Sacred Grove wild rumpus

<blockquote><i>Mid-morning; Clear — Current Temperature: 36° F/2° C</i>

Fenru Tainn at 8 months old had reached several milestones in the past two months. He had grown quite a bit and acquired his first winter pelt, attempted his first solo hunt (which ended when Fen nearly got stuck under a low hedge when a lucky rabbit ducked underneath it to get away), and could now fully comprehend most things - like the names of most animals that shared their home in the Grove and how life could end within a blink of an eye.

Today would mark another achievement, though, and today the youngest River wolf had brought home a small bird, a <span class='word'>pied</span> sparrow of sorts. The youth probably would have felt bad for the creature, having injured it first before delivering it from its misery in a snap of his jaw, but in all honesty he had been more concerned about how well his prize would be perceived by the pack and who would be more appreciative of it if he found someone to give it to.

He strolled along through the forest, then leapt over the invisible fence his mother and father had marked before directing his path towards the family den. If he didn't stumble into anyone who was interested in taking up on his meager offering, he had no problems with keeping the bird to himself... but, he just wanted to share his accomplishment and, hopefully, soak up some praise.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

i wanna wake up kicking, and screaming. i wanna know that my heart's still beating. i'm bleeding.

Her nose snorted, scattering some of the loose snowflakes that set atop the cold ground. There was something around here, and it teased her nostrils coaxing her onward. It seemed so familiar, like the name was on the tip of her tongue waiting to come to mind. She couldn't decide whether she'd actually seen the creature, or if she'd crossed it's scent on one of her many travels. A shrug of her shoulders, and flick of her tail the pressing question dragged her onward. She had to know for the sake of knowing.

A swing to her hips, she ventured past the territory of Grizzly Hollow, the scent trailing along the creek, and settling into the Sacred Grove. It was odd, the ground beneath her seemed alive beneath it's white, winter coat. Pointed ears flopped back, a soft breeze seeming to whisper words she couldn't understand. She shuddered against the strong pull, the little bites of tingles in her paws. She'd never entered this place before, and it kinda scared her. The scent was strengthening if not the the strongest in the collection of trees. She had to be close. Did she dare enter? It wasn't necessarily a bad vibe, it was just unknown. And the unknown was both intriguing, mysterious, and scary. Wait she could see tracks near an uplifted root in the distance. Ah, ha! A quick glance over her shoulder, she cautiously crept forward. She then placed her leathery nostrils in the packed steps certain this was the creature she was closing in on. The name did not come to mind. Disappointed, she lifted her head letting her yellow eyes study the shape. It was smaller than hers, but it had looong claws. She involuntarily flinched, pulling her paw away from the peculiar prints. It was then a feral snarl rippling into a hiss sounded behind her.

She swallowed, than very slowly brought her neck around, peering against her shoulder as a shield. She saw the owner of the sound. A badger! Why hadn't she remembered those were not the good kind of things to find! It made a snap with it's smaller jaws, and it looked quite scary waddling her way. Oh no! She twirled around, her tail high, and she made growl of her own. It continued closer with another hiss. She instantly understood why. She could smell blood, lots of blood, and saw something mangled behind it. She didn't need to be told a third time, and flung herself into the grove with a frightened yelp.

Her heart pounding, and limbs going as fast she weaved, ducked, and jumped trying to put distance in between herself, and the creature. The grove started to thin, and she looked back making sure she was not being followed, but suddenly rammed into something solid landing flat on her back.

