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 Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:12 am
It was so unlike him to be outside his hut, let alone following in the footsteps of another. He had been doing so for quite a while, following a band of wolves moving across the forest for...what reason, none other than curiosity.
Enli was a nosy bugger, often spoiling a good surprise or two, but was not a malicious sort and so this 'stalking' he seemed to be up to was not an attempt to take them out. Enli enjoyed being in the know, and seeing as these guys were up to something good, and were the first to cross his path in quite a while, well; it was more than an invitation to join in. The male also sought after attention, and safety, having never felt secure since his days as a pup, he felt the need to be wrapped in confidence that nothing would end up chewing him up.
This all meant he needed a pack. A strong, level headed, and understanding pack and whether or not these few were forming one did not matter. They were four more beside himself and that alone would ease his worries. The group had separated for a bit, a purple female off to hunt it would seem and following in tow was Enli, keeping just enough distance for it not to seem suspicious. He'd keep on her tail till she found prey, and then roll the dice of fate to help her out.
Maybe this would be his in.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:23 am
 Lucky for him, Merrill wasn't expecting company so soon after inviting the strange rat within their abode, though she still wasn't sure about what her would-be alphas would think of Edgar. Then again, they were an inviting pair anyway; that was how Si got Mene-Pup anyway, and look where that had brought them. The vagabond did look on the verge of death when she came across him (though Edgar apparantly didn't mind that), and Spirits knew he stunk to high heaven, but perhaps he would be a valuable asset besides another bit of permanent company - he could possibly sniff out those close to dying themselves for them to take in and nurse to health.
Still, his entrance into the pack meant the loss of food, and it was Merrill's self-imposed duty to see to it that they had something to chew on once more before the other two woke up. It was a gray morning, possibly with rain on the way, and the humidity was enough to make her pant even before she caught the hare with practiced ease. Having grown up in the mountains left the wolfess sturdy of build and legs, and the snowshoe cousin of this simple creature proved to be far more wily. "Shame really," Merrill commented before picking up the limp body. It definitely wasn't enough to feed them all, and thus she would have to return this one before going out to hunt once again.
Her hackles stiffened on their own, however, and though she did not stop to see why, the beta's sharp green eyes began to search about for a certain pair of eyes. By the spirits, she wasn't about to lose another meal to someone . . .
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:47 am
“Pardon me!” He called as her hairs began to wire up. He could see the apparent threat in her swagger, the flick of green eyes moving across the plains like hungry watch dogs ready to slaughter; but he had a goal today, and one way or the other it would be met.
The air was filled with blood, the rich substance flowing from the jowls of its captor and like in any other flesh tearing creature it ought to draw hunger to the surface. A growl from an empty stomach did not let down the knowledge, and soon Enli’s belly gurgled viciously. For the moment he felt the urge to stay put, covered by the thick foliage that surrounded him...but he had already made an attempt to be seen and though a new fear rose up in him, he again had to relinquish it.
Enli side stepped around the bush, but did not approach her left flank. His head was kept low, shoulder hiked in a bit of tension and waited, ready for a run or a welcome; which ever came first.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:55 am
Oh Spirits, why was it that anytime she went out on a hunt, something happened? Mene-Pup and Si always managed to happily go gallavanting about without any incident. Maybe that was some strange side-effect of infatuation and love. Merrill's ears tiled backwards, warily eyeing the green stranger. "You'h pahdnd," she replied evenly, mouth full of hare, and realized belatedly that she had paused to address this wolf. Silly of her. She faced forward once more and headed back towards the direction of their current encampment, perhaps a little faster than usual. Just dump the food first, then deal with the other wolf; she felt it a target so long as it was open and hanging in her mouth.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:04 am
She had stopped, spoken, and seconds later began to walk away from him. A false hope settled for a moment, and like fleeting memories disappeared all in a blink of an eye.
But she was not to leave him so easily, the persistence he felt to uphold began to rumble like his torso and soon he was stepping toward her again, calling out "Wait, please!" In a rushed tone. He moved across the ground, weaving between rocks and trees to only keep some sort of pace. He stopped again, momentarily, and said "I am not looking to take your meal, please!"
He would linger in this place a moment longer, to see if he had captured her attention for even the slightest second, before he'd be following again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:10 am
Right. Like she'd believe it was by coincidence the guy came around after she had a meal in her mouth. Traipsing back into their small territory, a meadow by the river Menelaus loved so much, she tossed the carcass by a perculiarly cut stump before turning to face the ever dogged wolf. "All right then," she said briskly, "what is it you're looking for, hmm? Directions? I'm not very good with those, telling you right now." A paw still stood protectively over the meal in case he had any funny ideas.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:23 am
Quite the friendly young lady, wasn't she? But that was to be expected, there was no familiarity here, no friendship formed years ago. He was a stranger, walking on stranger territory. Finally she has slowed, and his smile busted through the seams without him even knowing.
"I don't need directions actually, I don't know where I am and don't really have a place to go." His limbs let themselves slack beneath him, rump falling to the dirt smoothly. "Actually, and this is going to sound very abrupt, I was hoping I could travel along side your...lot." The chance to settle down and actually converse seemed to change his demeanor all together. The black, pursed lips of his were ready and willing to charm their way into the pack.
"I figure this seems strange, but, if you smell me you will know I don't wander with any one else. I don't have a hidden agenda. I'm not an extra mouth to feed, but an extra hand to hunt. I don't doubt the negative response I may receive to this but...consider it? I'm able, but can't withstand a life of being a lone." His head spun left, then toward the right as if in search for something that was not there. There were others in her posse, their scent lingering on the fringes of the plot even before they entered it.
