Grizzly Hollow monster overture

<i>RE: Grizzly Hollow, an unknown trespasser has crossed your pack borders. Open to anyone, Borden's more than likely too far out of earshot.</i>

<blockquote><i>Early Afternoon; Sunny.</i>

<i>Time out.</i> It was amazing how two simple words, when placed together, meant something completely undesirable. While Renier, Ryvet and Calla were enjoying the day with one of the adults down by the creek, Taima had been excluded from the venture. Roughly twelve hours ago Borden had caught her outside the den again well after bedtime. Resting just within the den entrance, the girl was sprawled out in a listless fashion. If she hadn't been so put off by the words that defined her morning, she probably would have tried to escape, even if Borden was periodically checking up on her every so often.

Her ear twitched as the breeze carried her father's scent her way and she listened as he stalked away for the third time and counting. She repositioned her chin over her tawny wrist then snorted. <i>Yeah, go away,</i> she snapped in her head. <i>Go.</i> A scowl wrinkled the faint mask that was starting to show on her face and she closed her eyes. It wasn't until that familiar buzzing sped past her ears and she squirmed, eyes immediately flashing open as she tottered onto her feet and into the sun. Whether it flew past her or into the den, she wasn't sure, but she was certain of one thing: it would not be allowed the chance to <i>bite her</i>, as Jaysyek had said.

Taima's ears swiveled forward as she cast her gold-flecked eyes about the clearing. Hopefully her father hadn't seen her. She hopped back into the coolness of the underground tunnel then poked her head forward, anticipating the all-too-familiar reprimanding to sound out to her.

It didn't come.

She waited. One minute. Two minutes. Two minutes, thirty seconds. Nothing. Borden had gone. A mischievous grin spread across her muzzle and she planted one forepaw into the patch of sunlit grass. Then the other. Eventually she stood tall atop the small knoll with her tail and head held high. If her father had taken his time to return for a third occasion, then it would take him much longer to return for a fourth check-in. Perhaps within that time frame, she play on her own, make her own discoveries. She definitely didn't need playtime by the river to enjoy herself.

So with a few bold steps, followed by a spirited trot, she bounded into the woods, leaving the den site behind. Every so often she stopped to examine unfamiliar things - a moss-covered log, a gnarly branch... a collection of bleached ribs. Her eyes widened as she took in the decaying sight. She and her siblings might have been weaned but she had never seen <i>food</i> presented to her in such a way. Her small tongue grazed over a dry bit of bone and she instantly withdrew from it. <i>Ick!</i>

Taima shuffled backwards into something bristly and solid. She tilted her head up to gaze into a pair of unfamiliar eyes. One gasp was all it took to realize that this creature was something to be wary of. It did not smell like mom. It did not smell like dad. It was definitely not one of her siblings, nor was it any of the adults she now loved and trusted with all her being. A terrified scream lifted from her chest and she curled up in a ball, only to feel the beast move away and make itself scarce with a rustle of leaves. Only when silence washed over her again did she lift her head and let out a more specific, but feeble and panicky, cry,

<b><i>"Daaaaaad!"</b></i></blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Aug 09, 2012, 01:06 AM by Taima.)

OOC: ...and you think you made me decide what it was...>:D

The river had been fun to play with.. but Calla quickly grew bored - and a little tired.. so when Borden had slipped away on his third round of 'checking' on her sister.. she followed. Not as closely as she'd like - and certainly not as quietly.. but she could stumble along and follow his scent well enough. Smaller than all of her siblings, Calla was a little more timid than the rest - but the way she saw it.. this was *THEIR* territory.. and no one would cross over it.. or mess with dad. Besides! Dad wouldn't walk this way if it wasn't safe, right? So she could toddle along behind his scent trail without a problem.

Reaching the den-site, Calla bounced into the cleared, designated 'play area' with a triumphant yap. I'm HERE! It said... but her wagging tail fell when Taima didn't respond.. Curiously, Calla waddled towards the den and poked her nose inside, a soft yip barking out between her jaws. Triangle ears perked forwards, listening.. but when no answer came, she whined, falling back onto her hind end. Where was Taima? Had dad taken her with him this time? Was she all alone? That wasn't any fun.. Actually - it was really scary.

