Secluded Spring It came from the mountain...

Her one eye, always evaluating. Finding the weaknesses and strengths of the other beings around her. The many words that were passed around them were observant ones, but it didn’t underline some of the main things that would have been of high benefit to them, save the mention of the open legged injury, which was important. It was always good to look deeper into something though, and while the others conversed amongst themselves, an occasional flicker of her own ear, showing that she was still listening to everything that was being said. When they finished talking and her own opinion was asked to be put on the ground, her green eye traveled slightly away from the danger in front of them, before flicking her tail.

She then spoke, her voice calm and collected, “The open legged wound is infected, meaning most likely paralyzed. The sight of the lion…it has a right lazy eye,” her head tilted towards Ashanti to clarify, “Our left.” She then paused her good eye quickly surveying the area, Iopah’s protective gesture towards her had not gone unnoticed, before she turned back towards the gathered. “Ashanti, get behind the lion and distract it. I will go right to keep its eyes on me. Rain and Iopah, go left and go in for the kill when you get the opportunity.” Her plan was set, her tone firm and finalized. If she was going to get used to leading then she was also going to have to learn how to take charge, and so she was. She expected every one to do their part, and Nina slowly started towards her right, ready for this danger to be terminated.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

In remaining silence he listened to the words of the ladies. His body tensed when Lopah walked towards the lion. Though she could easy avoid any attack, it was still dangerous. It would be like that till the lion gave his last breath. Seeing the helpless lion trying to defend himself against any possible attack. The lion must have felt it, his clock that was ticking it's last hours away. Lions, they were their enemies. They were a danger for their species and could kill them like a brute. Rain could not say he felt pity for the beast. In the first place was the silver wolf not the emotional type but let's say he could understand the painful and desperate position the lion was in. That it was still moving was just something he had to respect as a Warrior. His ears moved backwards, slightly surprised by the professional analyse he scowled. To see so much with one eye. Impressive. That Miss Nina could see this. His own silver gaze fell on the lion again. Knowing the alpha in being was on the right end. There was no way one wolf could be so accurate without proper education. Healer? Probably, he did not know a Nina with two eyes and a body not yet damaged by who knows what. Nina had obviously taken the lead in this ''kill the lion mission.'' Calm, clear and no hesitation. Nice, she would be a good leader indeed. If things would stay this way he would anticipate her forming pack. Who knows what other kind of wolves she had made to follow her. In silent agreement he gave a nod before taking his place. This scène, it reminded him a lot of the past. Not exactly like this, killing for a lion. Just the taking orders, working them out and succeed thing. He had done many on his own, some with wolves he was grouped with but never with strangers. At least he tried to avoid it. Working with strangers was a dangerous with a unpredictable factor. He did not like it but sometimes you would be forced to do things you may not have chosen in the first place. However Nina was in charge, he knew Nina, sort of and the brown Queen knew other ladies. His silver body moved smoothly around the lion. Seeing the beast in the eyes. Pain and a strong will were reflected in the cat's eyes. It snarled and tried to keep all wolves in sight. Should be hard, laying on the ground with a body that drags you down and some wolves who would make a end of you. A murderous glint was found in his silver eyes. Muscles tensed again, lowered his body ready for a strike. A deep growl from deep down came out his throat. Rain could not help it but smirk. Blood would soon be seen.

Iopah kept one eye on the wolves and the other on the lion. Its fate was being decided. With the inactivity of the wolves it had quieted, content to softly wheeze. It seemed calm, belying the agitation it must feel inside. At Nina's offhand comment Iopah looked back sharply, re-evaluating the lion. She was embarrassed by her in-observance. As her eyes scanned the lions face a plan was laid out. Iopah walked in front of the lion to take her position, watching it's line of sight as she passed. She was still looking for the clue Nina had so easily seen.

Reaching the lions left side Iopah stopped and pivoted lightly on her hind legs to face the scene before here. The lion, sensing the upcoming activity had roused himself. She was quiet, knowing they couldn't succeed if the lion was expecting her attack. In the confusion, in the distraction provided by the other two wolves, Rain and Iopah would have to dart in and end it, likely grasping the lions throat.

Rain growled beside her and she turned to stare hard at him. What was he thinking? The lion shouldn't be paying any attention to us. Her ears were forward, her message clear. Be quiet. She didn't have the presence of mind to consider her actions, to consider whether or not her directness would be taken the wrong way. Iopah would take any lumps for her dominance later, for now he needed to understand their success depended on them using the element of surprise. His growl faded and Iopah turned her attention from him, sure her point had been made. She looked at the others, waiting for them to be in position. When they reached their spots Iopah dipped his head briefly to show she was ready.