Tilting the fine hairs of his head, the male waited once again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:09 am
True enough, the male didn't seem to have any other scents beyond his own, but Merrill's eyes were still a little narrowed with suspicion. The future alphas might be more than welcoming, but it was in the beta's nature to question all before her before making any solid opinion. "Extra paw you say? Well, I'd like some proof of that, stranger," she told him. "Because you're nose is right: I've got hungry companions and I don't have much time before they awaken and find that a thief has riffed through our food already; a thief I've let in to boot because he was a starved, if not more so, than you are. So if you're really wanting to get in, do me a favor and help me find more of a meal, because I'm not much of a bleeding heart like my alphas." Or rather, she was miffed with herself for letting the theft happen to begin with.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 3:57 pm
Furrowed brows let the frustration in him be known, the acknowledgment given by this female more than unnecessary; it was rude. But this was an opportunity, whether or not he felt offended was besides all points. If it was to be as easy as catching another rabbit or two, in exchange for his acceptance than by all means he'd snatch up the needed items and then some. Raising his ears and pushing up on his haunches, Enli smiled, not likely to buckle underneath this female's harsh tone.
"I see, well, how big do we need to get?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:06 am
"Big as you want, big boy," she replied with a small shrug. "I've tossed in two hares so far, the second one you happen to have caught me on in fact. They seem to like those best apparantly, and I've got no specifics. Think one more piece or two of meat ought to do it since the thief's pretty much fed so far. I suggest . . ." Merrill paused in thought. "A fox? Cunning little beasties. Ought to do you right well some fun, hmm? Or grab another hare, I don't particularly care." She made to move on past, business-like mind ever in control of her body rather than the sociable part. It'd explain why she could chatter as long as she wanted and still have little of a friend to call.
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:03 am
Hmm, fox. He'd never tried his paws at those, however it didn't seem likely he'd snag one; swift little things they were, and damn near invisible to see. He had quite the nose, yes, but to be frank he did not often follow it.
Unless, of course, he was asked to. In such circumstances he was an ideal hunter, with his body becoming as agile as a cats. He'd aim high, then, and if nothing else rabbits would suffice and those he was sure to catch. Slacking his jaws, the male readjusted his frame of thought, letting the animal in him surface, seeing as this she-wolf had no real appetite for conversation. Turning his head toward where the she walked, Enli moved his lips around before speaking again "I will go then. I hope to find you all here when I return, yes?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:13 pm
"Yes indeed, I should hope. Or if not, stay to the river," she told him, "because Mene-Pup loves water and can't stay away from it. I'll wish you happy hunting once I have your name, stranger, since it's my habitual duty to give fellow wolves a strange name or two." This was her first encounter with a wolf who was remotely non-natural in color like herself, having seen mostly browns, tans, creams, yellows . . . certainly not any form of green. "In return, call me Merrill. Meme is an associated nickname."
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:02 pm
"To the river, alright." He repeated, looking round the meadow to recognize the land. It would be such a shame to end up watching this lot wander off, or rather never finding a trace of them here on his return. He sort of expected it, almost felt it to be the case, but looked to the purple female with reassurance of her words. If it came down to their disappearance then so be it; he could only follow and grovel so far before even his ego was bent. Waving his tail and cocking his ears so they panned forward, the male smirked. "I'll assume it proper to call you Merrill then. I'll return as soon as I can, though they may have awoken to find a very small meal before then."
The male twisted his stance back toward their original path, a trail familiar to him in both smell and terrain. Blue eyes flicked passively toward Merrill once more, his words trickling through a husky grin, "Oh, yes, and my name is Enli." And with a tentative nod, Enli was walking back into the foliage at a quickened rate, his mission set in stone and started the moment he left the meadow.
~Hours pass~
Half the day had passed, and through rain and fog Enli had managed to snag two hares, one larger in size than the other. His features were contorted by the smell that bled through the wounds, every step he took his jaws would clench just a fraction more, the necks twisting to stay attatched to the head and body. From the looks of it, the smears on his pelt seemed to be made simply by the rabbits he held in his muzzle, but it was known to him that he had ate his fill from the third caught, unsure whether Merrill had two other friends, or several.
He wouldn't take his chances, and starve. He was still, in fact, a loner and any meals caught should be indulged in. Taking to the wearing trail, Enli moved up to the meadow with great speed and checked the scene, careful not to encroach on any of the new, and unforgiving members that may be about.
“Mehrrillh” he harked, loud enough for the birds to rustle in the trees from surprise.
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 3:27 pm
She did not appear for some time, being more picky than she sounded off as she was at the time. This, and the irritance of being outdone by a simple vagabond a mere day before, certainly messed with her concentration. Merrill returned perhaps a few minutes after Enli's call, dangling a squirrel somewhat moodily in her maw. She passed him a glance in acknowledgement, but did not say anything until the small carcass was tossed along with the rest.
"Well, you got lucky. Suppose you are what you say you are then," Merrill said, spitting out bits of fur that clung to her teeth. Bits of dirt and a few leaves that would have been brushed away normally had been forgotten and were left to cling to her limbs. "Smells good to me, then. Come along, just stick them there and I'll introduce you to the alphas."
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:18 pm
He swayed with the winds as her scent came up from behind, his gaze following her slinking form cautiously, as it moved undisturbed by his presence. It hadn't taken him too long to fetch a meal, but he was nonetheless pleased to know they had not left the area, just yet. It was easy to mislead him, so easily persuaded one way or another at times. Dropping the bodies, Enli nodded to Merrill's meek response, advancing a single step.
"Alright, Thank you Merrill. I look forward to this." He had made an abrupt decision to become part of something bigger this morning, and managed to pull through; that was a knack he seemed to be proud of. Staring at Merrill, waiting patiently for her guidance, the male felt a twinge of acceptance sift through him, the possibility of pack mates and more just in reach.
"This means a lot."
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