Whimpering, she snuffled around in the dirt until she caught Taima's scent, going up the hill.. So she followed, bounding along at an irregular pace, her coordination still not the best..Paws still far too large for her. It was Taima's panicked cry that made her stop, staring in fear before the thing..whatever it was came crashing towards her. A scream that mirrored Taima's slipped past her jaws, her fur standing on end - and had she been a cat, her tail would have been puffed straight up. The young pup turned and sprinted ahead of the beast, trying to run away from it, only to stumble over a gnarly branch that her elder sister had avoided.

Squeals of further terror passed her lips as she tumbled backwards down the hill, rolling in a ball of splay-legged white fluff towards Taima. When she came to a halt, Calla frantically scrabbled to her feet - eyes wide and terrified, her rbeath coming in uneven, short gasps. Mom..Mom.. Dad?! ANYONE!?!?!?! She saw Taima and dove towards her older sister, trying to hide *behind* her with a strangled squeak. The beast.. whatever it was seemed to be hovering on the hill above them - its shadow cast over them.. leaving the ivory ball of fluff quaking in terror...and attempting to hide in against her sisters side.

Table by Katsuma

I could not resist doing this...but if you want me to change it I have no problem doing so.

<blockquote>Trespassing was a crime, he knew this. When it came to growling stomachs, and disappearing muscles sometimes a few unwritten laws had to be broken. He could not starve to death, and he rather be ripped to shreds than die so slowly...his stomach eating itself inside out, and slowly guzzling the rest of his internal organs. He was no fool, and he had to do this right. If he was going to steal, it was best he did not get caught, and that maybe he might be able to replace it. Maybe....

So he searched for a pack, a thriving pack that was no too large nor small and started to get familiar with the regular routines of their comings and goings. It was a hard task, but it gave him something to do, and soon it would all be worth it. The problem was he had watched the dominant male come and go to what he presumed was the den site. Why he could not tell. Were there pups there? It was something he was not sure about, and could make his plan a big failure. The thing was he had not caught anything in two days, and his hunger pushed him to investigate. Once the lead male had stopped frequently checking the area, he decided it was safe to snoop around, and maybe the pup had even been moved or something. That was his first mistake.

When he went to check out where a scrap of meat might be, he caught the scent of some bones that might suffice until he could come up with a better plan. With his nose downward, it lead him to the spot. Before he could take a single step forward a young pup had backed into his thick neck, her wide eyes meeting his. It was no time to see she was caught in fear. For being such a scared little wolf, she sure screamed! He did not need any more to get his paws shuffling away from the startled child. The last thing he needed was angry parents.

Charging up a slope he thought would lead him away, he heard her scream for her father. It was a shock to his system. Why hadn't he went somewhere else? He broke the brush, pushing his protesting limbs, when he suddenly saw a small puff of white at his feet. <i>What the hell?!</i> Another one! She let out a scream of her own and he was certain he would soon be a dead man. Looming upon the hill, unable to tear himself from the terrified girls. It was in him to help them, to do something, but how could the very monster who startled them comfort them?

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(This post was last modified: Aug 03, 2012, 01:11 AM by Sica.)

Sibyl's nose wrinkled as she sniffed at the dusty summer earth. She didn't like this. She had returned to the site of the den after her day's hunting, just to check on things, and was met with a conspicuous silence. Sibyl had spent the night out away from the den, and was oblivious to the fact most of the pups had been taken out for the day. Which, Sibyl would have assumed was the case anyways, but something about the situation sent her instincts prickling with unease. Were they really out? Or had something happened to them all? An uneasy whimper rose from Sibyl's throat as she imagined what sort of terrible beast must have come by and torn everyone's heads off and dragged the bodies off to some cave somewhere and... Sibyl shook her head quickly, dispelling the thought. There was no blood, no gore, no signs of a scuffle in the dirt. Something was strange, definitely, but it would be more useful to use her head than jump to conclusions.

She placed her snout back to the ground and tried to read the story the scents might tell. She caught the smell of Calla and Taima, both had been here very recently. Slowly walking while crouched over like a bloodhound, she followed the trail out into the woods. It would have taken her a while to find just where their scents lead to, and Sibyl wished for some sign that she were even going the right way. The high pitched, panicked scream for dad was just that sign, and Sibyl regretted her wish. Another girlish scream soon followed, and Sibyl knew she had to do something. However much things scared Sibyl, she could only imagine how much more terrifying it would be to a couple of pups. Sibyl set off at a sprint towards the cries.

