could vent the adrenalin that threatened to overtake him.
When the female made her decision, he nodded, following her directions to their prospective quarry. The doe seemed a good middle ground between the stag and the young deer, an excellent choice. "I see it." he confirmed, his sharp eyes locked firmly on the focus of their hunt.
"May my grandmother's story hold true. Want me to take the chase, you make the kill? Or vice versa?" he was willing to take either role, despite the fact his flat out speed was relitively low in comparision to the strength of his jaws.
Ren
Now this was a decision that the female would have to make carefully, and she glanced at him briefly, taking in the view of his young but seemingly strong form. He definately had areas for improvement but so had every wolf she had seen and he was so far one of the better ones she had set eyes on.
The end of her tail twitched and she raised her head very slightly, turning back to gaze at the deer. If she chose him to take the role of chaser then she would get to see how fast he could run and how agile he was. Yet if she chose him to take place of striking the first deadly blow she would get to see his strength and that was also just as important.
She hit a mental wall and for a moment she was perplexed with what to do. Decisions were never usually this difficult for her, or maybe it was because she had never come across such a complicated and strange male before, he didn't seem so shallow minded as most others she had the misfortune to meet. She of course had taught them a lesson and her teeth had been stained with the blood of many pathetic victims.
Making the kill took strength, making the chase took speed and determination, all of these were necessary in order to survive.
She glanced silently at him again, observing the powerful muscles at his jaw and chest. Did she have the strength left to chase? She shook the negative thoughts from her mind and nodded firmly.
Decision made.
"I'll chase it down, you go for the kill." The sentence was said with a snarl and with one final look at his deep blue form she moved silently past him, turning her pale form round to circle behind the group and go at the doe from the flank to make it bolt to the left and hopefully into the jaws of the male.
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Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:53 am
Quote:
Dag
Dag made no objection at all as his role was chosen, after all this would play to his strength wouldn't it? Not to mention he would actually get a chance to bring down the prey. It would be his first time in this role rather than that of the chaser, and he had no intention of letting both himself and Ren.
Finally allowing his tensed muscles snap into action, he sprinted out onto the meadow, keeping both low and slightly downwind of the deer, waiting as the doe was made to take flight, the moment she was almost on him, he would spring.
So, for that few seconds that felt like forever, he waited, his pearl white fangs bared right down to their gums. And for just once, he let the adrenalin and bloodlust take him over, it was him or the doe, and he was letting no prey animal show him up in front of a female as observant as Ren.
Ren
The female paused and watched the male take his place before continuing round, her pale form hard to hide in the greenery around her. She had often cursed the colours of her coat but it seemed they had come in handy during the hard winter months when the snow had been thick on the ground.
Now however she had to push away the disabilities she was posed with and use her wit as well as her strength to help strike down her prey. She held back a threatening growl, swinging her lithe body around to face the small group. She had to strike at the perfect moment, drive the doe away from her group and towards the male. This could prove difficult but she had the will and determination needed to achieve the goal.
Shaking her head a little she drew her ears forward, body held rigid against the ground, hoping that they wouldn't catch a glimpse of her too soon.
Then with lightning speed the female shot forwards, her paws flying over the ground as she flew towards them. A brief thought of wings flittered through her mind but this was soon trampled away by the sounds of hooves thundering against the grass.
Adrenaline lanced through her and she leapt, body almost twisting around as she charged up into them. Almost instantly they scattered, mother and child sticking close together and following the direction of the stag. The three females kept close together however and with an extra burst of speed Ren sprang at them.
Almost instantly upon landing a sharp twinge of pain rang across her ribs, and she guessed what had caused it - a sharp kick from a hard hoof - and with a snarl she snapped at the legs of her chosen deer and watched it dash madly towards the male.
Mission accomplished.
She slowed to a halt to catch her breath, wincing as the pain flared in her side and cursing herself for not being careful. She drew her ears forward and waited, ready to charge in if her aid was needed.
Dag
Dagda remained oblivious to Ren's injury or the movement of the other deer, his eyes fixed firmly on the white head of the deer that was to be his target.
His own pelt was a disadvantage everywhere but in the most deep shadows, but for once luck was on his side and he had encountered a dip in the ground, with grass long enough to hide him from veiw.
He heard the thundering of the hooves as the deer were scattered, and his own heart rate seemed to soar until it too thundered in his head like a storm.
The snarl was what snapped him out of his dream of red, and looking up, he saw the doe hurtling towards him, sheer terror etched everywhere on the creature's face and posture. Letting out his own snarl, he sprang upwards from his hiding place in the grass, a bolt of blue illuminated in the meadow's sunlight.
The deer met his eyes for a second in a horrific moment of terror, his own terror at his rage, and it's sheer fear of death. But for once in his life this was not the point where he relented and let the prey go, he had to bring the creature down or he would disgrace himself, Ren and his grandmother.
For that moment he understood what it meant to truly fly.
Then it was over, his body met that of the deer and his jaw muscles snapped into action, clamping down upon the stricken animal's jugular. Blood flooded his muzzle in a torrent and everything seemed to go black, all that mattered was to hold on, not to let go, he was the predator and he had won.