Her body lowered, tense and focused only on the lion. She was sure Rain was doing the same by her side. The two of them were waiting for all hell to break loose. Waiting for a chance.

Ashanti nodded and slowly crept towards the lion, trying to get in from behind to distract it like her mentor had instructed. “Ashanti, get behind the lion and distract it. I will go right to keep its eyes on me. Rain and Iopah, go left and go in for the kill when you get the opportunity.” The words of her mentor still rang in her head clearly. She would not get off topic of the task at hand. She let her eyes not waver from where she was to stand, she could not let her emotions of pity for the injured lion get in the way of her mission like they once had.

She lost herself in the thoughts of what had happened to a friend of hers back before she entered the relic lore, but soon put her head back to the real world, her icy blue eyes glittering as she made her way next to the lion to get behind it. She managed to squirm behind it and she lightly hit its back with her paw, she'd wash her paw off later. The lion tried to turn, but the paralysis made it so he really struggled, his lame right eye would be the perfect way to finish it.

She mouthed the words to them. 'Quickly, get it quickly.' As she swatted at it's back again, trying to give them as much space in the time frame as possible. She backed up slightly. She didn't want to bite it or anything for the risks of infection. IT was still trying to turn every time she hit it. So she'd go back and hit it in the back again as it started to lose interest in getting to her. Eventually it would learn. They needed to deal with it before hand.

Once she was sure that everyone understood as were in their places, Nina barked at the creature, getting its attention in every way possible. Every small swat, growl, or intimidating noise she could make was directed at the lion. And just as she had predicted, it looked her way, baring its fangs, but barely able to move. It’s eyes remained on her though, blind to the attackers on its other side. Ashanti seemed to be taking up her role quite well. When the yearling set up her own distraction, Nina took pleasantries in seeing the lion glancing back between the two of them. This was the chance that the other two needed, and as if she were cuing them, another bark and flick of her tail ensued, bringing all attention from the lion back to her.

Inside, her soul was screaming at her, asking her what she was doing and why. This was not the old Nina who had first entered Relic Lore. Now she had scars and memories to change her. It wasn’t completely for the worse though…mostly for the better. The sweet side of the female was still there, but it proved she wouldn’t be so all the time. She now had an outer cover…a rock to shield her from the outside world, and she soon had begun to wonder…had all of the other alpha females she had known been like so? Sweet and innocent before turning into a hard rock so that others couldn’t see their emotions all the time… The thought seemed logical but Nina still sometimes found herself longing for the old her…before her brother had almost demolished her.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

After his growl the lion looked his way, for a second they met eyes but soon the beast was already distracted by the others. With Nina in the front and Ashanti at the back the lion looked hesitant. Who should he choose, who would try to attack him. Waiting for the right chance he could feel his heartbeat fastened with the second. The nice adrenaline flowed through his body. Rain slowly sucked the cool air into his lungs as he lowered his body. He felt totally relaxed no stress in his body only his eyes were focused on the lion. As Ashanti made a daring move, the lion had decided. The yearling was the danger and the old lady with the broken body was not. He tried to turn around but found himself paralysed. Like someone gave him a signal he came from his place. Running the short distance he lunged for the threat they had to get rid of. Actually it was them that was the dangerous threat, this lion would have died anyway. The lazy eye was a really nice advantage. He knew Lopah was probably right behind him just like him trying to make a end of this. As he was just a inch away he saw the muscle in the lions neck turn. He had to be fast or use it like a feint. He would not be fast enough, hopefully Lopah was their to back him up. His paws suddenly turned direction as he averted to the right. Breaking his speed he was more behind the lion. Using his weight he jumped on the lion taking a bite on the back of it's neck. Forcing it down properly he drilled his fangs through the though skin. His silver gaze shot up searching for Lopah or some else. Finish the job now he held the beast in a pinch.

Just a note, her name is Iopah, with a capital 'i'.
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There was a moment of calm. It seemed to be a moment of silence for the lion. Even the wind held its breath as the four wolves waited for the first move. Everyone was poised, ready for the storm to follow.

