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 Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:12 pm
Marble yawned and lifted his head from his paws. The sun was just setting, hanging low in the western sky. Shoots of gold and red illuminated the fluffy clouds that littered the summer sky. It was the perfect close to a hot, dry day.
Marble had slept through it. He had found an abandoned den the night before, and had chosen to wait out the heat of the day...but now his stomach was telling him it was time to be up. Marble climbed out of the burrow, shaking his thick fur out and stretching his legs. He could hear the sounds of running water nearby, the Kells Run, and headed off in that direction at a brisk trot. He had scouted the area yesterday and hadn't seen any signs that this was a pack's territory so, although alert, he wasn't on edge.
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:41 pm
 If forced to admit it, Coyote would say that she was, in fact, quite bored of late, and a bored Coyote was never a good thing. Not for the innocent bystanders, at least. She had been wandering again, straying from the pack, hoping for something to catch her interest. So far, nothing. Not even a rabbit. Ah, such lonely times! What she would not give for a little companionship to take her mind off of things. Someone to have a little fun with.
Someone very much like that, she thought as she caught the scent of a male nearby.
Oh, yes. It was time to investigate. She could only pray he would make a good play-toy.
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:50 pm
Marble's brisk trot didn't last long as he caught the scent of another wolf nearby. A female. He slowed, and dropped into a crouch, eyes shifting through the dusky glow. He hadn't managed to catch sight of the female, and it had only been a brisk whiff that he had gotten. Now he was left with a decision: whether to stand back up and trust his nose to find the stranger or stay low and hidden. Or slink away out of the area.
But maybe...maybe she's from a pack. A low whine unconsciously rose from Marble's throat at the thought. And he froze, realizing that he may have given away his position. Although large, his tawny birch fur blended in nicely with the forest floor and kept him quite well hidden. An asset when it came to hunting but against another wolf's nose it would prove to be quite futile camouflage.
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:43 pm
Hmm...where oh where are you hiding, little lamb, she wondered to herself. Where oh where could you be? Her ears swiveled forward towards the sound of a low whine. Truly? He was whining? Was he so scared? So anxious? Was he wounded, perhaps? Regardless, he would make an excellent plaything, if he were already so keen to be evasive.
Ah. There he was. Though, he certainly did blend in well. She came close enough to get a good view of him, but not too close enough to startle him into flight. It was no fun chasing them down.
"Hello, there," she said kindly enough. "Is something the matter?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:32 pm
Marble held true to his name, frozen in position, at least until her words broke through the quietness of the forest. His ears swiveled to her direction unconsciously, but he remained in position for a moment more. Then he slowly rose out of his crouch to his feet, and peered around. He spotted the female quickly, since her dark coat was very noticeable, though once night fell completely she'd be perfectly hidden.
"umm...no...I'm...no. I just didn't realize that I had intruded on someone's territory. Sorry?" His words were quiet, pitched just loud enough for her to hear and held a gruff edge, as though he hadn't used his voice for a while. His bright blue eyes flicked over her, surveying her, looking for signs that he was in the wrong, being where he was.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:38 pm
Oh? He believed he was in someone's territory? Well. Which way should she play this? Certainly, he was very close to the edge of her pack's lands. Too close for his comfort, to be sure. Well, if he realized who they were. What to do?
She could lead him back home. To her home, that is. Ah, but if she did that, she would lose her plaything to the others. Where would the fun be in that? She could always lie, of course. Tell him that he was, in fact, in her territory. Have a great deal of fun at his expense. But then, the chances that he would simply flee as quickly as he could were rather high. Then her fun would only have lasted mere moments. That would not do at all. Or...
Yes. She could simply tell the truth. Well, part of it, at least. After all, lies were for those who needed them. She did not.
"Oh, no, my dear," she soothed. "Did you run into those nasty wolves? Did they drive you out of their territory? Is that why you were hiding?"
She peered closer at him, feigning shock and disbelief. "How ever did you escape unscathed?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 6:38 pm
Marble's ears flicked partially back, anxiously. So this was a pack's territory? and from the sounds of it they weren't the type to welcome newcomers...which was a pity, but not entirely unexpected. Guess he'd have to move on then, but not for a while. The opportunity to talk to one of his own kind was tempting enough to keep him around for the time being.
"Hrrmm no, I haven't met any other wolves for a score of days....you're the first since..." He tried to remember the last wolf he'd met but it HAD been a long time "...umm... I'm surprised you're out here, considering that this is their territory?" Marble paused. Listening to his own words. "Wait. Are you a part of the pack?"
