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 Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:54 am
Part 4
Title - And Fate Joins their Paths
Time - Late morning of day 2
Characters - Sirena, River and Aziz
Summary - yet to be written
---------- The sun had risen higher and though it's temperature did not scorch the world as it did through the days of summer it was warm enough that the creatures in the forest did not notice that Autumn was on the horizon.
For indeed, the trees still held green except for the odd few and the birds still sang as joyfully as they had through the first half of the year.
But the truth was, that soon the summer would be forgotten and with it's leaving would come the cold, skeletal trees, the ice and snow and the starvation. Winter was a harsh month and it was for that reason that this journey was to be done before that time came.
The remains of the deer had filled the air with the scent of death and blood, an attraction to the noses of all meat eaters seeking for an easy meal. Yet it was not far away from the corpse of the dead doe that two she-wolves resided. Companions they were now, brought together to bring justice to this darkening forest.
It was here in this peaceful meadow that yet another unexpected event would unfold...
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:05 am
It was the smell of the now rotting corpse that attracted her. It shouldn’t have- but it was the third day now that she had gone without food thanks to her mate’s idiotic attachment to that damned cancer. She was the mate! How could it be that even as dumb as Carius was, he had been lead into a confusing loop of serving that female. But with a hungry gurgle in her throat, Aziz knew she probably should have known better. When it came to relationships, the whore usually didn’t get first pick. But goddamnit! She thought she had had at least some control over Carius. She gave him what he wanted, and she didn’t even mind when he beat on her. She had had some control over him- but it was nothing compared to how clever that Ryukkii was in getting what she wanted.
Eventually Carius would figure it out and crawl back. Or stampede back- whatever it was the monster of a wolf cared to do. But until then Aziz decided there was no better option then getting some food into her. She couldn’t let herself go to waste now, not in these woods.
And particularly if Carius came back angry.
Slowly, the black female crouched against the earth. The pungent smell of the corpse was clouding the air, but she both knew and faintly smell that the killers had to be still around. The ebony female had indeed once been somewhat clever- and perhaps that clever self never would have made such a move as this. But who was she to kid that that person was far long and gone?
Shifting her feral green eyes, the black stripe suddenly made it to the corpse, and with a quick ferocity, she began to tear off a piece of meat and hide from the side of the rot.
Quickly now! Before they woke-
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:34 am
His great golden eyes fell upon her, twin suns shining in that black face. He moved with the powerful grace of a hunter, his muscles rippling beneath that fine pelt. For a moment he seemed frozen mid-stride and then suddenly the distinctness of his lines began to bleed outwards like spilled ink, spreading across the sky so that Sirena was staring at nothing but two golden eyes in the gloom.
Those eyes. They stared and they burned and the wolfess was in spotlight, standing helpless before them
Was Kafara...angry?
A sound of tearing flesh ripped through her skull and in the next moment the golden eyes snapped shut and she was struggling to find the light.
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Sirena jolted from her sleep with a sharp huffing sound and rolled sluggishly onto her belly to glance about her. The scent of blood still hung heavy at her nostrils, and River's own scent but now...now there was something new in the wind, something that had Sirena instantly on the defence.
The old wolfess was on her paws in a second, eyes snapping over to scan the grass until her sharp gaze finally fell upon the carcass of the doe. There, tugging at some of the left over meat was a strange, dark-pelted wolf who apparently was brave - or stupid - enough to steal a free meal right out from under their noses!
Even after all this time Sirena's mind set was still very much in 'alpha mode', her posture screaming of superior rank despite the fact she was nothing more than a lone. In no time at all she was stalking forward through the grass, hackles up, fangs beared and ears tipped forward. Every inch of her body screamed threat and there were no words needed to tell of her mood.
What do you think you're doing?! Her voice was harsh and brittle like dead, dried leaves as she came to a halt a few strides from where the other female was.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:42 am
River hadn't been sleeping as such, more dozing. She had let her mind wander from being alert though so she didn't notice anyone coming or being around untill Ren shot up.
River opened her eyes slowly and watched where Ren went, slowly getting up to follow. She wasn't bothere if anyone was stealing their food or anything, more bothered that Ren would get in a fight and get hurt.
The brown wolf stay behind Ren not realising anyone was there till the she-wolf spoke. It was only then that River actually realised that they weren't alone.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:52 am
The brutal snarl struck through her mind like a sudden jolt of lightning. The black wolf rose her head swiftly- an action which required her to relinquish her old on the chunk of flesh she had been working free. Dammit. In her old age she seemed to be unable to ever move fast enough.
