The Wildwood Keep the story going

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Gladius raced along, her companion not far behind her as she made her way through the forest. Her determination was clear, nothing would get in the way of her current quest and bar Kama from her long lost mate. Gladius would take her to Bramble Falls and hopefully find the great gentle giant and reunite the two, whether they would rejoin as mates or not was their own decision, Gladius would simply be the bridge between the star crossed lovers. She was fine with this, joyed even, that she would have such an opportunity. It wasn't everyday that she could bring joy into another's life, and it warmed her heart that she would be able to today.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>"This way! We're not far now." Gladius woofed, plodding forward at a slower pace as she grew tired with their running. Her large frame was not suited to long distance, and she slowed to catch her breath. Even if they did not find Thanatos at Bramble Falls, she would certainly be able to call him. He did still owe her those fighting lessons. She could only hope that he had stayed within Relic Lore, and wasn't miles away by now. She waited for Kama to catch up to her, her pace at an easy lope, tongue lolling as she looked around her. Her den was somewhere around here, abandoned since she'd begun her adventures. Maybe she would find a new place to call home after this, somewhere with Kama. Slowly, her new family was beginning to form.</font>

Kama ran alongside Gladius, heading towards Bramble Falls to, <i>hopefully</i> meet up with her lost love. It had been a little over a year since she had last seen him. She knew there was a possibility that he had found a new mate. He was a charming wolf, females would be all over him and she couldn't expect him to wait around forever.

She hoped with all her heart that he hadn't found someone new. If he had though, she would probably find a new home with Gladius. Well, either way she would bring her newly adopted daughter with her. Kama slowed to a walk, calling for Gladius to stop. She had picked up the scent of a couple rabbits and thought they should eat something before they continued.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>She stopped, sniffing at the air and catch the smell of the prey animals that Kama was after. She had worked up an appetite, as her young body burned meat like a raging wild fire burned dry tinder, and she wagged her tail and followed after her mentor. Although it was not far till their destination, it was best to eat now where prey could be found than risk not being able to find anything at the falls.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Gladius moved off to follow the trail of a rather skinny little rabbit, it's footprints in the soft ground telling her it was young and light weight. She spotted it ahead of her, hopping this way and that under bowing ferns and grasses, and she bundled her hindquarters under her. Her tail hung high behind her, and she twitched her nose, grinning before she leaped. The rabbit saw her at the last moment and scurried away, diving into a hole in the ground a few feet away. Gladius pounded after and clawed at the den, feeling frustrated that the thing had been able to escape her grasp. She was midway up her limbs in the soft soil as she dug uselessly at the den, huffing and growling with the effort.</font>

Brynn's stomach rumbled as he searched for something to eat. He sniffed the air, looking for any trace of prey. He was about to give up when he finally scented rabbit. He raced towards the scent, hoping to find a big fat rabbit. When the scent got stronger he slowed down to a walk, hoping to sneak up on it. He didn't see any rabbit's but what he did see made him chuckle for a moment.

A she-wolf, about his age by the looks of it, had her leg down a rabbit hole, furiously trying to reach the rabbit inside. <b>"You having some trouble there miss?"</b> Brynn stepped closer and sat down a few wolf lengths away from the she-wolf. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at her.

Kama saw Gladius chase after the thin rabbit and sat down, waiting for her to come back. She wanted to see how the young girl would do hunting on her own. There may be a time when Kama isn't there to help her so she would need to be able to do it on her own.