But still the doe struggled, shaking it's neck in a last attempt to free itself from the deaths that had come at it from the forest.
All the while Dag held on for dear life as he was rattled around, thumped and swung, his jaws in agony but still unrelenting. If only this stubborn thing would go down.
Ren
The she-wolf took another step forward towards the route the deer had taken, part of her wanting to join in and feel the warmth of the blood in her own throat but she knew this part was important. She had to observe and learn.
The pain in her side had subsided a little and was contenting itself with a slight pulsing ache only when she moved her front leg. For now however she could ignore it and focus on what was occuring, sharp eyes watching as the blue wolf tore up from his hiding place and made contact with the terrified animal.
A spray of blood came next and her muscles tensed as she took another small step forward, lowering her head to watch as the male maintained a tight and powerful grip on the creature's jugular. The adrenaline began to rise up in her once more and she took another few steps forward, her body quivering with excitement as she watched him struggle to take down the deer. Should she help or should she continue testing him?
She drew closer still, watching as the doe reared upwards, trying to free itself of the incredible weight that had clamped itself around its vulnerable throat. Then even as the fight ensued the female could see the life dwindling in the creature's eyes and she knew that there was no need for her to step in. A few moments longer and this fight would be over. The mighty wolf would have won again.
Dag
Indeed, Ren's prediction held true, after a time, the deer froze in it's staggering, head hung so low to the ground that Dag's hind legs could reach the earth below if he stretched. The minute he felt the world seem to return a little to normal, he began to toss his head from left to right, almost as if he were worrying a smaller creature, the force of this was enough to unbalance the deer, which finally surrendered to the combined hunting capabilities of the two wolves, and toppled to the ground, knocking the air out of Dag's lungs with the force of it's fall.
His "oof" was stifled by the thick clump of flesh, hair and blood in his mouth.
But still he held on, even after the deer had begun to cool a little and even the twitching had subsided. Only when Ren came over to the kill would he actually let go, so until then he remained quite the sight, on his side, still holding onto the cacass, panting in an attempt to catch his breath.
He had done it, he had actually fulfilled a set role within a hunt, and it felt unbeleivable. He had never truly been more alive than in that instant. Still, when the adrenalin subsided a little, he became aware of the not-so-pleasant sensation of a bruised side.
Ren
Sirena watched with a sudden regained energy as she took a few more steps over. This male truly was much stronger than he looked and a part of her felt a little fearful, what if he found out of her treachery just as others had before him? She growled quietly, the sound vibrating deep in her chest as she made her way towards him.
Dag still lay there, clinging to the deer as if it might suddenly gain a second life and spring into action. The whole sight was quiet amusing and she let herself relax briefly, a chuckle emanating from her slightly parted maw.
She moved forwards again at a slow pace with a slight limp due to her bruised side, she had forgotten just how quick and strong even a small doe could be and she cursed herself greatly for that. It had been a small price to pay however for the catch they had just brought down and finally both wolves would have a proper meal inside of them.
She couldn't help but wag her tail very slightly at the thought of food as she moved over to stand beside the dark blue wolf, making sure her shadow was cast over him.
"Impressive." She spoke in a cool tone, eyes trailing over the motionless form of the deer. "Such strength...and determination." She whispered in awe, shaking her head to rid herself of the tone. It had been a logn time since she had hunted with another...not since the day when her whole life had changed drastically.
She blinked and lowered her head, locking her jaws around one of its spindly legs and tugging it with a powerful movement of her head. "You can...let go now." She said afterwards, a hint of amusement playing in her tone.
Dag
Dag wasn't sure why he held onto the deer so tenaciously, nor why he was so loathe to let go, perhaps it was some deep rooted fear that if he was to let go now, it might fade to dust, and leave him looking embarrased or perhaps it was the fact that his jaws were somewhat tired and unlocking them would be a problem.
Either way, when Ren reminded him of his position, he finally relinquished his hold on the deer, freeing his jaw up for speech once again (not to mention retaining a somewhat apologetic grin for his over-enthusiasm). Getting to his feet, he made use of this freed facility and said
"Thank you very much for the compliments, but there was no chance of me catching a creature so fast and lively on my own, I merely provided the teeth, you did the hard work."
His tail wagging behind him, and his whole self in good spirits he made his way over to the upper foreleg of the carcass and began to chew contentedly on the thigh muscle. In between his feeding on the rich flesh (which delighted his tortured stomach) and chewing on a particularly marrow filled bone he grinned and said "We certainly did fly there. I think I understand what my grandmother meant now. To fly too high is to challenge something like that stag or a moose, it will only end up harming you."
He then casually resumed his feasting, all the while considering what the female had said before about weakness, had he proven himself as stong enough to be worthy of attention, or had he merely dissapointed?
Regardless of that, he was now sure that Ren was a formidable hunter and the only thing that stood in the way of him thanking her for showing him how it should be done was his always stubborn pride.
Ren
Shaking the thick fur around her neck the slender femme tilted her head and regarded him with slight amusement as he seemed to reluctantly unlock his jaws from the dead beast's throat. Her eyes had been watching him intently all the while as she still tried to figure him out, there were many things that made her a little wary of them, but for now she decided to put them away at the back of her mind. She would bring them out into the open when she wasn't so tired and hungry.