<blockquote>The young Tainn had been so caught up in thinking about where to look for someone - particularly, the family members he <i>knew</i> within the pack - that he had been wandering the borders of the Sacred Grove without <i>listening</i> to his surroundings. Being oblivious was a dangerous thing, he knew very well, but for some reason or another searching for Indru or Corinna or Triell had proved to be much more important than making sure the borders of Swift River were well-kept and quiet. He dawdled along with a rather absent-minded smile on his face until... <b>"OOF!"</b>

Whatever and whoever had rammed into his ribs instantly wiped any proud facial expressions off his masked features and replaced it with shock. His head planted into a bank of snow at the bottom of a spindly sapling and he instantly lost his prized, albeit small, trophy. <b>"ALLLLLLRIGHT,"</b> he gruffly barked after catching his breath and lifting his face from the frost. <b>"I'm. <i>Telling...</i>"</b>

He whipped his head over his shoulder and angrily growled, <b>"What'd ya do that f-f-fo--"</b> His fiery eyes widened and he let out a startled gasp instead of finishing his question. Instead of seeing the familiar tawny figure of his playful sister or the mottled hide of his mischievous brother, what laid before him was a heap of ivory fur with matching ashen legs. His nose was quick to note that this particular creature did not smell like someone he ought to be familiar with. In a matter of seconds Fen gathered his legs underneath him and bristled his fur to the best of his ability as he turned to face the outsider.

<b>"Hey..."</b> he yipped in a somewhat demanding tone in hopes of getting her full attention. If this newcomer had the right mind, he hoped they would listen to words he had to say next: the <span class='word'>exoteric</span> announcement he had been stringing together for months in case he ever stumbled into someone who was not openly welcome. <b>"Yer... Yer not s'posed to be here. River wolves <i>ONLY.</i> If... If you don't get out, I'll... My father will hear of it at the count o' three. <i>One...</i>"</b></blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

i wanna wake up kicking, and screaming. i wanna know that my heart's still beating. i'm bleeding..

Owe! An immediate ache rose in her temples, and forehead. She opened her eyes, trying to decide just how she'd ended up like this. Oh, yes the badger! It wasn't the badger she was suddenly worried about. Head raised she found just what....or better whom she'd bumped into. Sorta his face was buried in the snow from the force of impact. She actually thought about helping him, when his coarse voice said otherwise. She did not move, she didn't dare. Fear had her pinned to her back.

When the boy pulled his head out, he was quite unhappy with her. She pressed her chin to her chest, rolling her limbs up to protect her soft belly. Ears folded back in submission, remorse, and regret when his orange eyes fell upon her. She closed hers, wincing, just waiting for him to attack.

When he yipped she flinched, her eyes fluttering open. He looked even bigger now, and her body began to tremble. Any second now he was going to bite her. He didn't come much closer. He immediately warned her she was trespassing. She was not so clueless as to not know that wasn't a good thing. Raigo, Mother, and Elettra attacked trespassers. Where was the line? She had little time to think when he threatened to call his father. Yikes! She couldn't imagine getting beat up by a wolf this boy's size, let another larger. Straight away she jumped to her feet.

Her head lowered, and tail curled between her legs she tried not to stare directly into his eyes. "I.I.I'm sorry, I..I didn't mean to," she said, a soft whine following her words. She started walking backwards, slinking away. She shook her head,"You, you don't need to call your dad. I'll go. But..." she looked to the nearby trees, before taking a chance to glance at him,"Is there another way out?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 13, 2012, 04:20 PM by Arlette.)

<blockquote><b>"<i>Two...</i>"</b> She had taken up a defensive stance as his plumed tail rose assertively. He flashed his teeth at the girl when she had gotten to her feet. Before he could even draw his tongue forward to form the "th" in the word 'three' she stammered in apology. His features stared back rather nervously and he froze; sure, he might have been functioning on quite an adrenaline rush, but he had reacted as such in case <i>she</i> was ready to take a bite out of him first. Now that he really had a good look at her, she seemed to be no older than he was. Well, maybe a little older, but not by much.

The fur that had been bristled smoothed out and his brows knit together in bewilderment. By her actions he had actually intimidated her and she quickly told him that there was no need for his father to come onto the scene. He looked over her shoulder to gaze out towards the landmark that served as a boundary of sorts before returning his gaze to her averted eyes. He wasn't sure <i>how</i> she might have darted over a territory line, but he was starting to think maybe <i>he</i> hadn't actually gone deep enough into his family's domain. Ever since Dad had returned, the borders of their packlands kept fluctuating as he and Mum made their rounds. Their eyes met after she asked if there was another way out and he gave a silent nod as the wrinkles upon his muzzle straightened.

