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 Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:57 am
Set a good distance away from the den clearing is an unimportant crevice set deep into the face of a weathered rock. Its passage is narrow but it looks just wide enough that a wolf could slip inside with little difficulty.
This is Aboki's self-proclaimed home and territory. He greatly dislikes visitors, but when he's not at home, there isn't much stopping a curious wolf from exploring the deep sandy cave beyond the crevice.
Within, one would not find much save for scattered bones, a soft sandy crawlspace upon which it looks as though someone has recently slept, and the scent of many rainstorms' ghosts.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:12 pm
"Aboki?" Choma called as she neared the narrow mouth of the crevice, only to be greeted with silence. "Aboki."
Nothing.
"ABOKI!!!" she snarled, hearing it reverberate down the tunnel that the rocks concealed.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:22 pm
There was a rumbling snarl from deep within the crevice as Aboki cracked open one amber eye at the din of the young female's voice. He came here to be alone. It was HIS place. It was not a public meeting area.
It was certainly not somewhere he wished to be cornered by someone he didn't like in the least.
"What??" he barked back up the passageway at Risen Ashes' alpha.
Risen Ashes...feh. What a pack they were. So many malfunctions and issues all found in one place and somehow functioning as a collective. He was amazed they'd survived the worst of winter when all was said and done.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:41 pm
"I need to talk to you." Choma said matter-of-factly. "Now you are either coming out here for me to do so, or I am going in there, but either way...."
Having said so, she planted her hindquarters on the sand outside and waited patiently, ears folding back in annoyance. If it weren't for her steadfast belief in abandoning no one, she would never have insisted on keeping him a member of Risen Ashes.
The others didn't need him, he served no purpose whatsoever, in fact...it was almost as though he wasn't there.
But...
But a small part of her knew that HE needed THEM. He would never admit it. Not in a thousand season's turns, but he simply could not thrive on his own.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:50 pm
There was a long stint of silence from within the crevice and then the sound of claws clicking on stone that drew nearer and nearer. A moment later, the snake-marked wolf's face loomed out of the darkness, glaring icily at her.
"I hope this is important, Choma." he rumbled, stepping out into the brisk air and shaking the dust from his pelt. "VERY important."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:55 pm
"Don't speak to me that way." she growled, her lip twitching but not quite lifting itself as she stood once more and drew herself to her full height (which was still slightly smaller than the lone male that stood before her.).
"I am your better, Aboki, and whether you like it or not, you WILL recognize it."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:59 pm
"Do you mean to tell me that you came all of the way out here simply to pull rank on me?" Aboki inquired, his yellow eyes widening slightly. He wasn't sure whether to be amused, surprised, or angered...so he chose a mixture of all three of them as he shook his head in incredulous disbelief.
"Fly back to your nest, little bird." he snorted as he turned to head back into the warmth and darkness of his dwelling.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:03 pm
A blur of gold, green, and black cut him off as Choma darted between Aboki and his intended path, her eyes sparking and her teeth bared.
"You will -listen-!" she barked, hackles standing on-end as she locked her gaze on his authoritatively. "I have come on Mimic's behalf."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:07 pm
An ugly flash of guilt momentarily surfaced on Aboki's features at her words as he drew back one step.
"What of her?" he demanded to know. "Last I checked, Choma, it was not an alpha's duty...OR business...to interfere with personal relations."
Behind him, his tail rose defensively, not quite at a challenging height. It was one thing when she turned up here to demand he come and help with a hunt...or to come and greet the latest wayward food she'd conned into being her follower. It was quite another to show up on his doorstep, blustering and huffing over who was likely his dearest friend in this entire excuse for a pack.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:17 pm
Choma's own tail lifted itself in a regal arc behind her, fully inviting his challenge if he cared to make it. He had barely bested her when she was a juvenile, and she severely doubted his skill now that she was older.
"It becomes my business when she has obviously put herself in hiding. She has not personally blamed you, Aboki, but piecing the puzzle together isn't hard." The she-wolf drew a long breath and let it out again, creating plumes of silver mist on the cold air. "I've seen you. I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen the way you follow her. You were not oblivious to the fact that her heat is upon her and don't pretend that you are."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:24 pm
"Please. Go on. I love these accusations." the lone sneered. "Next you'll be telling me that she and that...that ugly little brown wisp are both having my litters."
He had, of course, NOT been oblivious to the fact that it was becoming "that time" for Mimic, but Choma's implication seemed so blasted ominous...as though as soon as everyone's backs were turned, he was going to herd her into the nearest available cave and have his way with her whether she wished it or not.
It was for reasons exactly like this that he disliked Choma...she always needed an enemy to fight, be it tangible or intangible. And more often than not, he ended up being an easy target for it.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:29 pm
"Her name is Mire." Choma stated coolly. The little scarred omega had enough troubles without being stripped of her identity as well. "And no. The day she'd stand for you is the day that I'd sit in the sun until I was crow food."
She seated herself directly in the mouth of the crevice's opening, still barring his way inside.
"Mimic, however, has been a dear friend of mine since she was a pup...and she deserves better than to be burdened with pups in her first heat by a father who couldn't care less for her OR her litter. She's young yet, Aboki, and I will not let you ruin her. Leave her be."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:42 pm
The words, as though they were sharp stones thrown at his flanks, stung immensely and set him to bristling all over.
"RUIN her??" Aboki demanded. She was talking as though coupling with him could be the absolute worst thing anyone could do. Like he was some sort of festering disease waiting to inflict himself on someone's life.
Lips pulled away from pearly fangs. That was the way it was, then? That was how she truly saw him?
"We'll see who I can ruin..." he snarled, hackles rising.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:55 pm
"And this is exactly why." Choma replied, not budging from where she sat. "This...THIS is your solution to everything. Threats and violence. You are not fit to be a mate as you are...and you are certainly not fit to sire pups. I am not speaking to you as someone who is judging you socially, Aboki, I am speaking to you as your alpha who's first concern is the safety of her pack. You will not be granted breeding rights. Stay away from her."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:02 pm
For one endless moment, it seemed as though Aboki intended to follow through on his threat of attack. His muscles clenched and vibrated beneath his pelt, his pupils dilated...
...but then, at the last moment, he did something unexpected instead.
"FINE!!" he bellowed, rushing at Choma and making her reflexively back away one step, revealing the opening of his crevice. Before she could replant herself, he had moved with oily speed beyond her and back into the mouth of rocks. Once there, he turned to face her once more. "Fine." he said again in a more sedate tone of voice.
"But I hope the others one day see you for what you are. You're not some brave young leader. You aren't some compassionate soul who wants to round together all of the castoffs into one unified place of belonging. You aren't going to lead all of us to any promiseland of eternal game and sweet water."
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