His flattery surprised her however and she canted her head, a look of questioning falling over her eyes. It had been a long time since anyone had paid her a compliment and the very thought stirred up uncomfortable memories.
Once again she forced them away and nodded slowly in answer, not being able to find the words to reply.
However as he spoke once more about flying she couldn't help but agree, his choice of words suited well and her maw parted in the smallest of smiles - something she hadn't done in a long time. "I think you may be right Dag." She replied quietly, moving over to tug at the flesh of the doe's shoulder. "I think you may be right..." She trailed off and tugged even more at the meat, teeth slicing the soft flesh with ease.
She couldn't help but wonder however, where this wolf had come from and where he was headed to and so with a small movement she raised her head once more, gazing at him down her slender and blood-spattered maw.
"So tell me lone wolf, where are you heading to next?" She assumed he did not have a pack but by giving him this title she hoped to find out a little more about this.
Dag
Dag was less observant than Ren, and merely focused on his food rather than the female, he trusted her, wether he wanted to or not, and he saw no reason to change that at the moment.
As he ate from the large carcass, Dagda allowed his mind to wander a little, back to the time when he had a pack to look after him, to do his hunting, back to the days when all that was required of him was to play with his brother and listen to the stories from his grandmother. He had come a long way since then it seemed, and now here he was, once again eating from a large kill brought down by co-operation.
His ears swivelled towards Ren as she adressed him, soon followed by his gaze. "Where to next? Nowhere. I'm coming from nowhere and heading there too, nothing to lose, nothing to gain. I hate being a loner to tell the truth, but I suppose in some ways it's better than being part of a weak pack."
He chewed absently on a slice of flesh before going on, this time not so afraid to pry.
"What about you, where are you headed?"
Ren
Weak pack... the words resonated through her like an electric shock and she stumbled back from the carcass a little, chewing on the mouthful of food that hung in her jaws. Had he really just said that? Her hackles rose a little, memories flooding back to her once more...weak pups, weak beta wolves...their treachery.
She snarled a little, edging back to the carcass slowly and lowering her head to tear off another piece. They would pay for what they had done to her, she would rip them apart with her own fangs and then finally she could rest in peace.
She let his question go unanswered for a while, simply chewing on the meat, taking out her rage upon its lifeless body and then finally she pulled herself up and glared at him, eyes suddenly very much darker. "Nowhere...you come from nowhere." She repeated slowly as if trying to memorise everything he had said. "Then that is where I come from also." She wondered why he was being so secretive and this worried her further. She knew her own dark reasons for keeping things hidden...so could this other male be the same? Was Dagda even his real name?
She forced away the paranoia with a violent shove and continued, her voice slow and deliberate. "I follow the wind, the stars and the moon. They lead me to my ultimate goal." She seemed to suddenly sneer, her nose wrinkling a little before she turned once more and attacked the doe, tearing off another hunk of meat. Let him work out what she had meant, let him try to figure out her secrets. If he managed to do so then they would be the last secrets he ever uncovered...she would make sure of that.
Dag
Dag held his own fair share of troubles, but they were ones his mind had instinctively buried deep, replaced with fond memories of the good times spent with his grandmother. Oddly, his brother featured so little in what he could remember that sometimes he wondered what had happened that made him blot the other wolf out so fervently. If only he could remember the whole story.
The azure male raised a single eyebrow as Ren reacted somewhat viciously to his question. Indeed, now more than ever, he didn't doubt that the female also carried the burden of her own past with her, he would ask no more on it.
For a short time he continued eating, the still warm flesh tasting as food of the gods to his famished stomach, his jaw still aching a little from the struggle. Finally, he spoke, flicking his head to one side as a sort of shrug
"Ah well then, both of us come from nothing, only too alike in that respect. At least you have something to follow, some motivation for your movements, and a goal to aim for at the end. I've yet to find that goal and until then I will just have to keep right on wandering."
Dag seemed unmoved by the female's somewhat violent, possibly worked up actions, his eyes remaining calm. Chewing on a bone thoughtfully he considered the many things that could have happened to them both to lead them were they stood that day, but the possibilities were to numerous to be of use to him, so he merely added, in almost an undertone.
"Our past is like a whirlpool we run from forever."
Ren
"Wandering is all any of us can do, the difference between us and those in packs is that we have freedom." She huffed and drew her eyes away from the carcass, peering back into the forest that surrounded them. "Freedom to do as we please and care only for ourselves." She sniffed and then turned back to regard him with a cool gaze, the strange black markings on his face somewhat hypnotising.
She imagined now what the deer had last seen, that great head with those terrible teeth, and those strange markings that reminded her of ones she had seen painted upon the bodies of tribal humans that sometimes wandered the forest.
"You shall find that goal in time." She said simply, and with another glance at the meat she took a few steps away from it, gazing at the forest once more. Were there others nearby? Ones she had apparently overlooked?
"I do not run from my past." She replied sternly, she had never considered it like that...but what if that was what she was doing? "I wish to chase what remains of it and destroy it." She growled quietly and then turned to him.