Ashanti was the first to dance forward, engaging the lion. She held the speed and fearlessness only a yearly could posses. Iopah shifted her weight restlessly, her eyes were fast on the lion. Glittering embers in the darkness. When Nina started in, Iopah pinned her ears back as if shielding herself from the din. Who knew what kind of attention this would attract. They needed to finish this quickly, before half of Lore came to investigate. Nina's enthusiastic efforts coupled with the lions frustrated screams made the very air shake. It reverberated through the forest. It seemed enough to wake the dead. Thoroughly distracted, the lion attempted to turn, for all it cared Rain and Iopahs forms could have been pale rocks. They were the last thing on its mind.

Iopah felt rather than saw Rain surge forward. His timing was perfect and Iopah held back, not wanting to be in his way. She saw the twitch as he did. This lion was no fool; It was turning back. Iopah rushed forward in alarm, not sure what she could do, but unwilling to witness the collision she feared was coming. Maybe she could knock him to safety? Rain caught himself and leapt onto the lion. Iopah knew he had only bought himself some time, eventually the lion would shake him loose. And she was not about to give it the opportunity. She dove forward, teeth bared in an ugly, silent snarl. So filled with adrenaline, she didn't register the feeling of her feet racing across the ground. Suddenly she was at the lions throat. She wrapped her jaws around its lower neck. Grasping as much as possible. Searching for the right hold. Slicing and searching for something vital and fragile to crush.

There was a blinding moment of panic, then she felt it. It's windpipe. She brought her jaws together. Against her tongue she felt a cartilaginous ring snap. This was the grip, all she needed to do now was hold it. The silent wolf began to growl deep in her chest. Sensing the end the lion jerked sideways and Iopah let her body drag with it. Nothing would break her grip. Her growl intensified.

IOPAH

image by GREY | AUTUMN BREEZE made by BONKO of caution 2.0, rpg-d and shine.

The lion is not "technically" dead at this point, will take 5-10 minutes of flailing around.

(This post was last modified: Feb 15, 2013, 03:40 AM by Iopah.)

(Exiting for Ashanti)

Ashanti grinned as the mountain lion died, Rain had rushed forward and attacked it, and then Iopah went and killed it, snapping its windpipe between her jaws. It had started flailing, that was as suggested, after all an animal had control of its body 10 seconds after it died. That was one of the things she had learned from her mother before her mother died. She smiled. “We did it!” She exclaimed happily to the others. She was a bit happier now that she was always going to have family. She thought about it: Nina, Sloane and Kashikoi would always be her family now.

Ashanti looked to Nina, was Nina proud of her or even somewhat happy with how she had done? She felt like she was always proving herself to Nina. That she would always have something else to prove the fae who helped her so much. Nina had given her a home and a sense so worth. So how much did she owe Nina? She owed Nina her life, and that would never be paid until she gave her last breathe. Her tail was wagging because she was happy.

She looked at the others, weren’t they all happy that the threat was gone? She let it fade out. “I have to go now, there are herbs to find. It was great to meet you all!” She said happily, she was focused now on finding a nice supply of ergot to gather. She also had to go to find an herbal storage area to store it at. She ran off.

Exit

It all had happened so quickly that some of it was hard for Nina to keep up with, she did though and when she heard the satisfying snap of the mountain lions wind pipe, the golden woman glowed with pride for Iopah. She would soon become a wolf that Nina would become close with and who’s trust she would hold deeply within her. Ashanti had also done well, and the alpha gave a short nod to the female as she quickly made her departure. Though she was going to collect herbs, Nina knew that there would not be many to find, as winter was slowly making its approach to the Lore. With a small snort, she approached the form of the creamy female, her pelt soaked in the blood of the mountain lion, and softly she spoke, "Iopah, the deed is done, you can let go." Her voice was calm and fluid as she tried to ease the intimidating growl rising from within the girl’s throat. They had done what they had come to do, and now it was time for them to return back to the tickets.

Her good eye tracked its way back to Orev, the male seemed to have been quite ready to have helped them and Nina was grateful for that. Nodding her head to the man, she spoke briskly, "Thank you for your help, I‘m sure we all appreciated it. If you are ever looking for a home, you know where I am." With that she turned on her heel, her golden brown tail lightly brushing against Iopah’s side in hopes that the girl would follow her back to the thickets. She had yet to see the area and Nina hoped that she would like it, as Iopah was the first female follower, save Ashanti, meaning most likely being her Second, unless someone would later decide to challenge up. It was not such thoughts that would plaque her mind, as she simply went on her way.

Nina Exit

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.