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 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:52 am
With a harumph she looked around at her companion, wondering how he was faring at trudging through this monotony of grass. She was hoping he was getting better - he certainly seemed more able now but she couldn't be sure. She was not exactly well versed in healing or anything of the like. She hadn't even taken an interest in it.
The pair seemed to go steadily ever more northwards, ever more into unknown territory. This land, it seemed, was owned by others - there were the scents of several wolves around and she was sure she'd heard some howl when she dozed the evening before. She was getting tired of travelling to an unknown destination, an unknown future. She wished they were already there, just as she had the day before this and the day before that.
"Do ye recognise anythin' here?" she asked her small, ragged companion for what was probably the thousandth time.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:51 am
The grass was irritating to say the least and like Iphis, he was wary of being away from the cover of trees. He cowered by her flank, his head well down and ears back as he pushed his way head-first through the constant battering ram of grass.
He had grown even more jittery since they had been here, however, for like Iphis he could sense there were wolves nearby, possibly many wolves. He was certainly not a fighter and in his condition would put up less of a fight than a rambunctious pup. Yet, having Iphis with him helped his courage and he moved onwards, hoping that she'd be able to sort out any trouble they might run into. The little, gangly male paused when his companion spoke and twitched an ear nervously.
He was growing tired of the question and even more tired of giving the same answer. If only once he could say: Actually, yes, I know exactly where we are! As it was, he didn't so his reply was the same.
Ah dun recognise nuthin'. He huffed, sat down and let his ears droop. Ah thought that ah'd see somethin' familiar by now. He just couldn't believe they had searched so much forest and only found different areas. Where arr the paths ah know? He questioned of the sky. Mebbeh we shoul' try an' ask a wolf? Yoo can beat em up if they turn all teeth and claws.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:18 am
"A'hm no yer servant ye know" she huffed. "An we'd need to find another yin first. Ah can smell them all aroon' us but nothin' recent enough for us to bump intae one o' them." She felt a bit like a glorified bodyguard sometimes when she was with Fluke but at the same time she was rather pleased at his confidence in her abilities. Most of the time her willingness to be rough had been looked down upon but to Fluke it was an asset.
With a sigh the watery-blue wolf tried to raise her eyes up above the grass to spy a little further than 2 feet away. She thought, for a moment, that she'd caught a movement in the grass but her eyes must have decieved her. She thumped down onto her rump, as Fluke had done, and let out her breath slowly. "Are ye needin' a break?" she asked. There was nothing accusatory about it - she'd rather stop and rest his injury now than continue and risk being delayed by it becoming worse again. It seemed to have closed over but one never knew with such bad gashes.
She rather hoped the whole journey was worth it - thought to be perfectly honest it wasn't as though she had anything better to do and the mission had given her some feeling of importance... "None o' the scents even familiar?" she asked with a slight air of hopelessness, thinking she ralready knew the answer.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:21 am
Ah ne'er said yeh were. He replied, though maybe he did seem to treat her like one. He didn't mean to. Somehow the words just came out that way. He supposed it was his fear of others and his desperation to survive. She was like his bulletproof vest and he was usually eager to put her into the firing line. Again, this wasn't done out of any ill-intent. In his mind, Fluke was very much a pup and to him Iphis was like a mother. Mothers should protect pups, so to him his behaviour seemed completely acceptable.
His scraggly tail attempted a wag but he was either too tired to continue it or not happy enough to. Mebbeh a break migh' be good. He replied, turning his head nervously around him. No point rushin' now that we're far behind. We'll ne'er catch up at this rate. It was a sad fact but it was true. His rescue attempt had been lame.
At Iphis' question he raised his head obediently and sniffed the air. His nostrils widened and in them he could smell the deer and the wolves. They were all so mixed together that it was hard to distinguish any of them. However, perhaps one rang a familiar note in his brain. Could it be? He stood bolt upright, ears tentative. Hang on jes a minute. He snuffled noisily. Mebbeh...hmmm...dunno...le's get closer. Too far out still. He practically skipped through the grass, his raggedy tail waving up above it like a flag.