"Are we ready to move on?" She wasn't sure where they were going to go, or if they would part after reaching the trees once more. All she knew is that even if they did go their seperate ways they would be sure to meet again. Until that happened however she decided she would gain as much knowledge from this meeting as possible and use it for that 'next time'.
Dag
Dag smiled for a split second, a different kind of smile than he normally did, this one was less of an appleasing mask and more wry, but as quick as it came, it was gone.
"Our freedom is but an illusion, true we might be free to wander whereever we wish but we are limited in our hunting and capibilities by our solitude. The pack should be a unit, willing to work together no matter what, but when a pack falls apart, it is horrible to see, like a great god brought down by a niggling sickness"
He swished his tail and took the last gulp of meat he could stomach without bursting at the seams.
"I hope I find my goal, I really do." and with it he hoped he would find his memory.
Giving Ren a collected glance, he added, almost casually "Destroy your past, or run from it, it all comes down to the same thing. You will never forget it unless you face it."
"Of course, we can move on if you like." he said, rising to his feet, ears flicked back against his head in mild contentment, the open sunlight illuminating his fur to it's full glory, a cascade of black and blue, most reminicent of all of still dark water. Dag didn't consider their parting at all, the way he saw life was that things happened as they were meant to and all lay in the hands of fate.
Ren
Her sharp eyes caught the last of the smile that briefly crossed over his features and she listened, ears alert a top her skull as she paid attention to what he said. Whether she agreed or not did not matter but there were some things that he said which clashed dangerously with her views. She kept them silent however, not wanting to give anything away about herself lest he realise just what kind of a wolf she was.
She tilted her head in a graceful manner, peering at him from the corner of her deep brown eyes. "Perhaps you are right Dagda but packs rarely keep their promises of unit, teamwork and security, they are as unpredictable as a first time mother with pups." Her eyes narrowed and she snapped her head away from him to gaze across the now empty meadow. "Most wolves are worthless, back-stabbing creatures that slink about in secret waiting to strike the ones who gave them security."
Her body seemed to tremble for a moment and then she regained her composure. "There is nothing left to face."
She glanced at him as he rose to his paws and nodded slowly before making her way slowly through the grass, wincing a little as the pain in her side ensued. She cursed the deer for kicking her and cursed herself even more for allowing it to happen and tried to keep herself from limping. Weakness meant death and she could not afford to keel over just yet.
Dag
The male wolf understood perfectly what Ren meant when she said most wolves were back stabbers, his past might not have been clear, but somewhere amidst the guilt and shame, there lay an undeniable sense of betrayal and despair. Packs were very unstable, and he was struck by the odd appropriateness of the metaphor she chose, indeed some packs were like a young mother, scared, alone and often very prone to actions that were involuntary and regretted later.
A breif pang of loniness flashed through him, but was quickly quelled by the latent pride within him, he would not be weak enough to feel alone.
As he softly padded his way towards the trees, he too noticed a minor pain in his side, but his was from when he hit the ground with the deer and was nothing compared to the pain of the piebald-coloured female only a few paces behind.
"So where to now?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood a little "Got anywhere in mind?"
Ren
She raised her head as he spoke once more, a question that she as of yet had no answer for. Where could they go? Was there really anything here for her? She didn't want to risk entering another wolf's territory but here in the freelands the place crawled with vermin, weak pups who didn't know anything about the cruelty of life.
She paused in her step, catching her breath that had been hard to do whilst walking with her bruised side. "I have nowhere in mind, as long as it isn't crowded with foolish whelps then I don't particularly care."
She had scented wolves in the area just before she had killed the rabbit earlier in the day and had made sure to steer clear of them, but now it seemed there were more of them and keeping out of sight would prove a little more difficult.
Lowering her head, she huffed and continued onwards, not wanting to be left behind. "This place is strange to me, I know not of what it offers but I am guessing you do not either, unless of course you have wandered here for a few days."
She did not want to keep him from meeting other wolves but she herself could not stand the company of females. Something about them had her on edge, made her defensive and sometimes if they encouraged it she would attack. The only reason she could put up with the company of a male was because of her strong belief that they were weaker and easily manipulated. "Of course, if you wish to make friends with pups then that is your choice." She gave a not so friendly smirk.
Dag
Dag shook his head "No, no pups at the moment, I feel too tired out and full from the hunt to put up with their antics and boistrous behavior." He also wasn't sure he could be trusted around pups not to revert to the less favourable side of his nature, the one which had required such a strict mental restraint.
He found himself somewhat content on the move, and slowed his pace to a simple walk, just looking about him as he sauntered through the trees. These lands were so much more lush than his home had been, the air alive with the sound of other creatures going about their business. It was a thrum there for anyone who wanted to hear it.
"Either way, I'm just heading north for the moment, my belly is happy and the rest of me seems to follow suit."
For just a second his expression seemed to flicker hesitantly as he almost remembered why he seemed to have inflicted hunger upon himself, what he used to do when he was bored. His hackles rose for a second and that rage suppressed bubbled and seethed for a few moments.