The black wolf that had once been Nadia so long ago rose to her feet, giving a cold stare towards the agitated she wolf. She had the posture of a dominant wolf, and that was begining to make Aziz edgy. The best plan of action was to run- but between Carius, and this female, life had struck a nerve with Aziz.
“Shut your mouth!” The female barked out suddenly, her hackles rising. But even as she said it, the old wolf was slowly taking a step backwards. How infuriating was it that the first thought in her mind was a question as to how fast she could run back behind Carius? Would that Cancer even take pity on her long enough to let Carius aid? Infuriating! She couldn’t stand it!
“You’ve eaten your fill and your kill is going to rot. How dare you protect some disgusting piece of flesh from a wolf that would care to eat from it!” She spat, her black fur rippling in the motion- mostly because the sudden thought of food again had taken over her. She had been hungry before, many times in her life- but it was getting harder for the female to keep up the life of an empty belly in her old age.
Despite her age- Aziz, even in an agressive stance, was not much to be impressed with. She had the willowy look of someone who had once been very beautiful- but now, both age and numerous scars had burried the attractive lady. What was left now was a thin wolf, with unhealthy looking fur that clung to her skin like a dirty rug.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:02 am
Sirena's growl deepened at the other wolf's response and was yet unaware of River's presence behind her. All she saw, all she knew was the poacher in front of her.
Empty, dark eyes narrowed as she took another step forward, her growl ringing clear as she parted her maw a little further, revealing more teeth in her jaws. Though in fact her 'prized weapons' were now yellowing, broken or missing altogether. Age - it seemed - had not been kind to her either.
In fact she looked quite odd at the moment with her swollen belly full of food and the rest of her looking so scraggly and grey. The once deep browns of her patches were now faded and aged and it was quite clear that she was rather weak physically despite her dominant posture.
Scavenger... Sirena snarled, then eat your fill and hang that shameful head of yours. Her tone had eased off a little, clearly because Sirena herself knew how hard it was to hunt by ones lonesome. A little foolish isn't it? To approach a kill guarded by wolves? Sirena would do dangerous things at times but she doubted she would ever have done something like that.
Surely life can't be so bad you would risk your life for a few measly scraps.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:06 am
River nudged at Ren's back as she walked past to stand next to her. She did not growl or even look threatening. The only reason she was there was to stop a fight, she was quite happy to just lay and rest.
"She could always...pay for the meal maybe. She could help us." River refused to say names or anything else, it was purely an idea, the wolf might know something of the ones they were looking for though it was upto Ren to decide, not River.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:22 am
Aziz’s muzzle twitched in fury as the female spoke down to her, but she could do nothing more then accept the ridicule and the invitation to the food. It hadn’t been the first time such a bitter thing had been said to her- and despite her rage, she had gotten used to the lot she held in life. Eager to snag the opportunity before the other female could decide otherwise, Aziz moved back towards the kill and began to tear off smaller pieces, which she quickly devoured in the process, ignoring the fur and swallowing it anyways. All the while her brain chanted- they’re fools, they don’t know. They don’t know!
Luckily the food distracted her from remembering one key fact- there was nothing to know about Aziz. The only possible thing she could have coaxed out of herself that would have given any respect towards the scraggly she wolf was the legacy of her son- and she would rather swallow her own tongue then do anything to connect herself with him. As if that was the only thing she could be known for!
And yet- it was the only thing. Would he be ashamed of her to see his whore mother like this?
There was another female, and she was speaking. Something about payment- and Aziz had a feeling time was running out. She gorged down more of the food, her wild eyes skirting back and forth from the two females. The first agressive one was older- maybe her age, but this other one was younger. Even still- she had no doubt either of them could kill her if they wished.
"I am not too proud to survive." She hissed between bites, and swallowed.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:59 am
Sirena eyed the female as she ate, lips curling up in disgust. A wolf could become desperate yes, but this...this was awful. She turned her head away, finding herself too disgusted to watch any further.
Instead her gaze settled on River and with a low snort she shook her head and let her hackles smooth. It was pointless starting a fight with a withered old wolfess and she didn't like the idea of getting injured anyway.
How do you think she could help? Her voice was irritated but it was only understandable. She was grouchy and had been rudely awakened from dreaming about her beloved mate. She obviously knows nothing of any importance. She sat slowly then, letting her gaze drift off towards the horizon. She spoke about the other wolfess as if she wasn't even there and only turned to gaze at the wolf when she spoke again.