Sadly this 'flag' was also a good way of signalling his location.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:47 am
Kalani had decided that to try and show his worth and to prove that he could be a good beta he was patrolling. No one had asked him to and there wasn't really any reason to do so. The last few days there wasn't another wolf about, not even a scent on the wind but yet he continued to get up early and spend the day at the borders. It also meant he could make sure Lewana didn't try and sneak off. She may have grown a bit but he was sure she was still as mischievous as always.
He was about to stop patrolling for a break when something caught his attention. It sounded like voices but he wasn't sure, the wind blowing the leaves could sometimes sound like others talking but just in case he went to have a look. After all if he ignored it and there was someone there he wouldn't ever forgive himself if something bad happened.
It was probably lucky that he did check, the tail was rather easy to see waving about. Kalani may have been patrolling but not once had he even thought about what he would do if there was anyone to encounter. So he had to think fast and they were on the packs lands so the only sensible thing he could think of was to take them to the Alpha's who he still hadn't really met.
"Show yourselves." He barked towards the strangers. He could only see the tail from where he was standing but he was sure he had heard voices and didn't think that a wolf would talk to himself. He held his body high to make it look as if he had some sort of ranking and kept his defenses up. He wasn't going to risk there being any trouble, he just hoped he was doing the right thing.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:05 am
Iphis' ears perked forward at the sudden spurt of recognition Fluke seemed to have had. Was this it? Were they finally near their goal? She followed after the black and white male, her form naturally low and her head down so as not to get any more of the blasted grass into her face and eyes. "Something you recogni..."
She was interrupted by the shout from nearby. Instantly she stopped, both moving and talking and looked around to see where the voice had come from. She could not see them which was both good and bad - they were less likely to be able to see her, too. They had reckoned themselves on pack territory and that was never good if the pack whose territory you were on was not keen on strangers. However, hiding might make that worse. Iphis was paralysed with indecision for a moment - she was not the best of tacticians and never too good at the whole 'getting along with other wolves' thing. She eyed Fluke. This was his area of expertise. More than hers at any rate.
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:11 am
But the shout had taken Fluke by complete and utter surprise. He paused by Iphis' flank, pressing his shoulder against it as if the contact could save them both from harm. Then he was aware of her eyes on him and he whimpered. His tail had lowered to curl up against his stomach and his ears were drooped against his neck. He looked pitiful.
Then trying his best to make a good situation out of a bad one, he decided that maybe this wasn't bad at all. Mebbeh this wolf can 'elp us. He replied as if he had been planning it all along. Well, they had been planning to find a wolf and it was probably a better idea to stay here than go further into their lands. So summoning that inner courage that rarely made an appearance he gave Iphis the most confident expression he could conjure. It'll be alrigh'. We're two wolves, he one. But as he slunk forwards he didn't feel very comfortable. In fact if Iphis hadn't been there with him he would have turned tail and fled by now. He pushed out of the long grass and gave a small cry of surprise. The wolf was there, barely a nose-length away. He bounced back, crashing clumsily into the grass on his rump.
This male was obviously some high rank and he was big and strong too. His dark pelt was mixed with grey but Fluke could sense no age about this male. In fact he was young and probably very determined....possibly not the best kind of wolf to meet.
Uhhh...didn't see yah there, eh? He tried to look relaxed but his back legs were trembling terribly. This 'ere your pack? Mebbeh yoo can 'elp us on our way? This was an...accident, bit lost. Tryin' tah find a pack to the west...someplace.
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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:09 am
Kalani couldn't help but step back a little when the male showed himself, at least he was of natural colouring. He knew there was another wolf who was yet to show themselves and he would say nothing about the pack until he knew whether it was safe to allow them into the lands. He wasn't going to deal with them, the alphas could.
"What pack are you looking for?" He managed to steady his voice though there was no doubt that he was nervous. He had only ever met outsiders once they had been accepted into the pack. So this was a new experience and he hadn't the slightest idea what he was doing though if he could send them away then that would probably be best, though the pack could do with some more blood. Oh how he hated choices, where was Azmaria? She would know what to do and whether to bring these two into the lands or not.
"Who are you?" He might as well ask their names just in case he has to take them to the alphas or Ola. Probably the alphas, it was there job now, not Ola's.