He even froze in his steps for a few moments, shocked by the ferocity of those memories, but then he became aware of the precence of Ren once again and scooted back along the path, pretending that absolutely nothing had happened.
Ren
She chuckled at his answer regarding the pups, parting her maw and panting in a wolfish laughter. For a moment she felt a little relaxed and it was a feeling she was not quite used to, it stirred her into a strange sense of comfort.
As he slowed she found herself doing the same, grateful for the slower pace which helped decrease the pain in her side. She would say nothing of course, she had learnt to travel with injuries from her early puphood and there was no way she was going to complain about it now when she was a full grown adult.
Unlike her blue companion, Sirena tended not to notice much of her surroundings unless she was searching for cover from prying eyes. Everything looked pretty much the same to her, but the freelands - even she had to admit - seemed to be a much healthier part of the forest.
"Then I shall join you...atleast for a little while." She said wearily, head lowering as she padded along at his flank. She paused however when the blue male did, eyes following the line of his now rigid body and the raised hackles. What had gotten him so rattled?
She side-stepped fearfully, wondering if maybe he had figured out her motives and had decided to attack her. As tired as she was she wasn't sure whether she would have the energy to fend him off.
But as quickly as it had started he stopped and he had trotted off again as if the whole event hadn't even occured. She huffed and continued after him, her once graceful gait hindered by a slight limp.
Dag
Dagda was still mentally reeling for a bit at his odd outburst, he didn't truly know himself it seemed, and the last thing he wanted was for Ren to notice that and shun him, any company was better than nothing and Ren's company was proving to be better than most.
Once again, he let himself slow down a bit to a sort of walk, falling into line alongside the female. Silently, he attempted to snatch a sidelong glace at her, deducting that something must be wrong with her as she seemed to have lost the fluidity in her step a little.
"Something wrong?" he asked, genuinely concerned for her, not wanting to be the cause of any further damage if she was already injured.
Ren
At his question she raised her head a little, head canted in a way that suggested she had no idea what he was talking about. Then with a small huff she turned her head to gaze between the trees. There was no way she was going to tell him that she had been injured, her pride as a huntress...as a wolf, would not allow her to do such a thing.
The sound of water reached her sensitive ears and she paused in her step, glancing around with head raised so she could catch the scent of the stream. The chattering of the water suggested it was not a river and she pushed herself up, resting front paws upon a rock as she glanced around her.
"There is water nearby." She said simply, blinking her brown eyes, "let us head towards it." She knew this would probably mean them coming out into the open again, victims for prying eyes, but she was thirsty from her chase.
With no other word she headed in it's direction without glancing back.
Dag
Dagda pryed no more as his inquiry into the health of the other was met with polite incomprehension, maybe he had been imagining it all after all. So he resumed his easy walk, tail swishing at his heels.
He too caught the sound of water, and his heart seemed to flutter in his chest, if there was one thing that he loved, it was the chill rush of water as it seemed to try and pull one under. To be able to tread it's surface with strong strokes was, to him the utmost joy, and one of the very first things he learned to do. The very sound of the water made him want to bound and yelp like a pup straining to join in a hunt, to dive right in.
But he did not, he maintained that easy gait, not wanting to seem foolish or childish in the precence of the serene Ren.
"Of course." was his deferential reply to her statement, he made no objections.
So he followed on as calmly as he could manage, all the while a strange mix of joy..and something much darker tugging at his thoughts.
Ren
The female said nothing, ears no longer hearing and eyes no longer seeing. She simply walked with a slow gate, moving steadily across the grass, head held low and tail motionless behind her. Her mind was elsewhere at that moment, thinking of times when she would not accept any company. Had she become foolish in her old age? Or maybe there was something about the dark blue male which reminded her vaguely of herself?
She had always put up with males due to her belief they were weak, but this male had proved his strength to her, and although that had made her wary she had not the strength to chase him away. Let him follow, let him stay, she could not tell him what he could and could not do.
Her ears drooped a little, gaze focused solidly ahead as she wormed herself up from an ocean of thoughts, a smirk twitching the corners of her mouth. Let him see the true femme that lay beneath the brown and white pelt if they happened across another wolf who she deemed unworthy of her company.
The water appeared soon after this thought, a stream that looked deep enough to lap at her ankles. It scrambled madly over and around rocks that seemed to be trying to block it's path, the pleasant sound of running water soothing to the ears.
She paused by the side of the stream, turning back to gaze at her blue companion, he was still a complete enigma...just as she.
Dag
Dagda followed along a few steps behind the dual-toned female, no longer rattled by the fury which had stirred in him earlier, instead he found the very sound of the water, like the smell of blood from the kill soothed some deep part of him, something long forgotten circled around those memories like a hesitant wolf by a campfire, something just out of his reach.
As they drew close enough to the river to see it's crystal waters, Dagda's tail set up a contented swishing, an outward expression of his inner restlessness. He wanted once again to delve into the water, to feel it's silk icy touch upon his oily pelt, to wash off the shame that seemed to follow him wherever he went, to become a part of those ruthless waters, just for a time.