Now she could smell the children along with an unfamiliar wolfish scent. Sibyl didn't make a crashing entrance, rather, she stopped suddenly when she caught sight of the stranger up on the rise. No bush or brush stood between them, and Sibyl had her eyes locked onto him with a bewildered expression. A quick flick of her vision downward showed the girls huddled against each other at the base of the slope.

Where were the rest of the pups? Sibyl's eyes widened, a mix of disgust and horror settling on her face. This man ate them. He did, and he was saving the two here for dessert, she was sure. Sibyl's legs quivered with fear, and her ears pulled back. She wondered if he had killed the adults as well. It wouldn't be like Borden to not answer his daughter's cry, so something must have happened to him. This placed Sibyl in the uneasy position of being all that stood between the monster and the cubs. Well, she would have to move if she wanted to literally stand between him and them.

With her lips pulled back and ears pinned down, she tried to look as intimidating as she could. Her tail was trapped between her legs though, so the effect wasn't very convincing. Watching the wolf, she walked towards the pups, and the monster. Hopefully she wasn't walking towards her own death. <b>"S-Stay away f-f-from them, you m-monster"</b> She stammered as she approached. She came to a stop alongside Calla and Taima. Though she wanted to check if they were alright, she couldn't take her eyes off the male. She angled her body so that it was between the trespasser and the pups and let a small growl come through her bared teeth.

Despite her poor health - health that *WAS* getting better, Vlarindara tended to range farther from the pups den-site.. She trusted Jaysyek..but it was Borden she still had issues trusting. The wolfess wasn't certain that he would be willing to allow her to remain in the pack - had he known of her relationship with his brother, and just how serious a relationship it was. However, Vlarindara had learned from her mistakes.. She knew well enough that if she left, the dwindled size of the pack would alter the pups chances for survival. It had happened before - and Grizzly Hollow was not as strong as it had been just at the beginning of the summer. It seemed that every winter and Fall.. they lost membership... And she vowed that this year.. This winter.. It would be different. She wouldn't fail as she had in the year prior.

Instinct to restock the pack cache's had drove the white lady south - in search of a meal to bring back to the packlands. Her vision impairment made hunting difficult, but not impossible. She had returned with a rather decent sized boar - one who would at the very least bring some sustenance to a pack member - or even a few of the pups.. Though she couldn't for the life of her remember if they were able to eat raw meat yet or not. With boar in hand...err.. jaws.. Vlarindara was trotting back towards the Hollow den when the first scream of terror reached her ears. A frown as she paused, turning scarred face and ears towards the sound, listening....waiting. Had it been the pups fighting one another in play? Or a screech of terror at something new? A running leaf perhaps?

Ears caught the second scream and she snarled, dropping the boar and rushing towards the source. No..it was most certainly *NOT* a running leaf. Two of them screaming meant danger.. or one was stuck.. Either or - she was close enough to hear the pups screeching, she was close enough to reach them. Even if another beat her to it, Vlarindara had no intentions of simply ignoring it.. Not if there was a CHANCE something was wrong. Thankfully, she was right, as the ivory wolfess came into the small clearing, her amber eye caught sight of the strange wolf atop the gnoll - one of the familiar, yet still unknown hollow wolves standing between him and the two females of the litter.

A snarl ripped from her chest as she parted her jaws, curling her lips back over her ivory canines, leaving the two rows of teeth visible in the daylight. Her pointed, yet injured ears faced the intruder as Vlarindara lowered her head, her single amber eye focusing on him, the silvered one also 'focusing' but unseeing. Vlarindara took a stiff-legged step.. then another as she sought to put herself between Sibyl and this newcomer. He was smaller than her, but larger than her packmate.. Who seemed half scared out of her wits. Fur around her neck and along her back stuck out at every angle, her plumed tail curling tightly over her back. There was little need for words - Sibyl had spoken them.. Vlarindara was simply the muscle behind the threat.. And unlike her packmate.. she had the intention of backing it up.

table by katsuma

<blockquote>Her cry was quickly answered though the being that she had called for was not the one who materialized out of the forest. A scream echoed out not long after her own and <i>Calla</i> emerged, making a <i>beeline</i> straight for her! The masked girl's mind began to race as her sister proceeded to bury whatever she could into her mottled pelt. She stared into the stranger's face, her blue-and-olive eyes stricken with fear. <i>What was she s'posed to do now? How could she, alone, protect her sister? Someone should have heard her.... or at least heard Calla who seemed to have screamed even louder than she had!</i>