Before he said anything else, he looked on either side of him to make sure no one had been watching him. <b>"Yeah,"</b> he said slowly. <b>"Well... Back the way you came."</b> He pointed with his nose to the tracks she had made across the snow-covered ground, <b>"I'm gunna have to ess-cort you out though. I have to make sure you don't come back in. It's... It's the rules."</b></blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

i wanna wake up kicking, and screaming. i wanna know that my heart's still beating. i'm bleeding..

The word two she was ready to make a run for it, a badger couldn't be worse could it? Might only claw her eyes out, and she shuddered again. Trying to decide the lesser of two evils didn't seem to be working. Both seemed like awful horrors she wouldn't be able to escape. Keeping a firm eye on his movement, she pulled herself further backward just waiting for him to lunge at her throat. Quick thinking she tucked her chin, remembering how Elettra placed herself. He was almost to three, and another whine slipped into her throat. She might not be able to beat her opponents, but she'd try to protect herself for her foolish actions of wandering.

"Pplea," she started to whisper, not wanting to be shredded. He had stopped, and she boldly lifted her head to see why. She realized he was taller than she was, but no older. She didn't know why he appeared puzzled. Nothing had changed, and it was clear she wanted to leave. Head cast down as quickly as it had came up, waiting for what he would decide. If she ran now, maybe she'd have a chance to escape before the whole pack descended. Wait, this was the river pack! Where Ruiko called home! She doubted he was the leader, why would he want to move else where? A frown tugged at her lips, deciding that information wouldn't help her.

When his orange eyes met hers, she didn't flinch away, a plea in her yellow gaze like he held her fate. His only reply was a nod, and she let out a long sigh of relief. If she could just go home, without seeing that badger the better. Since he was no longer warning her with his lips, she no longer shook with fear, she only waited to be shown where she could go.

His next words, easily put her back in dispair. No, not back there. She understood he'd want to make sure she left, but not that way! "Well, you see er, that's why I...um knocked ya down. I was being chased by this...badger," and her shoulders shook with a shiver of remembering the loathsome thing. She took in a long breath continuing,"And, he killed something and came at me next or I..I wouldn't have trespassed." She didn't feel so intimidated by him, and her words were not quite as soft as the first, tinged with a strength to make him understand. Her white tail uncurling, she lifted her head level with her shoulders. "So we can't go that way." She stated more firmly. He would have to drag her unwillingly if they went that way.

<blockquote>Taking a moment to realize there was a bit of snow on his nose, he shook his head before returning his gaze to her and following her tracks to where she had <i>fled</i> from. An arched brow rose suspiciously. A badger... <i>Really</i>? He had heard about that type of creature before but he had yet to encounter one. <b>"Pfffff,"</b> he sounded with a roll of his eyes. <b>"Fine, but you made me lose my catch."</b> A slight frown formed on his face and he took a step in the opposite direction of her initial trail.

<b>"Nex' time you come 'ere,"</b> he said evenly, casting his gaze back to her snow white form. <b>"An' I catch you... We're not going a different way."</b> His nose twitched and he inched forward to see if she would follow him further. The scowl melted away and the curiosity clawing at his mind took over, <b>"Where ya from anyhow?"</b> His mind went back to the day when he had met a puppy almost exactly like him: Prosper. He, too, was just a bit older, but not enough to be considered as a huge age gap. Perhaps she stumbled into him once, too, at some point.

He shuddered at the memory of Prosper's body against the dying leaves and immediately shook his head before focusing on the large tree ahead of him. Its tall thin branches were just noticeable above the rest of the forest and the very top of it drooped sullenly to one side. He swallowed quietly and began to lead her through the barren hedges and well-spaced trees.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

i wanna wake up kicking, and screaming. i wanna know that my heart's still beating. i'm bleeding..