He broke away from where he followed Ren and padded down towards the water's edge, already beginning to break into a trot, but something caught his eye, Ren seemed to be casting a glance his way, he wondered what she must be thinking, and for a time all thought of the water slipped away. He gave her a breif smile, so faint it would be easy to miss, before breaking into a jog and charging into the stream, his footfalls causing the minimum of splash as he went.
It was heaven, that cool and refreshing feeling as the dust and blood from the kill were washed away, the water turning his iridecent pelt a jet black when wet.
Ren
Ren moved slowly to the edge of the water feeling a little more at ease after she had caught the faint smile on the face of her newfound companion. Then with a small huff she leaned over, staring at the traces of her reflection that she caught on the smoother waves of the water. Then lowering her head further she began to drink.
Almost instantly the dry fire that had been itching at her throat dissolved away and she let her eyes flicker briefly closed. The water was cold and refreshing and it seemed to purge her of the bitterness that usually flowed through her soul - if only for a few seconds.
Then as quickly as the serenity had come to her it passed by and her eyes darkened once more as she raised her head and shook it briefly. For a moment she stood where she was, watching Dagda as he moved through the water. There was something different about him now, as if he was happier, younger even.
Could this be some sort of stream of youth? She wanted to chuckle but forced away the expression, stepping forwards so that the water lapped hungrily at her paws. She trembled as the cold sensation shot up her front legs, but the feeling soon passed as she moved further into it's depths until all four paws were consumed by cool water.
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Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:55 am
Rp record 19th of April (from the point where Dag joined till he left) Dag Dag effortlessly loped through the forest as usual, head slung low to the ground, sulphur coloured eyes always watching the things around him, tail swishing from size to size as he went. Despite the speed he was currently moving at, he made very little sound, the main betrayer of his location being his silky raven slick blue pelt. As he went, he instinctively tested the air, for a while only scenting the usual leafy foliage, however, soon, another scent, by now familiar to him but not as much of a draw as before came to his jet nose. Blood was such a glorious scent, and despite the fact that his insides currently worked away contentedly on a large meal of a few days ago, he still wished to check out what had brought the creature down. Drawing nearer to the source of the scent, he slowed to a walk, peering out from a few meters away, his fur allowing him to blend rather well with the shadows for the time being. Sashta If she hadn't known better,she thought she'd heard someone else. Maybe her ears were just getting as bad as her eyes. Just hearing things,apparently. Focusing on the wolf infront of her,she smiled uncertainly and nodded in the same manner. It wasn't that she had been nervous. But the fact he looked so uncomfortable...well,it made her uncomfortable. For Sashta knew nothing of ranks,really. Sure,she knew about the title and Alpha. Mostly because she'd seen another wolf get beat down by one,and damn straight she'd knew one when she saw them and likely avoid them. But past that,most of it was an unspoken language to her. If you mentioned another one,Seer for example,she'd give you a look and shrug it off. "My name is Sashta,it's a pleasure. You...don't need to be so..twitchy,you know." Dag Dagda hunkered down a little closer to the ground, as still and silent as possible as he made sure that the monchrome pelted female posed no threat to him. He was always careful around unknown wolves, knowing his own tendencies too well and projecting them upon others. Next his eyes fell on the adolecent male whom she seemed to address, he wasn't sure if they were aquainted or not, but if they were that made the possiblility of a pack being nearby all the more real. He mistrusted packs immensely, having had nothing but bad experiences with them, but despite all that he sought one to call his own. Still, this was not the way to get into a pack, taking members off guard was one way to get killed. So he waited to see if these two demonstrated any overtly social behaviour towards one another before he approached them. Fleance "Right" Fleance said almost immediatly, giving a grin. He was still young, and still learning about how to act around lone wolves, how to be a lone wolf. He believe learning to hunt by himself, to become assosiacted with the ways of a lone wolf would make him stornger or more independant, but all he had shown up until now was cowardice and he made a mental note to change that. "It's nice to meet you, Sashta," he said quite charmingly, "I wouldn't suppose you'd be willing to share your kill?" He asked, now in good spirits. Yet his happy outlook was haulted when his stomach gave a loud growl, his head pointed to the ground in embarassment. Yet just then he could have sworn the presence of another wolf, perhaps heard a faint rustle in the woods. Fleance turned his head to stare right at Dagda. But he saw nothing, the wolf was far to well hidden. Supposing it was just his immagination Fleance turned his head back to Sashta, hoping she'd be willing to share a little meat...and perhaps give him a leasson in surviing on his own :< Sashta Her answer wasn't provided in words,but she did nod and then twitch her head to the side just a little,toward what was left of the deer. She didn't mind killing things (with one exception),but wasting was another story. It was insult,almost,and she hadn't even thought about eating anymore. "Have at it." That said,her head lowered again,but her ears didn't. Her eyes stayed open,too,watching who she still considered a stranger intently. She was trusting,but far from stupid,and watching others is just what she did. Then there was that feeling. The kind that creeped up your spine when someone was watching you,but you couldn't see them. Mostly what sparked it