Her black-lined lips parted and she sat up just enough to press her back firmly against Calla's quivering, pale frame. Where the solid, confident, characteristic statement of <i>'You'll be sorry you messed with me'</i> should have growled back at staring rogue, a moment of weakness flickered and a whine left her throat. There had been a reason why her father had constantly been checking up on her and walking about on alert... and it had been <i>him.</i>

Taima's eyes had been so intently glued on the trespassers face that she had not even seen Sibyl arrive. What little power emanated from Sibyl's stammered warning reached the girl and her jowls slowly dropped open. Would this man even dare to mess with her? She wasn't particularly small but mom did have some height and bulk over her; and the threat (<i>was it... a wolf?</i>) in question looked as though he easily could overcome all three of them. That is... until Vlarindara strode into the space in front of them, blocking the rogue's figure from view.

The ivory Guard's fur stuck out in all directions, and after pairing the sight with a ferocious snarl, Taima was floored. Her heart thumped in her chest and she <i>gaped</i> at the size of Vlarindara's figure before her. Surely now the intruder would stand no chance of escaping the consequences that came with encroaching on pack territory...</blockquote>

<blockquote>Silver-tipped toes fell upon the dry, shaded forest floor with discretion as he made his way deeper into the heart of Grizzly Hollow. The morning's events had entailed an uneventful patrol and a successful, if not meager hunt. The fallen, feathered creature toted in his bloodied jaws was not much of a cache-filler, but he was no less proud to return it to the pack's store. Perhaps, if nothing else, the kids would have fun plucking it.

He had kept to himself, more so than usual, and it had felt like an eternity since he'd had any sort of interaction with...well...anybody. The warm, summer days faded into peaceful, summer nights, and before he could blink an eye it would seem as though part of his life had simply passed him by. More importantly, his time was passing him by, and with it, every opportunity to reconnect. Today, he would break the clock.

The scents of Grizzly Hollow criss-crossed the territory, permeating the air gloriously, and the black ghost of a wolf would pass each with a whetted interest. Just as soon as he could drop his offering, he had it in mind to check in. Past a fallen trunk and up and over a small hill, he was nearly at his chosen destination when a startling chain of sounds echoed through the forest. One scream, two screams, a distant snarl...

Without a second thought the Attaya dropped his kill, abandoning his errand and adopting a pace suitable for the occassion. The wind that ripped through his dark coat carried a foreign, male scent, and as he encroached on the scene the scent of a handful of Hollow wolves grew stronger. Just as soon as he could make sense of what he was smelling, the scene came to view. A low snarl drummed in his chest, lips curled and ears pinned, as he tactfully appraoched from intruder's back, his body primed and ready to back the ivory warrior up in a split second.</blockquote>

<blockquote>It was a great task trying to keep in check three pups on the way to the creek, even with Taima remaining behind under the watchful gaze of her father. She struggled to have her attention diverted, and her boys proved to be more than she had bargained for. The two did not only want to be in the water, they had to jump, and splash each other trying to get not only Calla but herself. First it was nothing but a game, see how wet they could get. Borden came to check on things, and in return Calla had gone with him to possibly nap. If only to get the boys interested in such a wild notion. A grin slipped on her lips, and she chuckled as another leap was made into the creek. It was all fun and games until Renier slipped getting a good mouthful of water. That was enough to scare the hell out of her, and with a sharp tone she told them it was time to get out. What she would not know is the danger her girls were in.

Until she heard their screams, and terror gripped her chest. How would she reach them? She could not leave her boys here, but... Panic tried to take her in it's arms, hold her as it's hostage. It would not work, she collected her wits, and turned to her sons. <b>"Come,"</b> she stated, and without a word as quickly as she dared she trotted forward, her ears pointed sharply ahead. <i>Borden.</i> She thought, hoping he was closer...hoping anyone was closer. She could not bare to think what was out there, what could happen.