Oh yes, we must survive... Her ears flattened against her skull then, It is that instinct that stops us from dying out altogether. Tell me stranger, it is obvious you cannot live by yourself, why not find yourself a nice little pack to nestle in? Her words were far from understanding and concerned.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:26 am
River didn't speak to Ren but to the other wolf. "Do you have any children? I believe you are too old to not have some sort of family." River believed that every wolf had a family at some point and to be as old as the two females around her and not have a family seemed to be a waste of a life. Maybe River was just old fashioned or something.
Maybe River was out of place asking as Ren may not have thought of that but yet she had to ask, who knew what this female knew. Everyone had secrets.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:50 am
Aziz snorted in contempt, and swallowed another mouthful of the sticky remnants. Pack! As if a wolf like her would ever be so freely accepted into a group. She had been in packs before- three times, as it were. The first time when she had been a child, and the second when the pale eyed brute Hrothmund lead her away. And the third, with her whore pack of gypsies who had finally decided a year ago that she was no longer even good enough to sell ‘as is’. Once she had lost her beauty, there had been nothing left for the scraggly black female except to scavenge, and let herself fall into whatever company that cared to pay attention to her.
“I have no tolerance for packs, and I suspect they have little tolerance for me. I have spent my life in a way few packs would wish themselves associated with.” She was old- but she did have an articulate bone in her. “I let myself go with whoever wants me for an hour or a month, and it seems my more recent patron has become confused and forgotten me.” Aziz hissed out. It really wasn’t Carius’s fault. He was just too dumb to remember he had even had a mate- if anyone could call it that.
As it was- Aziz had known long ago that the only reason he had called her that was because she was Phib’s mother, and no other. Perhaps Carius had finally forgotten who that was, and the rage he associated with it. Ryukkii would keep her around as well if she fed her- but Aziz would have no part in anyone who had affections towards her estranged son. Even if the affections were unwished and poisonous.
Another crunch and a swallow, and this time, she let her jaw slide still at the brown female’s question. It made her furious, and she looked away and dropped the food. She had been asked the question before- and yet, for as much as she claimed to hate him, she never denied it. Secretly- all she really wanted was attention.
“I have one son, the others I let die.” She spat, and shook her head as she continued eating. "I would have rathered it been them all."
Living the life she had- Aziz had had many litters other then the one she was more readily associated with. But she remembered those well- picking up a small pup, and simply dropping it into the water...
If only she could say she had no children!
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:45 am
Then we are alike in that sense. Sirena said, eyeing the female briefly before turning her head away again. Packs only bring trouble and pain to those within them. Then slowly, it seems then that we both agree on something. Children are never a blessing, only a curse. She stood then and moved away, scenting the wind but finding the presence of no other.
A curse strong enough to send a wolf insane. Her hackles bristled but it was not her two companions she was angry with. It were the ghostly hauntings of her pups who had evaded her for so long.
So long...
Black wolf. Sirena snapped, What do you know of the local wolves here?
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:08 am
River didn't say anything else. She let the older wolves talk, she had found out what she had wanted to know.
She laid down, licking at her paws before resting her head on them. She didn't see much of a threat here so she could rest once again.
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:17 am
Aziz cracked a bone between her teeth, and started to mouth at what she could pull from it. “Not much.” She replied flatly, pulling a thin piece of skin from the hard surface. “These are not my woods- but, then, no woods would I particularly call ‘mine’ either. All I know is my son is here- and the rest of his cohort.” She muttered bitterly.
What were the chances that she’d go away and happen right back upon a woods run by Hrothmund’s progeny? His very name in her head burned at her insides, and she stopped eating, appetite soured. He was dead, and still he haunted her. Seven years almost now- and she still could have looked back on the occasion like it had been just the other day.
“Why?” She curtly remarked. “Who are you looking for?”
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:27 am
The only sign that Sirena was listening was the twitch of an ear in the black wolf's direction. Then slowly she nodded and let her tail curl around a hind leg.
How much could she afford to say?
I look for three traitors. Her words were as cold and emotionless as stone, traitors I foolishly brought into this world so long ago. I cannot rest until I find them you see, I must undo the evil I let loose upon this world.
But if you are unfamiliar of the local dwellers then you cannot help me. It seems once again I find nothing but useless company. She was growing tired of this, the walking in circles, the blind journeying, the not knowing.
She just wanted it to end.
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