was when Fleance looked,and saw nothing. No movement was coming from that area,and she could've sworn there had been some squirrels around there before. Of course they'd long fled from Dagda. "Mm..." Dag Dag decided after a time that he might as well swallow his paranoia and show himself, after all, the longer he left it, the more suspicious his lurking would be if the others had detected him. Apparently there was an optimum time to lurk and he had reached his limit. No longer attempting to maintain his silence, the azure pelted male stepped clear of the dense foliage that provided him with cover and moved clear, his silver and raven blue pelt shimmering with each step, cool sulphur eyes fixed firmly on the ground in front of him, tail held around mid level along his body, declaring him neither supirior nor in deference to the others. He then paused in his stride around three meters away, in full veiw, hoping that the two would notice him and not be taken by surprise by his arrival. Reicher He was the leaf in the wind, he was the raven in the night, he was the snowflake in the snowstorm and he was the raindrop in the lake. Reicher thought as he had been watching Dagda stare at Sashta, he himself have of fallen victim to this watching. He was jelous. He was jelous and angry. Which was never a good combination for a wolf in the mental state such as the skeletal being. Never ever. He didn't care that he was practically twice his size, for he knew that he was immortal. Reicher could not be beaten or out-done by any living being, and he was not going to allow this wolf to walk around and carry himself as if he was all that while he presented himself to Sashta. He didn't move, he didn't make a noise, and even the birds and animals around him did not notice his presence while he lay. He was too low to the ground to of carried a scent, either. With the power of a mad wolf in a rage pounded through the bushes and the foliage to lunge at Dagda, full on tackling the blue wolf from behind, knowing he had the element of surprise as the white streak shot through and pounded himself into his side. Regardless of whether or not this had any effect on the adult male, however, did not matter to him, for after he collided into him he dragged his long deep purple tongue against the side of his maw. This was done in the space of a few seconds, and before he could be lashed out at for this impromptu 'blamming', he fled to hide behind the Sashta which he had come to admire. Even though he was irrational and paranoid, he knew when he had set himself up for a beating. Sashta What had meant to be a greeting came simply out as,"Hell" considering she never got to finish the rest. Alarmed,her head snapped up,and her entire body lifted until she stood on all fours. "Hello" had stopped at "hell" and that quickly became,"Reicher,what the hell?" Her voice wasn't paniced,since being such just wasn't Sashta's style. But,really,what the hell? That wolf was so much bigger then him,there was likely no way he'd hurt him. There was an odd look on her face,one she hadn't used with him so far. It seemed somewhat dissaproving,somewhat...something else. Hopefully,this newcomer wouldn't take it hard,but she suspected he would. "Excuse him,he was...playing." Fleance Fleance had flopped down on the ground and began to chew at the scraps of the carcass, his belly ready to accept the food and he continued to gnaw at the deer even as the blue male approached. He seemed to pose no threat and so Fleance continued to eat. But it was the arrival of the white wolf that threw him off guard. He seemed to appear from nowhere, throwing himself towards the cerulean wolf. Fleance literally jumped off the ground onto all fours, hair bristling in surprise. He watched as he collided and then licked the blue wolf's muzzle. Wait...lick his muzzle? o_o; Fleance's silver eyes followed the skeleton wolf, a suspicious and confused looked on his face. Sashta seemed to know this wolf, yet Fleance kept up his guard. Dag Dag was calm and collected one moment, his poise and appearance paramount to his plan of acceptance. Next thing he knew, a sound behind him made him swivel an ear, the rest of him to follow, but his reaction time was much too slow, he took the full brunt of Reicher's charge, staggering precariously to one side, only just maintaining his balance. His mind swam with a combination of indignance, fury and humiliation and his vision filled with the horrible red it all too often did. But just as his lip began to raise in the preliminaries of a snarl, his muzzle was licked, setting him once again back to a state of confusion. The sheer speed of this onslaught certainly left him no time to retaliate upon his attacker, and though he did lash out his fangs in a quick strike, they closed on air with an empty clip. Finally able to get his head together again, Dag rounded on his assailiant from where he stood, going no closer for the time being and let out a furious snarl, his hackles seeming to grow a richker blue as he raised them. Once again he felt the adrenalin rush in his veins ready for the attack he seemed enevitible to launch, but once again these emotions were shackled by the words of the female. "Playing?!" he spat, still baring his fangs "I don't call that playing" //Be calm like the river// echoed the memory of his grandmothers voice in his head and as quick as the emotions had come they subsided. "Whatever." was his comment, ears flicking back to lay along his sleek skull, looking away from them both. Sashta Sashta's eyes-er,eye-had narrowed a bit when the snarl had come. It was true,if Reicher got his a** mauled by this other he clearly asked for it,but all the same,she wouldn't let it happen. And that was quite strange,as normally she was more...logical,maybe. For example,she'd let pups beat the hell out of each other if one deserved it. Kill each other,no. Beat each other,yes. But this case seemed to be one of the few,perhaps only,exception. When she saw he had calmed down,she gave the wolf behind her one of those Sashta looks over her shoulder. She was no mother,but she could put on expressions just like one. Don't do that again,the look would say without words,or,that's bad,you know better. But it was more of the first,considering she honestly had to wonder if he DID