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:10 pm
Iphis figured that if Fluke had gone out and was talking to this other wolf then she might as well too. He was the one who was better with words - even if those words sometimes ended up painting her as his personal assistant. She almost smiled at that thought, but instead kept a grim look on her face and pressed her way through the tall grass until she was behind Fluke. She could see the male now - not that big, really, though his tone hadn't sounded all that friendly.
She didn't like his demanding tone, or his unfriendly look and it had been a long time since she'd been ordered around. A little bullishly she said nothing, deeming it best to stick behind Fluke and keep her mouth shut. She was only following him afterall, had no clue where they were going. She couldn't tell this wolf what he wanted to know except maybe her name and a fat lot of good that'd do him.
The burly female, bright blue coat seeming to stand out even more against the dried out grass, simply glared at the male in front of her over her own companion's scrawny form.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:55 am
Fluke didn't like the look of this male. He looked mean and tough, far stronger than that other male they had met. It figured though, this one was a pack wolf, well-fed and backed by friends. He frowned, but tried his best not to say something that could land them both into trouble.
Uh...ter be 'onest. Ah dunno what it's called. Just tha' eets to teh west. He dipped his nose. It was a pretty pathetic set of instructions really. Go west young wolf, go west into the forest and get completely and utterly lost. Well...it had seemed a good idea at the time. He raised his eyes, his ears twitching as he heard movement behind him. He released a held breath, glad that Iphis hadn't scarpered.
Ah'm Fluke an' this. He gestured with his nose just as Iphis appeared behind him and sat. Is Iphis. Her pelt was the colour of a summer sky, dotted with patches of white. They had yet to come across any wolf with a pelt so striking as hers. He remembered when they had first met, that the colour of her fur had drawn him to tease her. He was used to its shade now, however, and he didn't often bring it up unless he felt in the particular mood to tease her.
Yah know any other packs near by? He asked.
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:20 am
Kalani saw the female appear and had to hold back a snarl. She would bring problems to the pack, he knew it instantly. It had been drummed into his head since he was nothing more then a small pup about wolves of unusual colours. They were bad, very bad. He wanted to send them away but at the same time he didn't know of any other packs around here and that was becomming a pain because he didn't want them to get lost or anything. Damn his caring nature!
"I know of no packs near by but our Alpha's may do. If you wish to follow me then I can take you both to them and then you can be on your way." It sounded good to him. Let the Alpha's deal with them and send them away. She shouldn't be here, she was bad luck. She was bright blue! It was wrong and Kalani had an instant dislike towards her.
"I am Kalani, follow me." He then turned to head back into the packlands, turning to see whether or not they were actually going to follow. He didn't care too much if they didn't it would mean he wouldn't have to worry about them.
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:22 am
Iphis' hackles raised as the male wolf in front of her seemed to take an instant dislike. She was more used to this sort of reaction with others but that didn't mean she would take it with grace. Her maw twisted into a bullish grimace, biting back a few choice words in an effort not to put her foot in the only lead the pair had gotten in all this time.
She was glad when, a few moments later, he offered to take them to his alphas. Surely if he was willing to do that much then there shouldn't be much of a problem with them being on this land? Others would have driven them off before now.
She looked at Fluke and then back at Kalani, figuring the small male would take the oppertunity to find out more. Moving close to Fluke's side, she began to follow the black male with no idea of his intent or the trouble she presented to him and his pack.
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:33 am
Fluke was taken aback by the male's reaction towards Iphis. What was wrong with him? Despite himself, his hackles raised, but truly he wasn't sure what he would have done if things had spiralled out of control. He glanced at Iphis and wondered if she would have been able to stand up to this brute of a male.
He had never doubted her before, but things had been different before. Iphis could have slaughtered a lone, in Fluke's opinion anyway, but a pack wolf? This was a different situation completely. Besides, he was still in a poor condition and he was certainly not a fighter. The last time he had been in conflict with a wolf he'd almost been killed and it had made him only more wary of getting himself into those situations, despite his mouth often landing him into that trouble.
However, as the male said he would lead them to the alphas, Fluke couldn't help but stand up and prepare to follow. This could have been a trap they were being drawn into but that scent...He hadn't mentioned anything to Iphis because he couldn't be sure, but it smelt so much of his mother. Deep down he wondered if it was his imagination playing tricks, or whether the collection of scents mixed to make a scent familiar to hers. Either way, the scent was what convinced him this was the right thing to do.