She turned her head to make sure her sons were at her heals. She tried not to lose them too. What good would it do her? She had to take care of them, even if she felt her heart race in another direction. Placing her eyes back to her path she raised her head, and let out a sharp call of warning, of hope, of need. She recalled the old hollow tree she had had her first litter not too far ahead. She took her sons there, and pointed them inside.<b>"Boys I want you to stay here, don't you dare move till I come back."</b> She gave them the most serious look they would ever encounter, and she was racing across the forest. </blockquote>

Need to get Follko active so this will do. I'm guessing the timing on this thread is just after the bobcat attack that's why Borden and Follko were out and about. Jaysyek will find out about that after the pups are safe and when she see's Follko with his new scratches. XD


Follko was angry that Borden hadn't let him finish the patrol
with him. His claws scraped at the ground as he felt the sting of the
wind on his fresh wounds gauging the left side of his face. Follko was also
he had been able to convince Borden to take him along. Then once they
were near the end of the patrol the alpha told him to go back to the den again.
I told him before there are plenty of other wolves around the den to keep those
wiggling fur balls company. He scuffed his paws as he plodded along.


Successfully trudging up to the den Follko practically bumped into
a den of nothingness. Nobody was at the den. Not even the pups.
"What the hell is going on here!!" Follko snarled out his frustration then set
his nose to the ground searching out through the fresher scents. Jaysyeks scent
was there. As well as the pups. Though Calla and Taima's scents were just slightly
older. Cursing out his luck and knowing that Bordens instincts were right for him to go
back to the den Follko followed the freshest scents back out into the territory.
"Why in the hell,would you move the pups when there is no fucking bear around
trying to steal your den eh? And how come I can't find any of those bastards!" He was
beside himself with anger. Even though he knew it was wrong to talk about his packmates
like that the pups were his future. They were the only reason he was accepted into the pack;
to teach them. So it was really out of worry that the old wolf quickened his pace
following the trail. It's not safe for pups out here, especially if there are any
other bobcats about.


Perhaps it was due to traveling along with the pups but Jaysyeks trail was
extremely fresh. Follko figured that he was very close to her and the two pups she'd
brought with her. His hearing wasn't the best anymore so he heard not the snarls
of his packmates in the distance. Where is she dammit!
"Jaysyek where in the hell are you?!" Follko complained but had to compliment her skills on
hiding herself and the pups as they traveled. She was still taking good care of them.
But where were Calla and Taima? They are not with their mother...
Finally Follko spotted her white coat through the forests undergrowth. He bounded
a head giving her a bark a head of time so she knew it was him. Then he paused
heaving a sigh as he noted the two pups were uninjured. Looking to the white alpha now
Follko had a mix of pain, confusion, and anger spilled across his torn face.


"What the hell's going on?"

(This post was last modified: Aug 08, 2012, 04:56 PM by Follko.)

“Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.”
--Edgar Allan Poe  

<blockquote>A rock and a hard place would be considerably nice right now as the girls' screams were soon answered. First only by a small subordinate who seemed half afraid to do so, but brave enough to confront him. With shame his ears pressed to his skull at the calling of monster, but his head did not drop at the thought. He was waiting for something a bit more scarier than the female before him, and he shuffled a step back as if to show her he was leaving. He intended to leave, he only wanted to do so without being scalped. It was upon her growl, flash of fangs he tried a bit harder to climb the hill. He had only made it a few more steps trying to watch where he placed his paws, and the female below him when a large streak of angry, snarling white zoned in on him. He was certain she would attack him, and he had no mind to feel her teeth in his flesh. He grabbed at the dirt of the hill, pushing himself further away, higher and higher. In his haste though his back leg slip, and he slid down a foot. It was above him he heard a more deeper growl of both pain and warning.

Where was he to escape now? Could he escape a death sentence? That's what there would be surely. He was certain that's what there had been in his pack when anything had threatened a pup. His old pack had been large, and this one he wasn't about to find out how many wolves came running. His ears pressed down, his muzzle shifted upward accessing the climb, and then downward to the female protectors. The cold dirt was like sand beneath his toes, and in a swift motion he jumped upward to prevent himself from sliding again. He was aware moving would probably bring on a strike from the dark wolf above him. Soon as he landed he hit the ground running. He was not so graceful while his cream legs pushed out from underneath him. He stumbled twice, before rising and side-hilling it into the forest in which he had come. If he could make it to the border, and further maybe he would not be marked.

He did not once look back to see if he was being chased, his ears only listened while his legs flew by both fear, and adrenaline to keep their master safe.
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