She was afraid she'd have to insist further on not going that way. She wasn't sure if she could put a good effort. Or would he want to take the badger on. She quietly sniffed, hoping he didn't have a huge ego in need of popping. He seemed only disgruntled by the fact he had fallen face first into a snow bank because of her. Her lips hung back in a frown, wondering if he was about to cuss her out for that too. Instead he turned around, drawing away from here. Her tail beat the air behind her, but immediately stopped. She'd not only knocked him down, but his kill was gone. A rushed sigh flooded from her mouth, and she cautiously took a step closer. "Oh, I'm sorry. Sure I can't help you find it?" Her white tail made a feeble attempt to wag again, and she put on a hopeful face.

She stopped dead, drawing her left limb to her chest when he turned his face back. Next time? She didn't count on ever coming back here again. She let out a short giggle, shaking her head. "Why, would I come back?" She inquired a quirked brow, as he strode to to stand beside him. "The grove's really cool, but I.." She what? She didn't quite no what she was going to say, and clamped her white jaws shut. She halted, shaking her head. "Never mind,"she quickly added not to sound like a total fool.

When he continued she tried to keep up with his pace, though he wasn't really walking fast. She wanted to see his expression to make sure he wasn't just leading her back to his pack. His face become relaxed, and smooth. With his question she decided maybe he really was taking her out of the grove a different way. "I'm from Grizzly Hollow, it's the forest over that way," she said jerking her nose in the direction she'd come from before daring to look at his darker complexion. She saw him shudder, and her brows creased, a worried look about her white face. "You okay?" She asked, wondering what had made him do so.

<blockquote>Fen was rather glad he didn't bother to answer her question about wanting to find the misplaced bird; he actually wasn't quite keen on sharing it with this girl. Even if she didn't seem all that bad, she wasn't a River wolf. He pressed his lips together, sealing them as she asked why he thought she would return. Prosper had braved the river a couple of times just for the sake of a few minutes' worth of playtime, so why wouldn't she? He tried to make himself look and seem too serious for any sort of scenario.

The ivory girl said that the grove was "cool" and he turned to look at her when she detracted from the rest of her statement with a hastily added <i>"Never mind."</i> He looked away and continued to focus on the way he was taking her. Weaving through the trees and assuring himself that there weren't usually 'crovens' in this part of the woods, he listened as she answered that she was from Grizzly Hollow. <b>"Oh,"</b> was all he could offer as he led her around a fallen tree. Then, in a rather delayed fashion, he replied to her last question, <b>"Huh? Oh... Yeah."</b>

One of his ears flicked and he turned both of them forward in frustration. <b>"I just thought of something 's all,"</b> he added. <b>"Will you be able to find your way back when we've reached the border?"</b> If Mum kept constant tabs on him and his siblings, then surely her mother would be worried if she didn't get back before dusk.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

I wanna wake up kicking and screaming. I wanna know my heart's still beating. I'm bleeding

She anxiously glanced to and from the snow bank. He didn't answer and she sighed. So much for trying to be nice. He seemed much older but his scent and youthful features told her otherwise. Did he have siblings? Was he the leader of them? She pondered dropping her pace to follow behind him. Everything looked the same in her eyes. She had no idea how he was navigating through the growth but trusted his judgement. What choice did she have? A frown she remained quiet. He likely knew this place as well as she knew the forest.

It didn't surprise him she was from the other pack. She supposed his parents must know things like her mother did but rather she had to find out. He appeared irritated,and her eats folded further flat upon her skull. "Okay," she answered very quietly not pressing the issue. If he didn't want to share, she'd try not to care. 

Holding back another sigh she nodded her head. He probably couldn't see that so she spoke up. "I think so." If she saw some familiar landscape that is. She picked up her pace, trying to see through, and around the trees. "I met a wolf named Ruiko from here once, did he leave?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 20, 2012, 04:18 PM by Arlette.)