Fluke had never been on good terms with his mother. He had been the spawn of dog and wolf, an unwanted child. He had been weak from birth and would have died if Orphen had birthed more than one pup. She had cared for him as a mother should, hunting, washing and protecting him. But she had never taught him anything of the ways of survival, almost as if she feared to. He had never realised when he had been with her, but setting sight on his grandmother, the grandmother who had attacked him, he began to realise what it was. His mother had looked into his face and was reminded of her past, of her mother who was uncaring and vicious. He reminded her of hate and pain. That was why his mother had never treated him with the gentleness that other mother's did. It was a sad fact but he realised it was true and he was worried. If his mother was here would she bother to protect them against her packmates? He wasn't so sure that she would, but it didn't matter. His bond to her through blood drew him to warn her of Sirena's threat.
He turned his head to Iphis and mumbled quietly under his breath. Keep yer eyes out, eh? Ah dun trust this lot an' I dunno if this is a trap. He just hoped it wasn't.
Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Ola was roaming close by. She had left the security of the den to inspect the lake's progress, drawn out by the scent of rain. The weather was beginning to worry her desperately and each day she expected to wake to the burst banks of Lake Tegid.
Oh she hoped she was wrong! She hoped this was just the worries of an old fool. But deep down there was something wrong. She could feel it in the air. These summer storms ravaged the sky frequently and when the sky didn't growl it was satisfied just to rain upon them. The land, though drying in this sunlight, was still wet and unstable beneath her paws.
She was crossing the meadow to reach the lake when the scents of strangers caught her nose and she raised her head to glance across the grass. When she squinted she saw something that both angered and frightened her. Following her nephew were two strangers, a black and white male and a...
Her hackles rose with fury and her old teeth, though slightly worn, flashed dangerously in her jaws. There was new life in her eyes now, a desire to protect the pack that she loved. For now they seemed under control but what if they turned? What if they threw themselves upon her nephew's unprotected back?
Ola, now a bristling dark shadow amongst the greenery, turned her attention to the brute who spelt a bad omen for them all. A blue wolf as fiercely coloured as a summer sky, or the colour of water glimmering beneath such a sky.
This was a sign! A terrible, terrible sign.
She threw back her head and howled, the sound something that a feral werewolf would give before a bloodhunt. Then, with surprising speed for an old wolf, she darted towards them, her mouth frothing and eyes piercingly bright.
Kalani! Kalani! Steady your fangs Kalani! She only hoped that the alphas would soon be here.
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:39 am
Kalani's reaction to his aunt arriving was rather amusing and something of shock. To see his aunt move in such a way as she did stopped him in his tracks. Since when could she move like that? He could wonder later though, he was confused as to why she seemed so vicious. At her call though he turned to face the strangers, hackles raised and teeth showing, he wasn't sure why but he wasn't going to risk anything.
He waited for Ola to get a little closer before he said anything,
"Ola they are looking for a pack. I was taking them to the Alpha's, I didn't want to bring her but she could do damage unwatched on the borders." That was his reasoning anyway. He would let Ola deal with it though, at least he had shown that he wasn't a wimp or anything! It made him feel rather brave and clever for once.
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:06 am
Ihpis stopped, stared. What in the hell was going on? She'd almost rather be back to wandering aimlessly if this was how it was going to be whilst Fluke got on with his business. Of course she couldn't leave him to it but had he expected all this? She rather hoped he wouldn't have willingy brought her to a place this... well... insane deliberately. From the look of him, though, he was as disconcerted as she was.
Now it wss 2 on 2. The female didn't look like there was much to her but had a wildness that sometimes bespoke a strength greater than it might outwardly appear and the male, well, he wasn't exactly small. She might have had a hcance against them if Fluke were well and a little more brawny but he wasn't and here they were. She was beginning to feel more than a little trapped...
She certainly didn't like how she had managed to be the focus of their glares despite doing nothing much at all. She tried to keep herself looking as dignified and as un-threatened as possible but she was beginning to feel truly uneasy about the whole thing.
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