know better. "Hello,Reicher." When she'd greeted him,her head turned back to the azure-colored one. She hadn't gotten his name,and she understood why he'd be mad. But as if nothing had happened,she offered one of those ever-welcoming smiles few wolves could pull off no matter what the situation. "Pleasure to meet you,all the same. My name is Sashta." Reicher It had worked! Worked so BRILLIANTLY! He assured himself this, and he wanted to murr and snuggle up and sleep now that he had humiliated the older one. It was marvelous, and he was so smart, he assured himself as he stood behind Sashta, watching the blue wolf with humor in his pure white eyes. He knew what was coming, and he couldn't help it. Even if that look from Sashta told him not to do anything stupid. The edges of his mouth curled up and he bent down, covering muzzle with his paws to hold his tongue down. He couldn't do it, oh no. Although, it did. He burst out in a hyena like laughter, for his meager attempt at stopping himself from failed. It was too sweet! The thought of actually being attacked never crossed his mind, for he was too formidable and too strong for anyone to even ponder attacking him. He knew that. And for Dadga to attack him, especially infront of others, in his head was something only a idiot would do. Or a madwolf. Fleance Fleance was still dazed in a state of shock. Wel...not really schock, perhaps amazment? He listened as the skeletal wolf's maniacal laughter echoed about the trees. His own silver eyes watched his milky white ones...surely this wolf must be insane? That or extremely immature. Fleance almost pitied the blue wolf, for being embarrased by being played a trick on by such a foolish wolf. Yet pity was not a good thing to give a prideful wolf. And at the same time he felt fortunate thta he, himself, was not apart of the young one's tricks. You refering to his mental state from what Fleance observed. "And I'm Fleance," he added onto Sashta's introduction. Dag Dag gave Sashta as tolerant a nod as he could muster at that moment in time, his pride somewhat bruised by that uncontrolled wolf. But still he reckoned, he had to keep it together, not lose his grip as he so often did, not let the fury take over. Still, his gaze occaisionally flicked to the one who had attacked him, known as Reicher apparently, he couldn't halt his lip from curling in dislike as he looked upon the safe, secure wolf seemingly so confident despite his transgressions against him. "Dagda" was the somewhat strangled answer he gave Sashta, the fury still dancing a merry jig in his eyes. Just as he seemed to have regained control of his emotions, fury ebbing away like blood in a downpour, it happened. The little scoundrel /laughed/. The sound made his hackles stand on end, his fangs bare themselves to the gum once more and the adrenalin to return in a torrent. This time he would give the other a sound thrashing for his humiliation, even if the other two present took it upon himselves to attack him as a rebuke for that. A wolf without pride was nothing in Dagda's mind and at the moment that all too precious resource was dwindling fast. And so, he made to lunge. Reicher The skeletal wolf wasn't prepared for such an attack. Not at all. The thought hadn't crossed his complex mind as he was giggling maniaclly. He didn't even see the wolf lunge at him. He did see it, though, and his eyes went wide in surprise. What was this? The probability of this wolf attacking him had been close to none, but, that small percentage that had been worked out in his brain atleast allowed Reicher to make an action of retreat. He didn't have enough time to go for the stomach, as Dagda would of needed to come overtop of Sashta to get at him in a jump. He rolled quickly to the side from his laying position to avoid getting pinned down and in that roll he got to his feet, still in shock from being attacked in the first place. Sashta In her own way,Sashta was as strange as Reicher,compared to other wolves. She didn't see pride as something to protect,but how you looked at yourself. Had it been her,she would've rolled her eyes and went on her way. Not to say he was wrong to attack the one who had laughed at him,but... He wasn't aware of it,and it was fair he wasn't,but Reicher had always seemed...not-so-stable. He really only had been playing,and though she respected those who insisted on "protecting" their pride as much as any other,she insisted on protecting someone who didn't seem to know any better just as much. Plus,that Dagda fellow had knocked her over when he lunged at the one behind her,and pushing was just plain rude. With a snarl of her own,suprisingly fierce,one you'd never expect from her,she got up and in the blink of an eye stood infront of the mostly-white of the two wolves. Head lowered,teeth bared,she snapped threateningly and moved back a bit. Dag Dagda knew he had lost control, even as he snarled and snapped at the air where Reicher had been moments before. It was as if there was a part of him detached and floating above it all, dissapointed that he had ruined this chance to be tolerated and possibly accepted. That dissapointment made the pain all the worse and fed his fury. But he couldn't take it out on the wolf whom had, as the female said, been only playing, not the way he had on his brother. Not a chance. His brother? He had one? That strange memory hit him like a bucket of cold water to the face, and pupils dialated, he sprang backwards from his attack, so speedily he almost landed on his haunches, twisting around in mid air, he just landed on his feet, and putting his head down, ran, ears back, towards the forest. That was that then, he couldn't trust himself, nor could anyone else. He messed up everything and anything with his temper, and it needed to be sorted out, one way or another. As the shadows enveloped him once again, his thoughts swirled manically in his head, his emotions so fecked up he couldn't make head nor tail of anything. Picking up into a run he dashed away, hoping that the memory the others had of him would be faint, and that he would get another chance. But if they thought he was crazy and chased him away, then he wouldn't mind either, that would just make them the same as everyone else.
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