Her ears pricked up when she heard a voice. A <i>male</i> voice. It came from the same direction Gladius had run off to. Kama stood and quickly ran to Gladius. She saw her adopted daughter with her leg down a rabbit hole and a black and white male, roughly around two years old, sitting and watching Gladius. Getting protective, Kama stood in front of Gladius, a low growl rumbling in her chest.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Her attention would not be swayed form her quarry, even as an unfamiliar male voice sounded nearby. "Not at all, these rabbits are the ones would will be having trouble." She wasn't at all threatened by the idea of a stranger nearby- her energy was solely focused on her meal, and any dangers could wait. Gladius was now up to her shoulders, her upper body slowly disappearing as her lower now sat up above her, tail thumping furiously as she dug further. She got to a point where the stretch between both halves of her body was too much, and even as she strained, she clawed uselessly at the earth that was too far below for her to reach. The rabbit was long long gone.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>She finally looked up as she heard a growling noise, and struggling slightly, she backed out of the hole and sat back on the edge. She panted, her front limbs covered in dirt (not that she wasn't dirty all the time anyways) and she looked at the stranger for the first time. A large creature with amber eyes and a black and white pelt, she studied him curiously and even more so as Kama growled. "Well, the bloody thing escaped me." She puffed at last, shaking one dirtied leg and then the other. "And what brings you to watch a future queen of hunters struggle?" She asked, amused as she looked between Kama and the stranger.</font>

Brynn flattened his ears against his head when the older female showed aggression towards him. <b>"I'm not looking for a fight ma'am."</b> He stayed sitting, showing neither aggression or submission. He turned his attention back to the female who was about his age as she spoke. <b>"Future queen of hunters? I can see it. But struggling, no. I didn't see any struggling, I saw a wolf determined to catch a rabbit."</b>

He smiled at the girl, hoping the other would calm down. He really didn't want a fight.

Kama looked back at Gladius as she came out of the rabbit hole. She shook her head. <b>"Look at yourself Gladius you're filthy. We're going to have to wash your fur when we reach the falls."</b> Kama listened as Gladius and the male spoke to each other. Kama turned on him. <b>"Flattery will get you no where boy."</b> She growled at him and snapped her jaws in front of his face.

<b>"Breeding season is coming up and I know that's all <i>you males</i> will want my Gladius for. If I were you I would back down before I got hurt."</b> Kama stood there, tail raised and glaring at him. Hopefully he would listen to her threat. She didn't want him around her newly adopted daughter.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'> Gladius bared her teeth and gave a light-hearted snarl, raising her tail in mock aggression as she looked at the male mischievously. "And why not?" She questioned in rumbling tones like a thunderstorm, rolling her shoulders and puffing her chest. She relaxed at Kama's scolding and looked at her dirty limbs, shrugging her shoulders and looking unconcerned with her messy appearance. Her smile betrayed what she thought of the male's compliment and she huffed laughter at Kama's response to it.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Standing up, she walked to Kama's side and licked her shoulder, biting at her ear teasingly. "He was only admiring, don't refuse him his right to witness such artistic tactics." She murmured, nodding towards the hole and chuckled. She observed her companion's hostility with mild amusement. Obviously, Kama was thinking something that went much above Gladius's head. To her, the boy had done no wrong, and it interested her greatly why Kama felt so threatened by him. And why Gladius was the object of protection.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>At Kama's next words Gladius's eyes went wide, her tail in a whirlwind of humor behind her. She grinned ruthlessly at Kama's blunt suggestion, feeling her motherly protection less of an irritation and more of a comedy act. "Come now, I'd think if that were his mind's set he'd have more worry about me than you dear Kama." Gladius laughed, her shoulders broadening as she stepped over to the boy and poked him in the side with a paw, baring her teeth. "Isn't that right boyo?" While her face showed hostility, her eyes showed just how hilarious she found the whole situation.</font>

(This post was last modified: Mar 02, 2012, 10:05 PM by Gladius.)

Brynn's ears flattened against his head as the older female spoke. He was going to say something when the other girl spoke up. She went up to him and poked his side with her paw. She bared her teeth, showing plenty of hostility. He had never met females who were so aggressive before. <b>"I don't want to fight and no I have no interest in the...breeding season."</b> He looked down and backed up, feeling both uncomfortable and unwelcome.

His ears pricked up when he saw another rabbit not too far behind Kama. He took off, dodging Gladius and Kama and tackled the rabbit before it could make it to the burrow. He bit into it then looked back up at the two females. Brynn picked up the rabbit and put it in between the two girls. <b>"You guys can have it."</b> He looked Gladius over again, admiring her. She was beautiful, even though she was covered in dirt.