A dozen thoughts ran through Marble's mind after that. What if she was a part of this fearsome pack? Would she call them here? Or maybe she was fleeing from them herself? Another lone wolf? She did seem kindly enough and her concern seemed genuine. He peered at her with eyes slightly narrowed. Ready to judge this she-wolf.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:38 pm
Oh, a suspicious one, thinking she was part of that mean, nasty pack. She grinned internally. What a clever boy. Too bad he was not suspicious enough.
"Oh, no!" she exclaimed. "We are just outside of their territory. I would not normally be so close, but I needed to pass through the area. Those wolves. They are too cruel. I would not want to cross their path. I want nothing to do with them." She glanced off to the side with a shiver, as though dreading the very thought of going near them.
It was not as though she were really lying, anyway. Indeed, she did not want to come across any of her pack mates. Not right now. They would spoil the game. Some of them were more brawn than brain. They would eat her plaything up, rather than savor him.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:00 am
At her words, Marble's hackles, which had risen throughout the exchange, began to subside. His nervousness at the thought of being in a fearsome pack's territory began to disappear with the she-wolf's words. Relief, plain relief, was all he felt. The suspicious barrier that he had erected was beginning to fade and he was starting to drop his guard.
"I see...they do sound fearsome. I'm glad that we aren't in their territory, and I'm doubly glad that you aren't one of them." He gave her a thin smile. Maybe it was her words or the small actions that accompanied them, but whatever it was had worked; he was starting to feel slightly more comfortable around the she-wolf.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:17 pm
What a good little lamb, listening to dear, earnest Coyote. Clearly, she had his best interests at heart. Oh, yes. Wouldn't want him to get hurt by the big, bad wolves. Any of her pack mates would simply attack him. Coyote, meanwhile, had no plans for bodily harm. See? She was being positively benevolent.
"Of course. I do not blame you for suspecting me. Near this place, it is easy to be skittish of anyone. It tends to have that effect. The aura, I should think. The leftover feel of the evil these wolves are capable of. The evil they have committed."
Now that she was gaining his trust, what was she to do with him? Where would inspiration take her? Hmm...
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 4:48 pm
"Hrmmm yes, it does seem to have it's own....hmm..ambiance?" His ears flicked, listening to the forest sounds. They were somewhat dampened and quiet, eerie. He hadn't noticed it before because the she-wolf's presence had him somewhat disconcerted; but now Marble had noticed and he could only account it to the location, since sundown was a prime time for creatures to be on the move. This realization only helped to reconfirm his suspicions that the big bad wolf pack was nearby.
"Should we, perhaps, move on then? If you have no where else to go of course?" Marble was playing it safe, respectable. He hadn't seen another for such a long time and he dared not offend her. He hoped she would be willing to travel together for a while, two wolves were always better than one. Especially for hunting.
Marble's stomach growled, making itself known and reminding him of his earlier pursuit: food. The Kells Run was not too far off, and where there was water, there was prey. "Or maybe we can stop by the river? I know it's closer to the pack...but ...well it's supper time." He gave her a real grin this time, exuberance at the thought of a companion making him somewhat giddy.
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 8:27 pm
Coyote allowed a pleased, demure smile to grace her maw, effectively hiding the triumph she felt inside. Yes, that's it. Good boy. Let us play together for a while longer.
"I would love to accompany you," she said and sidled a little closer to him, as though grateful she would no longer be alone.
"The river is a risk," she agreed, hesitated, then continued. "But I am quite hungry. Perhaps we can chance it? There are two of us. We can probably be quick enough to find a meal and get far away before we are discovered. Don't you think?"
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 10:28 pm
When the she-wolf got closer it was all Marble could do not to prance around with his tail wagging in the air. As it was, he still let his tail wag a lil bit, a demonstration of his exuberance. With all his reservations gone, his true puppy-like nature was coming out.
"Taking a chance sounds good. I think we'll be able to slip in without notice and get a quick bite." His grin still in place, he lifted his nose up to scent. "To the water we go... and with luck well find something worth the risk. Like a buck...uumm... I haven't had a good buck for a while. Just the thought is making my mouth water." He gave her one last glance, his blue eyes glimmering with joy, before breaking back into a brisk trot towards the Kells Run. He assumed the she-wolf would follow and although he didn't look over his shoulder at her, he did provide her with that important piece of information he had so far withheld. "Oh, and I'm Marble by the way."
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 11:18 am
"I am Coyote," she replied, trailing behind him.
What a silly pup. So eager. So enthusiastic. So naively cheerful. Kind of made her want to tear the veil from his eyes. Make him see the world for what an ugly place it truly was. Make him regret trusting a stranger. Break him.
Her white tail swished violently.
My, but she was feel particularly vindictive today. Not that she cared. It would make whatever woe she led him to all the more satisfying.
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